betty dalton
This is one of those movies that wants to look tough. And ends up looking like a wannabe. The actors are good but again look like wannabe tough guys. And yes, they fit the model of toughness with their sunglasses, weapons, slapping women and shooting gangsters, but it nags a little. Everything has been done better in other movies that DO look cool and tough. I am fond of heist movies with tough guys. But some humor and a more natural casual style of directing will give a heist movie much more cool and real looking toughness. Pulp Fiction is funny, but you dont dare mess with Harvey Keitel, however ridiculous he may be dressed in that classic. In "City of Industry" everyone is trying so hard to look cool but it is not very believable at times.All in all this is still a reasonably good heist movie with lots of killings and revenge. Lots of action scenes. It didnt bore me. I have watched it two times over the years. Harvey Keitel played great. But sometimes he too became almost a parody of himself. Let's call it a good popcornmovie. 7 out of 10 mainly thanks to Harvey Keitel who saved this film. Could have been much better though if the direction had been more creative. It could have been.. but it just wasnt.
jmillerdp
Oh boy! Another "Heist Gone Wrong" movie! And, wouldn't you think that Harvey Keitel would be getting tired of these? After "Reservoir Dogs," you'd think he'd want a break!But, not here. The heist is planned, carried out, and, guess what?!, there is instant double crossing, shooting and everything else. Heavens! The second that happened, I pretty much checked out, and just waited the rest of the movie out.And, of course, it's a "final heist" for Keitel's character. So, that naturally means that everything's going to go wrong, guaranteed!The film is entirely on the shoulders of Harvey Keitel's performance. His fearless brand of acting is what make the film worth watching.But, it's standard plot makes it not worth it otherwise.****** (6 Out of 10 Stars)
disdressed12
this was a fairly entertaining crime drama.it moved at a quick pace and it wasn't boring.i liked the fact that it didn't feel as depressing as many movies of the genre.it's still dark and gritty,just not oppressive.it pretty much follows the standard formula.betrayal,leading to revenge ending in bloodshed,usually death.it's all pretty predictable,and there a few illogical moments.still,it is entertaining for what it is.what elevates this material though, is Harvey Keitel,who makes just about any film he's in better than it otherwise might have been.Stephen Dorff,Timothy Hutton,Famke Janssen,Michael Jai White,and Wade Dominguez co star.and Lucy Liu also has a small role.recommended as long as you know what you're in for.it doesn't break any new ground,but it doesn't completely butcher the genre either.for me,City of Industry is a 6.5/10
fertilecelluloid
John Irvin's "City of Industry" has the grit and pessimism of another crime classic, "52 Pick-Up". Although it's not as stylish as Frankenheimer's film, it is just as violent and just as radiant (in a sleazy way). Like "52...", there are several splendid performances, not the least being that of Harvey Keitel, a vengeance-seeking career crim, and Stephen Dorff, an incredibly savage villain. Set in parts of LA you'd only want to visit on the screen, this Ken Solarz-scripted underworld drama is constantly engaging and vicious while remembering to be intelligent, too. Timothy Hutton turns in a stellar performance, as does the always-watchable Famke Janssen as a woman recently widowed by the fall-out from Dorff's betrayal of friends. Irvin is not an ostentatious director, so when his source material is weak (as it was in "Raw Deal"), he can't dress it in pretty clothes. But when his material is strong, as it is here, he stands back just far enough to let the story take its rightful turn. This is a seriously underrated classic.
AD
