sol1218 ****SPOILERS**** Ripping off the Milton mob of $7.2 million dollars and killing Milton's son Kevin in the process was a big mistake for the Steven Wayne, Bom Gunton, gang and Wayne's partner Jimmy Berg, Jeff Bridges, who executed that robbery. Milton's top henchman Trevor Morrison, Brian Goodman, has a hit-man Rick, Peter Green, sent to kidnap and kill Jimmy Berg. Driving a van with Rick to the Berg home is part-time mob wheel-man Lenny Burrough, Jon Abrahams. Everything seems to go right with Berg taken with out a struggle and Rick getting a key hidden under a mailbox that will unlock a designated bus station locker that he was given instructions to go to. There's $250,000.00 in cash waiting for Rick, in that locker, after he did the "job" but then all hell breaks loose with the Wayne mob showing up and running down Rick and killing him with a silencer. In the middle of a busy street in broad daylight. There's still Lenny in the van with Berg and with Morrison in contact with him and giving Lenny orders on his cell-phone to stay put is not to let him go.The movie "Scenes of the crime" just stands still after that with both Wayne & Morrison negotiating for Bergs life with Lenny who up to then was an innocent bystander the main obstacle. After going back and forth for a half hour the two hoodlums come to the conclusion that the best thing that they can do that will favor both of them is to have Wayne sell Berg out. The trick is to convince him that his partner Wayne isn't doing that. This to get Berg to drop his guard and come out and surrender and eventually be killed by the Milton mobsters.Somewhat slow but interesting film about how the mob works and how the saying that "There's no honor among thieves" is so true. You soon also begin to realize that theirs a third party, besides Wayne and Morrison, who's more sinister and murderous then the other two. Who's manipulating everyone like puppets on a string without them ever knowing about it. Jeff Bridges is his usual competent self as Jimmy Berg who knows that trust is not a word that's worth the paper it's written on when it comes to dealing with mobsters like Wayne, his 15 year partner and friend, and Morrison. Berg realizes in the end that he was sold out and pleads for Lenny to shoot him dead instead of being given up and tortured to death by the Milton mob. Jon Abrahams is very good as the somewhat naive mob driver Lenny who thinks that he's only doing a job and not what the reality of his situation really is. That by having anything to do with the mob is like signing you life away to it with out a reserve clause. There's also a couple who own a deli, Carman & Raymond, Madchen Amick & Morris Chestnut, as well as two construction workers Martin & Louis, Nicholas Gonzalez & Justin Louis, who all get caught up with what's happening in the whirlpool of violence between Wayne & Morrison, and in the case of the construction workers, end up losing their lives. The ending of "Scenes of the crime" was a bit labored but it gave the movie an ending that wasn't as depressing and gloomy as the rest of the film which is supposed to be based on a true story according to it's prologue.

chrismcreynolds It seems a lot of you missed the point about the dramatic (or anti-climactic ending). Yes, they could have left some of the clues out but then you would have felt manipulated. I thought that the balance between tension and suspense was good considering the what they wanted to show in terms of what actually happened. Nobody knew why they parked where they did, but the dead man was going to see his father, and nobody else knew why they were there or where the man's father was. Watch the film and appreciate it for what it is. The smartest guy does not always win. Jimmy was too bold and his luck ran out. If not, I have no doubts that he could have turned this whole thing in to a win for him.It does make it more interesting knowing that this is based on a true story.

jotix100 I recently caught up with this film on DVD format. Any film with Jeff Bridges in it, is worth a view, in my book. Dominique Forma directed, as well as contributed to the screen play. The people involved with this film probably started with a different idea in mind, but it appears they had no clue as how to resolve the main problem behind the story. The end result does not satisfies the viewer, but the ironic twist at the end makes one be glad for the young man who finds a pot of gold without even trying.The comparison between this film and Joel Schumacher's "Phone Booth" comes to mind, as indicated by some contributors' comments. The only thing is this one takes place inside a van, and not on the street. It has a lot going for it, but the conclusion leaves many questions unanswered. Also, there are many things that are obvious to fans of this genre, such as the crazy old man who is in the background of the story and we sense he is nowhere as mad as he wants people to believe he is.The acting is good. Jeff Bridges shines as Jimmy Berg, the object of the kidnapping. Noah Wyle has a smaller role in the film, but he's just as effective as the man who wants to protect Jimmy's life. Madchen Amick should be seen more often. R. Lee Ermey, Bob Gunton and Jon Abrahams play some of the other interesting characters in the film.

Ricardo Garcia Mainou To begin lets say that the title is a little deceptive, it leads you to believe it's going to be a kind of CSI movie, but really is the kind of mob face to face movie that would have worked better under the pen of David Mamet (Heist) or even the Cohens (Miller's Crossing).Acting is good (it should since there's not much action in the movie), but the main problem would be that you can see the ending comming since almost the beginning (SPOILER* Since you see the old man paying two hundred dollars to the painters).Not withstanding, the movie unfolds gracefully (good rythm, good dialogues), maybe boring for some that don't like characters under stress studies.A solid 6.