The Way of the Gun

Name: The Way of the Gun
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: September 8, 2000
Duration: 119 min
Rating: 49
Cast: Benicio Del Toro, Ryan Phillippe

2000

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Mixed or average reviews based on 30 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 84 Ratings

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2.4	User Score Generally unfavorable reviews based on 84 Ratings

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The Way Of The Gun

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Movie Details & Credits

Artisan Entertainment | Release Date: September 8, 2000 | R

Starring: Benicio Del Toro, Ryan Phillippe

Summary: A twisting crime drama about two cold-blooded career criminals who kidnap a surrogate mother and find themselves in an escalating cycle of guns and mayhem. (Artisan Entertainment)

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Genre(s): Action, Drama, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 119 min

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Critic Reviews

Film.com Peter Brunette

If you're interested in heavy-lidded moodiness and lots of attitude, Phillippe and Del Toro can't be beat. Read full review

Film.com Gemma Files

A tiny slice of bleak, black near-perfection. Read full review

Andy Seiler

Gives new meaning to the phrase "not for the squeamish." Read full review

Emanuel Levy

Each of the talented thesps has some good moments, but, ultimately, none can rise above the limitations of the material and filmmaking. Read full review

Walter Addiego

A misfire. Read full review

Steve Mikulan

Isn't a bad film, but as we watch it we're constantly rewriting it in our minds to make it a better one. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

A lot of uninteresting and unpleasant people torture, abuse, and fire guns at a lot of other uninteresting and unpleasant people, in a repulsive, interminable would-be crime thriller. Read full review

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User Reviews

Khyron42Prime

May 14, 2015

This film is perfect, from the performances to the writing to the action choreography. Mis-marketed as some kind of zany comedy, this movie is a nihilistic deconstruction of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Pulp Fiction, The Usual Suspects, and frankly any movie about cops and crooks,This film is perfect, from the performances to the writing to the action choreography. Mis-marketed as some kind of zany comedy, this movie is a nihilistic deconstruction of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Pulp Fiction, The Usual Suspects, and frankly any movie about cops and crooks, heroes and villains, good guys and bad guys. It's bleak but not hopeless, and watching it requires intelligence and attention. Michael Bay Tansformers fans need not apply.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

KrisA.

Jun 16, 2006

Great action movie. Exciting all the way through, and it has my favourite opening scene of all time. Watch the first scene if nothing else.

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whitepawn

Jul 1, 2014

The thinking man's Pulp Fiction. Yes, I liked it too, but this is way better. If you're looking for sympathetic characters, you'll hate this movie. Chris McQuarrie very deliberately cut a favorite dialogue from this movie because it evoked sympathy for one of the characters. ALL areThe thinking man's Pulp Fiction. Yes, I liked it too, but this is way better. If you're looking for sympathetic characters, you'll hate this movie. Chris McQuarrie very deliberately cut a favorite dialogue from this movie because it evoked sympathy for one of the characters. ALL are flawed, such is life.

I've run into a couple people who tell me, "I just couldn't get past Ryan Phillippe." He fits the role and works very well with it, whatever else he's done (I've seen nothing else he's been in so I don't have a bias.) Benicio is pretty great in this, Caan is wonderful.

Dialogue is grand. You get little scenes that by themselves are gems but put together in this movie sequence can have a gut-punching effect. The poetry of the entire film taken as a whole is so good, you'll want to replay it from the beginning once you see the end.

REWATCHABLE: yes… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ChrisG.

May 6, 2006

Finally, a caper flick starring criminals who aren't either too funny, too scary, or too emotional to believe. Love the slow, quiet alley car chase and unspoken communication between the two. Subtle. No wonder the critics panned it.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

robbotis

Dec 17, 2012

This is very good film. The cast is awesome. The first scene hilarious, and plenty of other good ones. The middle does drag a bit, so, that keeps it down a notch. But Del Toro, Phillipe, and such, are all so good.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

PhilN.

Jun 1, 2006

I love this film... it has its flaws, but I honestly can't see why it is so underrated. The principle characters are despicable and there's no justification for their actions... that's partly the point of the film, and is - to me - an honest and realistic way to depict I love this film... it has its flaws, but I honestly can't see why it is so underrated. The principle characters are despicable and there's no justification for their actions... that's partly the point of the film, and is - to me - an honest and realistic way to depict violence (far preferable to action movies in which we're asked to forget, forgive or applaud the various deaths the protagonists cause), yet it seems to be a common criticism of this film. I just don't understand that way of thinking. It seems to me the intentional coldness and amorality seen in this movie is way out of fashion now - had it appeared in the 70s, would it have been a classic like Point Blank? The film has some truly excellent dialogue (and non-verbal communication), but it has to be said that McQuarrie got a bit carried away at times and some of the lines are just too oblique to be understood or too "clever" to be believable. And, while their motivation is clear, Parker & Longbaugh's tactics in the final action scene are questionable, their approach somewhat less intelligent than we should expect from them. But in my opinion these are negligible flaws next to the film's strengths - not least, some of the finest firefights ever filmed. All performances from biggest to smallest are absolutely spot-on, and the score is wonderful. I would say, if you're a fan of 70s films like The Getaway or Bullit that are appreciated for their bleak and unpleasant qualities, then you'll probably get a kick out of Way Of The Gun. I wish there were more crime/action movies like it.… Expand

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TheWalrus2000

Apr 12, 2013

It does seem a bit sloppy at times, The Way of the Gun is an entertaining thrill ride not to mention a perfect screen couple of Benicio del Toro and Ryan Phillippe.

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