"I never want to walk again for the rest of my entire life." - Carlos Barrios
Disorganized Crime
Year of Release - 1989
DVD Release - Touchstone/Buena Vista Home Entertainment - 2002
Region 1 - NTSC - Rated R
Running Time - 101:12
Director: Jim Kouf
Starring: Hoyt Axton, Corbin Bernsen, Ruben Blades, Fred Gwynne, Ed O'Neill, Lou Diamond Phillips, Daniel Roebuck and William Russ
Music: David Newman
Why is this one of my all-time favourite Comedies? I don't know, but this little-known and underrated gem makes me laugh a hell of a lot!
SYNOPSIS
The sleepy country town of Hamilton, Montana, only has one bank. Unfortunately they also have living there, Frank Salazar (Bernsen), a notorious New Jersey bank robber. Salazar has a job in mind and sends invitations to four "professional associates" of his who can pull the job off successfully. Unluckily for Frank, he is soon caught by two New Jersey Detectives, George Denver (O'Neill) and Bill Lonigan (Roebuck).
The group that Salazar has assembled consists of the following.
- Carlos Barrios (Blades) - Weapons man, cunning, cool demeanour but can lose his temper.
- Max Green (Gwynne) - Explosives and Security expert, experienced, distrusts the young and stupid, heart problems.
- Ray Forgy (Phillips) - Driver, young, cocky, nobody's bell-boy.
- Nick Bartkowski (Russ) - Safe-cracker, drinks when nervous, gets nervous when jobs start with "bad signs".
They don't trust each other, but they trust that whomever Frank hires is good at what he does.
They arrive at Frank's cabin to find that he is missing. They decide to stay the night to wait to see if Frank shows up. Nick is not happy with the whole situation - the job has started with a "bad sign". In the morning, while drunk, Nick steals the car with Carlos in persuit on foot. Nick crashes the car, is caught by the police.
Frank escapes from George and Bill. He steals a canoe and makes a break for it down the river. George and Bill drive to a bridge that is down-stream in an attempt to catch him.
By the time that Carlos get's back to the cabin, Max and Ray have already gone through Frank's stuff and found out what the job is. The First National Bank - with $500,000 each. They can't do the job alone, they need Nick. They have to walk to town to find a new getaway car.
George and Bill begin walking up-stream one on each side of the river, looking for Frank's footprints. Little that they know that Frank had crashed his canoe and has made off into the woods.
Early that evening, Max, Ray and Carlos find the perfect getway car parked at a bridge...
George and Bill hear their car being driven away. They believe that Salazar doubled-back and stole their car! They manage to get a lift back to Hamilton and the local police put out an APB for Frank Salazar.
Nick has been set a bail of $5,000 and Max, Ray and Carlos have to rob local convienience stores to raise the money. Naturally, George and Bill believe that Frank is knocking over the stores.
With Nick out of jail, they can now pull off the bank robbery, surely nothing else can go wrong. And where the hell is Frank?
VIDEO
The Disorganized Crime DVD is presented in the original theatrical aspect of 1.85:1 and is 16:9 enhanced. There has not been a great deal of digital remastering as there are many instances of film artefacts and grain. It looks better than a video transfer, at least.
AUDIO
The only audio track is a very servicable Dolby Surround 2.0 track.
EXTRAS
None. That's right, you heard me. None. Not even a lousy, stinkin' Trailer!
OVERALL
Sure, the Synopsis sounds a bit dry when you read it, but so do most comedies. Disorganized Crime is a hi-jinx and mix-ups comedy that is very, very funny.
All of the acting performances are spot on. Ed O'Neill, Reuben Blades and William Russ, in particular take the honours.
Disorganised Crime is one of my favourite comedies of all time. I was surprised that it was even out on DVD - it isn't the most lavish DVD, but it is inexpensive.
Give Disorganised Crime a go. I know you will like it!
The Film: 
1/2
The Disk: (Hey, at least it's in Widescreen...)
"Dark Lord" Paul Lenkic
"Accept the Lord of Darkness as your saviour!" - The Undertaker
© 2002