DVD The Underneath (DVD 49881),
back to browsing

The Underneath

  • R
  • DVD
  • 1 disc
  • Region 1 USA/CA (info)
  • With this cerebral remake of the 1949 film noir gem CRISS CROSS, director Steven Soderbergh has renounced melodrama and suspense to instead create an art film with the emotional weight of Greek tragedy. The film weaves three time frames together to tell its story. In the present, Michael Chambers (Peter Gallagher) returns to Austin, Texas, for his mother's wedding. In the past, he flees town to escape an outrageous gambling debt, ditching his girlfriend, Rachel (Alison Elliott), in the process. And in the future, when Rachel's new boyfriend, Tommy (William Fichtner), a dangerous club owner, catches them having an affair, Michael comes up with a plan for Tommy to rob the armored car he drives. Soderbergh handles his material so deftly that the viewer is left to question whether it is fate or personal responsibility that drove the characters to their ends. Cinematographer Elliot Davis shoots each section with a distinct look in order to further distinguish the film's three chapters, giving the film a visual aesthetic that is overtly stylish and moody. As the flighty Michael, Gallagher is an attractive--and surprisingly comical--presence. His interactions with the rest of the cast (most notably, Elliott) are at turns hysterical, dramatic, and suspenseful.
    Read More...
  • Additional Info
    Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): 20445

  • Credits
    Peter Gallagher, Elisabeth Shue, Joe Don Baker, Alison Elliott, Shelley Duvall, William Fichtner, Adam Trese, Paul Dooley
  • Critic Reviews
    "...A hypnotic blend of suspense and eroticism....This seductive twisted thriller pulls you right in..."
    Rolling Stone

    "...Several subtle marvels of character acting are achieved....The motor here is undoubtedly the rigorously constructed plot, a maze of crossing paths..."
    Sight and Sound

    "...Peter Gallagher puts a fresh film noir spin on Burt Lancaster's old Criss Cross role in THE UNDERNEATH..." -- 3 1/2 out of 4 stars
    USA Today

    "...Gallagher gets deep inside this gambler's rotten, addictive core....[Soderbergh] has made that rare thing, a modern-day noir with feeling." -- Rating: A-
    Entertainment Weekly

    "...Intriguing....[The] plot strands are deftly orchestrated with an eye toward constructing a thematic argument....The visual style is intense..."
    Variety

    "...Alison Elliott is pitch perfect in conveying the mystery behind her character..."
    New York Times

    "...Made with polish and assurance, capably acted and intricately constructed..."
    Los Angeles Times

0 Stars 0 average rating
In Stock -- Item Ships for FREE
Our price $5.95
Add to wishlist

What viewers like you said...

Have you seen this movie? Be the first to write a review

Also suggested for you...

  • Quick View
    Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius [043396085107]

    buy now for

    $6.45

    DVD
  • Quick View
    Life of Pi [Blu-ray/DVD] [Includes Digital Copy; UltraViolet; 3D]

    buy now for

    $39.13

    Blu-ray/DVD
  • New
    Quick View
    Broken City [Blu-ray/DVD] [Includes Digital Copy; UltraViolet]

    buy now for

    $34.30

    Blu-ray/DVD
  • New
    Quick View
    Cloud Atlas [Blu-ray/DVD] [Includes Digital Copy; UltraViolet]

    buy now for

    $32.61

    Blu-ray/DVD