Show ' The Herald Journal Logan Utah Wednesday April 23 2003 — C3 SHERMANS LAGOON Good performances help ‘Confidence hop along By Christy Lemlra AP Entertainment Writer Think of “Confidence” as a poor man’s “Ocean’s Eleven” — a heist movie that doesn’t have quite the elite' east elaborate details and effervescence of Steven Soderbergh’s film but is genuinely entertaining nonetheless Instead of George Clooney Brad Pitt Julia Roberts and Matt Damon time’s Edward Bums Paul Giamatti Rachel Weisz and Dustin Hoffman (Andy Garcia by the way appears in both films) Instead of targeting Las Vegas’ most impenetrable 'casino vaults the cons in “Confidence” go after a corrupt banker CATHY RMWIBER THE lECTUKEsJ me books Twrr YOtfD iwww& NEVER LET ME NEAR HIM AMIN T? THAT NAS BEFORE HE SENT NOUN MCE BKrBOK Of : —Movie review AP Photo (Left to right) Aeon man Jake Vig (Edward Bums) whose latest scam puts him in debt with the mafia is confronted by crime boss Winston King (Dustin Hoffman) in “Confidence And director James Foley’s visual style never truly captures the giddy glitzy look and feel of Soderbergh’s 2001 film — itself a remake of a 1960 Rat Pack flick — but it’s still Jight enough on its feet to keep you hopping along Bums stars as Jake Vig who recounts the con in flashbacks while a mob henchman (Morris Chestnut) points a gun at his head Jake is the head of a crew of grifters that includes s Gordo (Giamatti) pretty-bo- y Miles (Brian Van Holt) Big A1 (Louis Lombardi) and dirty Los Angeles cops Lloyd (Donal Logue) and Omar (Luis Guzman) When Big A1 and the target of an earlier sam end up dead Jake and his friends must make amends to the man they’ve crossed: crime boss Winston King (Hoffman) who’s known as “The King” Jake offers to repay The King by going after an even bigger target: Morgan Price (Robert Forster) a banker with connections to organized crime The con entails wooing a lonely bank vice president and setting up an offshore bank account in which to wire millions of dollars But Jake can only pull it off with the help of’ Lily (Weisz) a pickpocket who’s such an femme fatale she can’t even light her own cigarettes While she and Jake have a ton of chemistry their sexual tension would have been even more intense if they hadn’t jumped into bed together in the middle of the job If all this sounds familiar now wait until you hear the characters talk it sounds as if firsttime screenwriter Doug Jung has been reading too much David Mamet The twists and dou-the cadence of the characters’ speech and the repetitiveness of certain sayings BEETLE BAILEY are reminiscent of much of Mamet’s work “Heist” and “Glengarry Glen Ross" (the latter of which Foley also directed) — with desperate crafty characters doing whatever they must to get their hands on some cash Other moments recall “Pulp Fiction" with its images of a bleached-o- ut Los Angeles where everyone has a gun pointed at someone else And there are elements of “Catch Me If You Can” with Garcia as an FBI agent who’s pursued Jake across the country just as Tom Hanks’ chased an elusive Leonardo DiCaprio “Confidence” zips by quickly and well confidently Bums finally gets a chance to show off his capacity for charisma after straight-ma- n supporting roles in films includ- ing “IS Minutes” and “Life or Something Like It” Giamatti with his deadpan comic delivery gets some of the film’s best lines “Are we ' planning a con or are we doing a rendition of ’Our Town’?” he asks when he surveys the random crew Jake has assembled ' Hoffman seems to be having the best time of all playing a volatile vaguely bisexual gangster who hits on Jake and Lily and takes Ritalin for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder It's his most engaging work in years — probably since 1997’s “Wag the Dog” fittingly another film written by Mamet “Confidence” a Lions Gate Films is rated R for language violence and sexualitynudity Running time: 98 minutes Three stars out of four amely ad-sa- ck HAGARTHE HORRIBLE v G-m- an old-scho- ol PEANUTS es Sons of Bear Lake A novel by Douglas D there There's no escaping it I am supposed to be a saint” Alex laughed again “I guess that’s why you are She has been mighty effective How about your dad?” Pete felt the words come more easily now “He's a free man — but he doesn’t want me to be like him He agrees that ma’s plans are better How’s that for copping out? He doesn't have to be a saint but I do He just walks out if there is ever a contest and lets Ma's message consume me” “So you are running” “Of course Why do you think I wouldn't write them? Ma's the kind that would write a congressman and get me but” Alex snickered “You don't know the Army buddy The Army is hungry for fodder They won't give you up” But Pete wasn't ready to give in “You don't know my ma She's got access to information that could get me out if she wanted to I'm gambling that my enlisting is a clear signal that I can't stand it in Bear Lake and that if she forces me home all hell will break loose ’’ Alex's voice changed “Don’t you sound tough” he sneered “Sounds more like idle threats to me Your dad might just change his colors and sit down hard on you for the first time” “He'd be a hypocrite if he did Just this once I hope he won't support tier” MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM here you go again cuttin’ yourself I’m going to start socking you every time you say that about yourself” “Pete that's one thing you’re not ever going to do You know I groove on you I feel like I’ve got to protect you from becoming like me — but if you ever hit me my instincts will take over —and street people play dirty So don’t find out how rotten I am” “Damn it Alex there you go again” “Okay I'll give it a try be kind to myself a week So now we’re down to your turn at confession Why are you here?” “To fly helicopters” That wasn’t enough for Alex “Oh rats How dumb do you think I am? What are you running from? We're all running from something I’m running from the law What are you running from?” Pete hesitated But he knew what he wanted to say “You'd have to know my mom my - FOX TROT YOU ROLL TMS BAU-UK- PHJKE REMEMBER LAST E tmns toward these month when 10 WANTED 1HM6S TO SEE you Bowun6? HOW MANY YOU CAN i TO TAKE WC don't KNOCKoVER stepmother" Alex laughed briefly “So that’s it She hates yoii and loves her child Sounds like a soap opera" “No she loves me 93 much as the other two In fact she suffocates me with it She had my whole life planned and she is so clever at sneaking her design into my head It is always REAL LIFE ADVENTURES CLOSE TO HOME Win See tomorrow's Herald Journal a three-clu- b as a sign-oor a response by North or a game-forcMy recommendation? Unless you wish to get embroiled in the complexities of Lebensohl bid as a sign- -' treat a two-levoff a nonjump three-levresponse as invitational and a as a game- jump or cue-bi- d force The deal looks easy: Win the first trick unblock the of clubs cross to the heart ace run the rest of the clubs and claim 10 tricks When East discards on the second round of clubs the contract becomes unmakable You need only five club tricks not six At trick three you should overtake the club queen with dummy's king then continue with the club 10 to drive out West's jack The heart ace is the dummy entry for the established clubs You ff This deal occurred during a team match in London and one declarer worked out how to clear the danger from the path to his contract Imagine that you are South declaring After West in three leads the spade queen what would be your plan? Should West have over-callSouth’s orte with two spades? When dealing with a strong the defending side should assume that it cannot make ' game So it should get into the auction (try to) find a fit and get out of the auction Playing strength will be more important than points Also an overcall may disrupt the opponents For example after West overcalled with two spades would South have interpreted no-tru- ed no-tru- no-tru- homondig for the next install- ment of this stoiy at bridge By Phillip Alder I mod tho owl "Whore oro ttM Qlvo mo 20 000 o Zorecon sUtl Hrt badlyl Got mo WhooT Alder game-invitati- on win two spades one heart one diamond and five clubs' 02003 e? NEA North el A el K A K V A 4 I 754 i'll 4 84 V West A V A East Q J It) V 8 7 A '5 4 2 — V k Q 10 8 5 111 V 3 k J 8 J 7 h 2 A - ace-que- Soulh ' A B A h 3 4 7 A Q 6 2 I1 : A AO Dealer South Vulnerable: North- - South Soulh 1 NT pass West 2 A North '3 NT Opening lead: A East All (£) ' |