Lucky Number Slevin (2006)

A mistaken identity turns deadly in this crime drama.

In Lucky Number Slevin a young man, Slevin, portrayed by Josh Harnett (The Black Dahlia) comes to visit his friend Nick Fisher in New York. Slevin talks to Nick just minutes before he arrives to find an empty apartment. He simply makes himself at home while he waits his friend’s return. Nick’s affable and talkative neighbor, Lindsey (Lucy Lui) makes herself at home as well when she knocks on the door and Slevin answers. After Lindsey listens to Slevin’s story, she quickly deduces that Nick is missing. She has no proof. However, she is a fan of television detective shows. She decides that something sinister has happened and decides that they must investigate.

Later, when thugs come calling and mistake Slevin for missing his friend Nick, the visit turns deadly. Slevin is drawn into a dangerous mob-war between two crime bosses, The Boss, (Morgan Freeman) and The Rabbi (Ben Kingsley) and both are out for Nick’s blood. He owes them money and they are determined to get it. The crime bosses once friends are now archenemies who live penthouses that face each other. Neither comes out of his building fearing retaliation from the other, instead, they stand at their windows and glower menacingly at one another. This is one of those movies that you have to watch and listen to very carefully, because the flashbacks slip in and out so quickly, that the next sequence can become a loose thread. Bruce Willis (Hostage) as Mr. Goodkat, a hired gun, appears and disappears throughout the movie like a grim shadow.

Watch for Stanley Tucci's (The Devil Wears Prada) tough Detective Brikowski portrayal. Brikowski and his team have had the mobsters under surveillance for some time, they cannot figure out who Slevin is or how and why he is involved with the mob.

Viewers may have questions, because the plot in this movie is confusing. They are often left wondering how they arrived at a certain point. Despite the confusion in this movie, the ending has a satisfying twist, one I had not anticipated. Upon watching Lucky Number Slevin a second time I did enjoy it, because I had a better understanding of the movie.

While the Lucky Number Slevin plot may be off, it does have a top-notch cast that includes Danny Aiello and Sam Jaeger who appears briefly as Nick Fisher.

Sadly, this is one more movie with gratuitous sex. The brief, explicit sex scenes and nudity serve no real purpose and are not necessary to the story.