Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead

A talky, crowded crime film made in the wave that followed Pulp Fiction. Jimmy has left the criminal world and gone into the video business. His old boss calls him back with a simple job: frighten someone, without touching him. It goes wrong. The boss then declares a punishment, and Jimmy and his crew go on the list. The film's real subject is what comes after: what five men do with the time they have left. One tries to run, one chooses to stay and wait, one wants to do one last thing. The title comes from a Warren Zevon song. Andy Garcia plays Jimmy. Christopher Walken is the boss in the wheelchair, Steve Buscemi the hired killer, Christopher Lloyd and William Forsythe two of the crew. Treat Williams is the one who goes out of control. It was Gary Fleder's first feature. A familiar pleasure for anyone who likes 1990s crime cinema and ensemble films full of oddly nicknamed characters. For a viewer looking for restraint, the film puts style ahead of plot and the lines carry the director's voice more than the characters'.