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Directed by the usually reliable Harold Ramis (Caddyshack, Groundhog Day), the striving black comedy reunites the Pushing Tin
(not a great film, but much better than this) duo as a dodgy lawyer and
strip-club owner, respectively, who spend Christmas Eve trying to
swindle the mob – enter Randy Quaid in ‘crazy’ mode,
and the clichéd Mike Starr as the steadfast hitman - out of some
cash.
Like a cat dropped off a mile from home, this film
has no idea where it’s going. Even from its opening minutes,
it’s obvious that something’s been left out of the pot and
the main isn’t going to taste to perfection. The jokes seem
forced and unfunny, the script seems splotchy and without motivation,
and the leads seem to be (Thornton looked like he was having more fun
in Bad News Bears, and that’s saying something) as enthused as a couple of grandkids being forced to visit their mean, sour Nan.
In a few spots, it looked like the movie was going
to get back on track, with Ramis providing a couple of very effective
goofy, gruesome moments. Unfortunately, it just as quickly dived back
into snoresville. Elmore Leonard really needed to doctor the screenplay.
This isn’t the worst film of both Thornton
and Cusack’s back catalogue – they’ve both had their
share of dogs – but it’s definitely one that they both
should have been steered against doing.
EXTRAS
Quickly rushed to DVD, Harvest doesn’t encompass anything much in the
extras that warrants buying it either. Whilst the interviews with the
writer of the novel and the film, as well as the commentary from Ramis,
the alternate endings, and a featurette on ‘the lake sequence’ were OK,
the only real extra were bothering about – funnily enough – is an
outtake where Billy Bob Thornton delivers an entire line in Sling
Blade mode.
Conclusion:
Movie 55% Extras: 50%
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