Love Cheat And Steal Review

Love Cheat And Steal
A banker discovers a mob money-laundering syndicate in his home town.

by Jeremy Clarke |
Published on
Release Date:

06 Jan 1995

Running Time:

96 minutes

Certificate:

18

Original Title:

Love Cheat And Steal

Local lad made good Paul Harrington (Lithgow) returns home to Jupiter Beach, Florida with his gorgeous new wife Lauren (Amick) in tow, ready to take over his father's bank. But an upstanding financial career has done little to prepare him for the discovery of a mob money-laundering scam quietly operating within its walls under the guidance of so-called businessman Hamilton Fisk (Dan O'Herlihy).

Lauren, meanwhile, lands her own problems in the shape of ex-husband Reno (Roberts). He, it turns out, has just escaped from the slammer and has arrived to seek some recompense from his double-crossing ex-wife.

Lauren subsequently spends most of her time alternately pleading with Reno and dodging his sexual harassment, while he plots to rob the bank and blows away anyone unfortunate or foolish enough to get in the way of his criminal ambitions.

This ought to be a first-rate thriller, but despite a solid cast well-versed in playing bit-parts, writer-director Curran only occasionally manages to raise his narrative above a plodding seen-it-all-before level, and his direction lacks both suspense and credibility.

Amick and Roberts are resolutely typecast - her as a deceptive siren and him as an irredeemable scumbag - leaving the always watchable Lithgow to steal the show as the resourceful banker.

Lithgow's bustling characterisation is the only positive thing to be found in this otherwise misguided movie.
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