Shamus

Author(s): Ryan
Location: N/A

"Shamus"

Directed by Jonathan Demme
Written by Sam Lake, Rian Johnson, James Ellroy & Brian Helgeland
Music by Mark Isham
Cinematography by Vilmos Zsigmond

Main Cast

Guy Pearce (Shamus Dick Noir)
Kate Hudson (Scarlet Herring/Red Herring)
Jude Law (The Governor)
Gwen Stefani (Katherine Jones)
Gena Rowlands (Lenore Brendan/Lavender Herring)
Robbie Coltrane (The Murcill City Murderer)
Billy Crudup (The Opium Dealer)

Tagline: "When The Bad Guy’s Asleep, He’s Watching" 7/4/08

Synopsis: Shot in black-in-white with an 8mm, Shamus, is a unique visual Film-Noir detective story worth seeing. Set in the 30s, Shamus, takes place in the crime-run, Murcill City. Murcill has got so bad that most of the cops left, and the ones remaining are so incompetent that if they get a call from someone that they are being robbed, and it is too late at night, they will wait for morning to come, and if there is a murder, they say it is a suicide. So, the few law-abiding citizens go to Dick Noir; ‘Shamus’ Dick Noir (Guy Pearce).

Though Dick has his own share of problems, he is one cool-cat and a great Shamus. It is late in the night when The Governor (Jude Law), busts in his office, asking Noir to find the murder of his Mistress, Scarlet Herring (Kate Hudson), who was found massacred in the bathtub. Scarlet’s murder though was in the fashion of the Murcill City Murderer (Robbie Coltrane), who is still on the loose.

As Noir delves into the case he discovers Scarlet has an identical twin sister, Red (Kate Hudson). Red always hated Scarlet being more glamorous, how she was a cabaret singer; both of them having a sibling rivalry, her mother favoring Scarlet. Noir starts dating Red, in hopes to find out more about Scarlet. Noir decides to go on a surprise visit to Red’s, being in the neighborhood. Though to his surprise he sees her and The Governor kissing! Noir leaves without them knowing. This leads Noir to believe that Red might have been the one murdered, not Scarlet!

Another possibility is that the murder is aging Cabaret singer/floozy, Katherine Jones (Gwen Stefani), who headlines, but was rumored to have feared Scarlet may become the new headline. In the 20s, Katherine pushed the former headliner, Lenore Brendan (Gena Rowlands), down a flight of stairs paralyzing her. Seeming to know everything about everybody, Jones says Brendan is still around, seeing her Saturday nights at The Opium Dealer’s (Billy Crudup) house. However, Katherine becomes quickly involved with Noir and the case, with a mutual passion and willingness to help him root out the villains, with a vast knowledge of everybody and there business.

At the dealer’s when Noir asks for Lenore, he points to an elderly woman in a wheel-chair, but to call her Lavender, Lavender Herring (Gena Rowlands)….Scarlet and Red’s mother! In hopes of finding out information in a way to tell the daughters apart, but Lavender is unresponsive and talks elusively. However Noir has a feeling that she knows more about the crime than anyone.

Now, with threatening messages appearing and more murders happening, Noir must use the clues to lead to the murderer, before the murderer strikes again, and the victim? HIM!

What the Press would say:

“Two thumbs WAY up!”-Ebert & Roeper

"Shows How Great Movies Were…and Are!”- People

“A+! A Truly Great Detective Story!”-Entertainment Weekly

“Amazing!”-Rolling Stone Magazine

Shamus is a brilliantly crafted Noir-Detective film; a shout-out to Chinatown, Dick Tracy, etc. Shot entirely with a black-and-white 8mm, it brings back the past for almost two-hours of nail-biting excitement, with Nostalgia aplenty. A valentine to noir. A script has finally awoke Jonathan Demme is back again. Using elements of Silence of the Lambs he also incorporates more visually-pleasing shots like his work in The Manchurian Candidate and more simplistic shots as his Truth About Charlie.

The amazing script just proves you can never have too many cooks in the kitchen. Written in a unique way, first, Sam Lake, the creator of the acclaimed Max Payne video games, brings an action/drama/thriller plot like in the games with the comic book strip feel and detective dialogue with conflicting emotions. Second, James Ellroy expands on what Sam wrote to a feature length. Third, Brian Helgeland turns the plot into a feature script. Fourth, Rian Johnson uses his impressive neo-noir dialogue to make the dialogue used in such noir-film classics. Finally, all the writers re-read the script in order to insure one hell of a film.

Guy Pearce is fantastic as Shamus Dick Noir, with so many conflicting emotions; it is like Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire. With snappy dialogue he is one of the most memorable characters in years. Kate Hudson gives the campy-noir performance of BOTH sisters giving each their own personality. What could have been one-dimensional Hudson is just ground-breaking. Jude Law gives his best since Closer as the Governor who is a real hustler with some funny one-liners. Gwen Stefani on the big screen makes is great. Having a brief role in the Oscar winning The Aviator, Stefani was offered leading parts in Madgascar and in The Black Dahlia, though had to bow out due to touring conflicts and pregnancy, though now she can show her acting chops. Showing off her vocals and sex appeal she fulfills her job in Shamus with flying colors. Gena Rowlands to gives a great performance, re-teaming with Kate Hudson. Imagine her performances in The Notebook and The Skeleton Key combined. This odd formula equals perfection in this case.

Set to the outlandishly dramatic orchestra music by Mark Isham, Shamus is a hell of a movie.

Best Picture
Best Director: Jonathan Demme
Best Screenplay: Sam Lake, Rian Johnson, James Ellroy & Brian Helgeland
Best Original Score: Mark Isham
Best Actor: Guy Pearce
Best Supporting Actor: Jude Law
Best Actress: Kate Hudson
Best Supporting Actress: Gwen Stefani