STEPHEN METCALFE

Bil’s rating (out of 5): BBB

USA/United Kingdom, 2000.  Stratosphere Entertainment, Capitol Films, Beautiful Films, Haft Entertainment, Pacific Motion Pictures.  Screenplay by Stephen Metcalfe.  Cinematography by Thomas E. Ackerman.  Produced by Fred Fuchs, Steven Haft.  Music by John Altman.  Production Design by David Brisbin.  Costume Design by Julia Caston, Jenni Gullett.  Film Editing by Michael Bradsell, Nick Moore.  

Don’t be fooled by the slick heist-film-like appearance of the video cover: this one’s all heart. Billy Connolly stars as a terminally ill man who decides his life as an Irish New York City florist hasn’t been adventurous enough, so he takes to the road.

Along the way, he stumbles upon a dancer-con-artist-gambling addict (Sharon Stone) and is immediately attracted to her zany personality and two very good-natured children. Soon they’re a foursome, on the road to Las Vegas and trying to outrun some mobsters that Stone owes money to.

Some of the film’s cliches render it a bit hollow, but for the most part it is carried along by Stone’s wonderfully warm performance and Connolly’s charm, which he has in spades.