The Movie Guys: 'Clay Pigeons' flies high with twisted hilarity

* Grades: Jeff B; Dave B.

* Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Vince Vaughn, Janeane Garofolo and Georgina Cates.

* Director: David Dobkin.

* Screenplay: Matt Healy.

* Rated: R for sexual situations, nudity, violence and profanity.

* Running time: 104 minutes.

* Playing at: Gold Coast Twin.

Synopsis:

One sweltering summer day in the sleepy town of Mercer, Mont., a comically hellish odyssey begins for easygoing gas station attendant Clay Bidwell. He is framed for the murder of his best friend, Earl, who takes his own life (Clay has been having a secret affair with Earl's wife). Clay manages to cover up the mess and remain in the clear. To forget the ugly business of Earl, Clay goes fishing with his new friend, Lester Long. The trip is spoiled when they discover a body floating in the lake. Now, out to clear his name, Clay fights to stay out of jail as the FBI is called in to investigate.

Jeff: Clay Bidwell (Joaquin Phoenix) is having a bad week. Dead bodies keep turning up whenever he is around and he can't figure out why the FBI thinks he's a suspect. "Clay Pigeons" is a wicked comedy about a series of unexplained murders that take place in Montana high country, and successfully blends chuckles with chops. Our hero, Clay, is a victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Whether he's making love, fishing, or sitting in his living room, dead bodies keep turning up wherever he goes. The blame is placed on Clay, naturally, and he does little to prove his innocence but hang out with his new friend, Lester Long, played by Vince Vaughn. "Pigeons" is a gloomy thriller that's reminiscent of Hitchcock's "Trouble with Harry" as Clay tries to hide the dead bodies while figuring out his next step.

Dave:

Granted, the film's plot may seem simple enough, but it is the noir-ish style injected with a dark brand of humor and a terrific cast that gives "Clay Pigeons" its energy. Joaquin Phoenix begins to make his mark as an actor. Out of the shadow of his late brother, River, he plays Clay -- an innocent and coy individual who gets caught up in an uncontrollable chain of events. The film wastes no time in the opening sequence: Clay and his best friend are out shooting target practice in the distant fields when he is confronted about his fleeting affair with his buddy's sultry wife. Before he knows it, the friend kills himself and makes it look like Clay is guilty of the killing. Once he covers it up -- by making the incident look like a drunken car accident -- we expect this Midwestern tale to have more surprises waiting in its cinematic wings, and sure enough, it does.

Jeff:

The charm of "Pigeons" is that we never know where the plot will take us. This is a chilling whodunit. Clay seems like the logical choice for the serial killer, but if he isn't, who is? That is the question on the mind of FBI Agent Shelby (played to precision by Janeane Garofalo). She's convinced that Clay is the serial killer, because he was dating one victim, having an affair with another and found the body of the third. "Kind of a coincidence, wouldn't you say?" she says during Clay's interrogation.

Garofalo's character is the best in the film: A fish out of water, a city-slicker, she comes to this small, hick town with a big-city cop attitude, hot on the trail of a killer. She can take care of herself when she is harassed by drunken cowboys in the local watering hole, or chastising the local sheriff's deputy (named Barney, of all things) when he dimwittedly steps in a pool of blood and tramps it in and around the crime scene. She is in her own personal hell, but she's a professional, obsessed with catching this brutal serial killer, and no one knows him better than she does.

Dave:

If I didn't agree with you, Jeff, being a big Garofalo fan and all, I would think you're being biased. But her quick, witty comments and dry delivery are welcome. However, I think the standout is "Swingers" star Vaughn, who is in pre-"Psycho" mode (gearing up to play the infamous Norman Bates in this fall's remake of Hitchcock's classic thriller). His quirky laugh and casual demeanor are menacing in their own right, as he uses his charm to take advantage of every soul he encounters -- including naive Clay.

First-time writer Matt Healy may have produced a formulaic script, but it is covered up by sound performances and hip direction by rookie filmmaker and award-winning video director David Dobkin. In addition, the film's soundtrack is filled with an interesting and diverse selection, which adds a bit of humor to nearly every scene.

Jeff:

This is dark humor. You have to possess a warped sense of humor to find bloated bodies floating in your favorite fishing hole funny. I do. Fused with beastly murders and fast and furious one-liners, "Clay Pigeons" is a quirky murder mystery that is not for the faint of heart or people without a deformed perception of amusement.

MOVIE BUZZ

"Million Dollar" Mel:

Mega-movie star Mel Gibson has agreed to star in an upcoming independent film, "The Million Dollar Hotel," to be directed by Wim Wenders ("Until the End of the World") and written by Bono of music group U2. The film is a black comedy set in 2030, and tells the story of a hotel that plays host to rich mental outpatients.

Stiller is "Mystery" Man:

Variety has reported that Ben Stiller has signed on as the quick-tempered Mr. Furious in the offbeat comedy "Mystery Men." The film is about a trio of loser super heros, the other two being Blue Raja (Hank Azaria) and The Shoveler (William H. Macy), who join together to fight the evil Cassanova Frankenstein (Geoffrey Rush). The film also stars Janeane Garofalo and Paul Reubens (the former Pee-Wee Herman).

Preston plays in "Game"

Kelly Preston ("Jerry Maguire," "Holy Man") is in final talks to co-star opposite Kevin Costner in the upcoming baseball drama "For the Love of the Game." Sam Raimi ("Army of Darkness," "The Quick and the Dead") is directing the film, about a veteran pitcher reflecting on his past while tossing a perfect game.

VIEWPOINT

This week marks a milestone for The Movie Guys. It's not only our debut in the new-look Sun, but it is also the anniversary of our first Sun review. The feedback from readers has been wonderful (with the exception of that Ted Kaczynski guy who kept sending us all those packages). We've tried to make our opinions as fun and entertaining as possible, while still keeping some semblance of integrity. Most of all, we enjoy sharing our love and enthusiasm for cinema with Sun readers. Our thanks to everyone who helped us make it this far.

NAME THAT FLICK

"This is my costume. I'm a homicidal maniac. They look like everyone else." The winner for this week is Vance Nathan, who was the first to call and correctly identify the quote spoken by Christina Ricci as Wednesday Addams in "The Addams Family." Way to go, Vance.

Now for this week's chilling quote, who said this and in what film: "Especially important is the warning to avoid conversations with the demon. We may ask what is relevant, but anything beyond that is dangerous. He's a liar, the demon is a liar. He will lie to confuse us, but he will also mix lies with the truth to attack us"? Does it sound familiar? If you think you know, call The Movie Guys Hotline at 225-9026 or e-mail us at [email protected]. Be sure to spell your name and leave your daytime phone number, and if you're the first correct caller/e-mailer, we will print your name right here in our column for the entire Las Vegas Valley to read.

See you next week, if you dare!

THE MOVIE GUYS, starring Jeff Howard and Dave Neil, appears Fridays in the Sun (additional material provided by Thomas Feeney). You can also read their capsule reviews of movies in Las Vegas Weekly magazine and watch their reviews every Friday on Channel 3's 11 p.m. newscast. Plus, check them out online at: www.lasvegassun.com/sun/sunlife/movies.

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