Quicksand (2003)

Summary: Martin Raikes the boss of a New York financial institution decides to go to the South of France to investigate financial irregularities, in a subsidiary organisation involved in film production. We know that the film co has been involved in money laundering and has links with the Russian mafia who themselves have been involved in smuggling young women into the country. Martin is met by Lela the CFO of the company who attempts to conceal what is going on by introducing him to the star of their latest film, Jake Mellows, who is whingeing a lot. The Russians attempt to buy Martin off with money, and when he refused frame him for the murder of a senior police officer. He goes on the run, with Lela as a hostage, chased by the police, mostly in the pay of the criminals, and by gunmen employed by the mafia boss.

Content: There is a bit of female nudity, and some scenes of sexual violence as the criminals are making sex films involving the smuggled girls. Maybe a bit of drinking and smoking. Various people are assassinated by the mafia including customs men and the chief of police to involve Martin. He and Lela are chased around Monte Carlo and the film studios never knowing which way to turn. Lela’s yacht is blown up but she has been rescued by Martin. Eventually Jake the washed up actor and Martin co-operate to deal with the criminals and Martin and Lela become friends.

A View: This film went straight to video and was only viewed by two critics neither of whom liked it. Michael Caine said that he had taken the job because it offered him a couple of months in the South of France during the winter. It is one of those films which I have watched so that you don’t have to. I feel that the makers had good intentions but the plot hardly holds together and the actors seem to have little confidence in what they are doing. So not worth your time, even for nothing.

Michael Keaton has been in a lot of stuff although the high point of his career might have been as Tim Burton’s Batman. You can also see him in Spotlight from 2015 and Spiderman Homecoming.