SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: CONFIDENCE

"CONFIDENCE"
(2003) (Ed Burns, Rachel Weisz) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Heavy	Moderate	Extreme	Moderate	Extreme

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Mild	None	Mild	Minor	Extreme

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Extreme	Extreme	None	Mild	*Extreme

QUICK TAKE:: Drama: A grifter and his team try to pull off an elaborate con to repay a flamboyant but dangerous gangster.

PLOT:

Jake Vig (EDWARD BURNS) is a slick but no-nonsense grifter who's currently on his knees with hitman Travis (MORRIS CHESTNUT) holding a gun to his head, wondering where the money is. Jake then proceeds to recount what led to that point, with the story rewinding three weeks back. With the help of his team - including Miles (BRIAN VAN HOLT), Gordo (PAUL GIAMATTI) and Big Al (LOUIS LOMBARDI) as well as corrupt cops Whitworth (DONAL LOGUE) and Manzano (LUIS GUZMAN) - he conned Lionel Dolby (LELAND ORSER).

But then Dolby and Big Al end up dead and Jake learns that the dupe was an accountant for The King (DUSTIN HOFFMAN), a flamboyant but dangerous criminal kingpin. To make things right and pay off his newly acquired debt, Jake offers to pull a con for King. He agrees and wants Jake to fleece Morgan Price (ROBERT FORRESTER), the son of a mob attorney and current corporate banker.

With King's assistant, Lupus (FRANKY G), in tow and convincing alluring pickpocket Lily (RACHEL WEISZ) to join them, Jake and his team set out to set up and execute the con. Yet, when Jake's long-time nemesis and current federal agent, Gunther Butan (ANDY GARCIA), shows up and starts nosing around, that threatens to undermine both Jake's plan and his life.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If they're fans of someone in the cast or con-type dramas, they just might.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For language, violence and sexuality/nudity.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: To avoid giving away any late in the game surprises, the following descriptions do not give away such characteristics.; ED BURNS plays a no-nonsense grifter who sets up an elaborate con, uses strong profanity and has sex with Lily.
RACHEL WEISZ plays an alluring pickpocket who joins Jake's team and attempts to con others. She smokes, uses strong profanity and has sex with Jake.
ANDY GARCIA plays a federal agent who's after Jake and uses questionable tactics to catch his man. He uses strong profanity and smokes cigars.
DUSTIN HOFFMAN plays a powerful criminal who orders murders, uses strong profanity and is involved with pornography of some sort.
PAUL GIAMATTI plays one of Jake's partners who smokes, uses strong profanity and isn't happy with how things develop.
DONAL LOGUE plays a corrupt cop who uses strong profanity.
LUIS GUZMAN plays his corrupt partner who uses strong profanity.
BRIAN VAN HOLT plays another team member who drinks and uses strong profanity.
FRANKY G plays one of King's men who's sent along to watch and work with Jake's team. He's a killer who uses strong profanity.
MORRIS CHESTNUT plays an enforcer for the man Jake is trying to dupe. He uses strong profanity, threatens to shoot Jake and shoots/kills a man.; RACHEL WEISZ plays an alluring pickpocket who joins Jake's team and attempts to con others. She smokes, uses strong profanity and has sex with Jake.
ANDY GARCIA plays a federal agent who's after Jake and uses questionable tactics to catch his man. He uses strong profanity and smokes cigars.
DUSTIN HOFFMAN plays a powerful criminal who orders murders, uses strong profanity and is involved with pornography of some sort.
PAUL GIAMATTI plays one of Jake's partners who smokes, uses strong profanity and isn't happy with how things develop.
DONAL LOGUE plays a corrupt cop who uses strong profanity.
LUIS GUZMAN plays his corrupt partner who uses strong profanity.
BRIAN VAN HOLT plays another team member who drinks and uses strong profanity.
FRANKY G plays one of King's men who's sent along to watch and work with Jake's team. He's a killer who uses strong profanity.
MORRIS CHESTNUT plays an enforcer for the man Jake is trying to dupe. He uses strong profanity, threatens to shoot Jake and shoots/kills a man.; ANDY GARCIA plays a federal agent who's after Jake and uses questionable tactics to catch his man. He uses strong profanity and smokes cigars.
DUSTIN HOFFMAN plays a powerful criminal who orders murders, uses strong profanity and is involved with pornography of some sort.
PAUL GIAMATTI plays one of Jake's partners who smokes, uses strong profanity and isn't happy with how things develop.
DONAL LOGUE plays a corrupt cop who uses strong profanity.
LUIS GUZMAN plays his corrupt partner who uses strong profanity.
BRIAN VAN HOLT plays another team member who drinks and uses strong profanity.
FRANKY G plays one of King's men who's sent along to watch and work with Jake's team. He's a killer who uses strong profanity.
MORRIS CHESTNUT plays an enforcer for the man Jake is trying to dupe. He uses strong profanity, threatens to shoot Jake and shoots/kills a man.; DUSTIN HOFFMAN plays a powerful criminal who orders murders, uses strong profanity and is involved with pornography of some sort.
PAUL GIAMATTI plays one of Jake's partners who smokes, uses strong profanity and isn't happy with how things develop.
DONAL LOGUE plays a corrupt cop who uses strong profanity.
LUIS GUZMAN plays his corrupt partner who uses strong profanity.
BRIAN VAN HOLT plays another team member who drinks and uses strong profanity.
FRANKY G plays one of King's men who's sent along to watch and work with Jake's team. He's a killer who uses strong profanity.
MORRIS CHESTNUT plays an enforcer for the man Jake is trying to dupe. He uses strong profanity, threatens to shoot Jake and shoots/kills a man.; PAUL GIAMATTI plays one of Jake's partners who smokes, uses strong profanity and isn't happy with how things develop.
DONAL LOGUE plays a corrupt cop who uses strong profanity.
LUIS GUZMAN plays his corrupt partner who uses strong profanity.
BRIAN VAN HOLT plays another team member who drinks and uses strong profanity.
FRANKY G plays one of King's men who's sent along to watch and work with Jake's team. He's a killer who uses strong profanity.
MORRIS CHESTNUT plays an enforcer for the man Jake is trying to dupe. He uses strong profanity, threatens to shoot Jake and shoots/kills a man.; DONAL LOGUE plays a corrupt cop who uses strong profanity.
LUIS GUZMAN plays his corrupt partner who uses strong profanity.
BRIAN VAN HOLT plays another team member who drinks and uses strong profanity.
FRANKY G plays one of King's men who's sent along to watch and work with Jake's team. He's a killer who uses strong profanity.
MORRIS CHESTNUT plays an enforcer for the man Jake is trying to dupe. He uses strong profanity, threatens to shoot Jake and shoots/kills a man.; LUIS GUZMAN plays his corrupt partner who uses strong profanity.
BRIAN VAN HOLT plays another team member who drinks and uses strong profanity.
FRANKY G plays one of King's men who's sent along to watch and work with Jake's team. He's a killer who uses strong profanity.
MORRIS CHESTNUT plays an enforcer for the man Jake is trying to dupe. He uses strong profanity, threatens to shoot Jake and shoots/kills a man.; BRIAN VAN HOLT plays another team member who drinks and uses strong profanity.
FRANKY G plays one of King's men who's sent along to watch and work with Jake's team. He's a killer who uses strong profanity.
MORRIS CHESTNUT plays an enforcer for the man Jake is trying to dupe. He uses strong profanity, threatens to shoot Jake and shoots/kills a man.; FRANKY G plays one of King's men who's sent along to watch and work with Jake's team. He's a killer who uses strong profanity.
MORRIS CHESTNUT plays an enforcer for the man Jake is trying to dupe. He uses strong profanity, threatens to shoot Jake and shoots/kills a man.; MORRIS CHESTNUT plays an enforcer for the man Jake is trying to dupe. He uses strong profanity, threatens to shoot Jake and shoots/kills a man.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 129 "f" words, while many other expletives and colorful phrases are also used. Some sexually explicit dialogue is present, as is some sexual activity (on a porno tape with some nudity, and in person with silhouetted making out, nudity and undressing). A bare-breasted woman gives a man a lap dance and some scantily clad exotic dancers are also seen.

Violence consists of several real (on and off-screen) and faked murders, some with bloody results, while some fighting and hitting of others is also present. Some of those scenes and other moments might be tense or suspenseful to some viewers, while various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes. Various characters smoke and/or drink, while some comments are made about drugs (which are briefly seen).

Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: Several people drink in a bar.
One of the guys incredulously asks another (about something not drug related), "Are you high?"
Miles drinks.
Some people drink in a club.
Miles has a beer near him.
We hear Whitworth and Manzano talking about heroin and later see that on videotape playback.
Miles drinks beer.
People have drinks where Lily comes in and has one with the man they've set as their mark. They then join the rest of the team, drink and the man then orders another round.
Gunther and Jake have drinks.
Jake and Lupus drink shots.
A person pours a drink.
Jake has a beer.
We see heroin in a bag.

BLOOD/GORE: We see a man lying on the ground with blood on his shirt.
We see an apparently dead person on the floor whose shirt is bloody (but we later see he's alive and that the blood was fake).
A guy says that he needs to "pinch a loaf" (use the bathroom).
We see a guy with a bloody bullet hole in his head.
When Travis kicks open a restroom stall door, we see Gordo sitting on the toilet (nothing explicit).
A person shoots and apparently kills another person (with bloody results) but we later see that it was faked.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Those involved in the various scams have bad attitudes, as do two corrupt cops, while King has various people killed and runs some sort of porn and/or peepshow type business.
Lily is a pickpocket who lifts Jake's wallet.
An airport customs official accepts a bribe to let something pass.
During an argument, Jake tells Lily, "We f*cked once, okay? That does not give you a voice in this room" (regarding a heated discussion).
A loan officer accepts a bribe to push paperwork through the system.
A man admits to murdering another man.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: Scenes listed under "Violence" might be suspenseful or tense to some viewers.
We see Travis holding his gun to the back of Jake's head.
A bartender holds a shotgun on Jake who aims his handgun back at him, while another man watching that in the same room has a breakdown from the tension.
Two men get into a fight with punching, struggling, smashing a head down onto a counter, a thrown elbow, and a bottle smashed against a head. One then holds a gun on the second, but a third man shoots that gunman dead.

GUNS/WEAPONS: Handguns/Shotgun: Carried and/or used to threaten and kill people. See "Violence" for details.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "Need you to use your f*cking head," "Maybe now you'll shut the f*ck up," "I can't f*cking be here," "What the f*ck?" "You're a sick twisted f*ck," "Dumb f*cking luck," "F*ck you," "Get a f*cking grip," "F*cking idiot," "F*ck that," "Go f*ck yourself," "F*ck 'em," "Dumb f*cking idea," "You're a f*cking asshole," "Who the f*ck /are you/do you think you're talking to?" "What the f*ck are you getting out of all of this?" "Cue the f*cking violins," "You've got to be f*cking kidding me," "You just f*cked us," "Get the f*ck back," "Get the f*ck up," "I don't give a f*ck," "Swear to f*cking God," "Stop trying to f*ck with my head," "Stand the f*ck up," "You f*cked up," "Turn the f*ck around," "Where the f*ck is it?" "Went to sh*t," "Sh*thead," "No sh*t," "Dipsh*ts," "Got Jack-sh*t," "Sure as sh*t," "Don't give a sh*t," "Bullsh*t," "You're being such a p*ssy," "Shut your pie hole," "Scumbags," "Pinch a loaf" (use the bathroom), "You guys have a lot of sack," "Jack-off" (noun), "Where the hell's that going?" "Bitch (es)," "Grab ass," "Pissed (off)," "Knucklehead," "Where the hell is she?" "Chick" and "Skirt" (woman), "Balls" (testicles), "Poor bastard" and "Douche bag."
The film could inspire some kids to try to con others in any number of ways (copying those in the film or making up their own).
A guy makes the male masturbation gesture.

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): A mild amount of suspenseful music plays in the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): We hear part of Madonna's "Erotica" song playing in a club, but not much more than the repeated title.

PROFANITY: At least 129 "f" words (7 used with "mother," 1 used sexually), 37 "s" words, 3 slang terms using male genitals ("c*cks*cker"), 1 using female genitals ("p*ssy"), 11 asses (4 used with "hole"), 3 hells, 1 damn, 6 uses of "Jesus Christ," 5 of "G-damn," 4 of "Jesus," 3 of "Swear to God," 2 of "God" and 1 use each of "For Christ's sakes," "Oh God" and "Oh my God" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY: We see a bare-breasted woman giving a man a lap dance.
Lily shows cleavage in several scenes.
We see a porn tape playing at King's office that shows passionate kissing and bare breasts. King then interviews two women who claim they're sisters and over eighteen. He then wants to see what they can do and sends them off to a peep show like booth. We later see the two women dancing in a glass front booth while scantily dressed (showing lots of skin, cleavage and doing suggestive dancing). King then yells for them to stop when one goes down and is licking at the other's crotch (at her bikini bottom) and up her belly. He then talks to them about "eating each other" and tells them to find a way to do it tastefully.
King somewhat comes on to Jake (wanting him to sit directly against him), but we don't know if he's serious or just goofing with him.
Lily tells Jake that he's got the wrong girl when she thinks he wants to have sex with her for money. He states, however, that that's something he never pays for and doesn't consider work. He then makes a comment about her "jerking off" geriatrics and others in a club.
We see some women in bikinis.
To pull off the end of a con and make it convincing, Jake and Lily passionately kiss and then really get into it after a few moments.
A guy makes the male masturbation gesture referring to another person being in the bathroom.
To get their mark to drop his defenses, Lily slightly comes on to him, playfully sucking her own finger (but it isn't terribly overtly obvious), etc.
Jake later makes a comment about Lily getting off on that (the above flirting).
We see a silhouette of Jack and Lily kissing, the shape of her bare breast and the two of them working on each other's pants, lowering them while standing and then him lying down on top of her on a bed (all still in silhouette).
Later, and during an argument, Jake tells Lily, "We f*cked once, okay? That does not give you a voice in this room" (regarding a heated discussion).
A classic painting shows a bare breast and a little bit of pubic hair.

SMOKING: Lily, Gordo and Gunther (cigars) each smoke more than 5 times.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: None.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Scamming others.
Corrupt cops.

VIOLENCE: We see Travis holding his gun to the back of Jake's head (we see this several times during the movie when the story repeatedly returns to this scene).
We see a person on the floor who's bloody and appears to be dead, while a bartender holds a shotgun on Jake who aims his handgun back at him. We later see that the dead person was faking it.
We see a flashback of someone being shot (but we know that's faked).
We see a guy with a bloody bullet hole in his head.
A person is shot dead.
A thug pushes Jake against the wall before frisking him.
King smacks Jake with both hands to prove a point and then taps him on the forehead. He then smacks and hits Lupus.
Whitworth and Manzano grab Jake in an alley, with the latter repeatedly punching Jake in the gut while the former holds his gun on the rest of Jake's team.
Travis grabs Jake, spins him around, and then knees him, sending him to the ground.
Two men get into a fight with punching, struggling, smashing a head down onto a counter, a thrown elbow, and a bottle smashed against a head. One then holds a gun on the second, but a third man shoots that gunman dead.
Various cops and other agents hold guns on several people.
A person shoots and apparently kills another person (with bloody results) but we later see that it was faked.

Reviewed March 31, 2003 / Posted April 25, 2003

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