Anthony Michael Hall Movie:

Editorial Review:
This remake of a 1947 film noir casts David Caruso (freshly escaped from TV's NYPD Blue) in the role originally played by Victor Mature. He plays Jimmy Kilmartin, a reformed criminal struggling to keep straight and keep his wife (Helen Hunt) from going back to the bottle. But a favor for his cousin lands him back in the clink, and when his wife dies, he comes out ready to make a deal with the D.A. He becomes an informant, joining the crew of Little Junior Brown (Nicolas Cage), a pumped-up, asthmatic psycho who weightlifts strippers for amusement. Eventually, Jimmy finds himself forced to keep his radar up for treachery from both the criminals he's finking on and the cops he's working for. This film, directed by Barbet Schroeder, didn't do much business, despite a powerful but controlled performance by Caruso and a scarily splashy one by Cage. --Marshall Fine

Kiss of Death [Region 2] Reviews:
David Caruso is cool, Kathryn Erbe is gorgeous! Nicolas Cage - eh!
2008-09-27 - David Caruso, as Jimmy Kilmartin; ex-hood, ex-felon was great. Showing that post-"NYPD" and pre-"CSI: Miami" demeanor. All the while being pushed around by the cops (Samuel L. Jackson as Calvin), almost killed by "Little Junior - B.A.D.," played by Nicolas Cage; psycho-hood son of father gangster "Big Junior" (what else!) played by Philip Baker Hall.

Jimmy goes to prison, but before he's released 3 years later; his wife (Helen Hunt) is run over (in a drunken stupor). Then, his cousin is killed by Cage for screwing up. Jimmy ends up marrying Rosie, played by Kathryn Erbe in her pre-"Law And Order - Criminal Intent" days. She's a real "looker" in this one.

An undercover fed (Ving Rhames) whom Jimmy meets, is assassinated by Little Junior, in his presence. The Feds want Junior's hide, but he ends up "walking." If you've watched a lot of movies with state and federal authorities screwing each other and not sharing information (Stanley Tucci - the prosecutor, among the many), then you'll know why Cage walks.

This is going to take too long, so please read "long-winded" reviews for complete storyline.

Anyway, the movie is short enough but replete with the many cliche'd "good guys vs. bad guys" mannerisms and confrontations that have been overdone in so many movies that... well....they're done in this one.

Slow thriller with some good performances
2008-09-08 - This isn't the great film it could have been, but it has some great acting and powerful scenes. It's worth watching for the quality acting, but the pace is far too slow.

cutey caruso
2008-07-07 - I really enjoyed seeing David Caruso so young and cute!! He still is however... I am a fan, so of course I am biased. I thought the movie was good and entertaining.A pretty good mob movie, and a look at the behavior of a psychopath, played by Cage. I did sit on the edge of my seat a few times. A good movie for Cage and Caruso fans..!!

NICOLAS CAGE AT HIS BEST!
2008-03-08 - This film caught me completely off guard. Both Nicolas Cage and David Caruso play their parts well. In fact, one of the best roles I've seen Cage play.

Nicolas Cage is a ruthless gangster who stops at nothing in his evil ways, while Caruso is an ex-con that gets pulled back into trouble. I thought Caruso did a very good job of acting and I'm not a fan of his.

Other stars include Samuel L. Jackson, Helen Hunt, Stanley Tucci and Michael Rapaport.

I highly recommend this film if you enjoy thrillers and/or gangster films. Great surprise ending!


just a flick
2006-11-11 - kiss of death was ok not an award winner although nicolas cage was great as a villian.. get this if your just in the mood to watch something but remember it is not anything too great just above the entertainment level