Apart from one central problem (Elisabeth Shue certainly has the body, but not the inherent tough-girl attitude her role requires; in other words, she's miscast), I personally cannot understand how anyone can claim to be a mystery fan and not like this movie. Absorbing storytelling (which takes its time), some tense moments (the body in the car trunk) and many great, totally unpredictable surprises that even the most hardened genre buffs will not guess. Riveting and interesting from beginning to end. (***)
60 Reviews
Slick And Entertaining
rob-23624 May 1999
This slick thriller is entertaining from start to finish. Harrelson plays Harry Barber an ex con who is lured by mega rich temptress Rhea Malroux (Elizabeth Shue) in to helping set up a straight forward bogus kidnap scheme involving her stepdaughter Odette (Chloe Sevigny) It seems simple, he can earn a lot of money for doing very little. As the plot thickens Harry finds out that things, and people, are not what they seem and that is where the trouble begins. Harrelson is convincing in the lead and Sevigny is very good as the rich kid, although Elizabeth Shue tends to overact her part. The biggest crime in this film is that of Gina Gershon, who seems wasted in a weak role as Harry's girlfriend. The film on a whole is good though, and because of this you can almost forgive a 'Batman' style ending!
gooooood
Mickey Knox17 December 2000
I saw this film for the second time yesterday and i enjoyed it just as much as the first time. It has everything a black thriller needs. Good plot, with a lot of plot twists, interesting scenes, great characters, and good acting (Woody Harrelson is really good as an ex-convict getting involved in a fake kidnapping). Still the action is slow in many moments. Very good ending. Vote: 7 out of 10.
Surprises at every turn.
jlms16 December 2003
Although the characters lack credibility (it seems like every single woman in the history, all of them gorgeous, is dying to get into the underwear of the main male character as a matter of urgency).
Nevertheless the plot is unusual and nothing is what it looks. All seems like a normal thriller in which the roles of everybody are the typical ones but the surprises that unfold in the last minutes make it a watchable twist around a theme many times explored before.
The superb luscious ladies and the unusual plot make it a good watch,
Nevertheless the plot is unusual and nothing is what it looks. All seems like a normal thriller in which the roles of everybody are the typical ones but the surprises that unfold in the last minutes make it a watchable twist around a theme many times explored before.
The superb luscious ladies and the unusual plot make it a good watch,
Okay Thriller With Tons of Sizzling Sex!
Dan1863Sickles12 October 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Woody Harrelson plays Harry Barber, a wise guy reporter who just did some jail time for a dirty deal that wasn't his fault. When he gets out of the slam, he just wants his life back. But bad breaks and shifty women soon send him right back into the seamy, sexy world of double deals and decadent rich folks, in a steamy Florida town called PALMETTO.
The plot of this movie is okay, and the story moves along at a slow, but steady pace. But what really makes it work is the sexual subtext of a man fighting to maintain both his moral high ground and his sexual potency while surrounded by a trio of luscious, dangerous women.
At first, Harry Barber's biggest problem is finding a job. When he gets out of jail, his loyal girl friend Nina (Gina Gershon) is waiting to meet him. Dark-eyed Nina is the ideal best pal -- friendly, loving, and supportive. Not only does she take Harry in, she's more than willing to pay for his expenses and keep him on as her "assistant" until he finds a job. The sizzling tension between them is that Nina wants a docile and submissive male concubine while Harry is too macho to accept the pleasures Nina can provide. He's clearly the kind of man who feels that it's emasculating for a woman to have too much money or power in a relationship. Still, Nina is so stunningly attractive and so clearly besotted with him that he almost unwillingly sinks into dependence. Watch the early morning scene where he makes coffee for Nina and tensely waits for her approval!
It's pure Neanderthal male pride that drives Harry to accept a "dirty job" from blonde temptress Rhea Malroux. Elisabeth Shue has never, ever been more radiant than in this classic noir role of the black widow. The sex scenes are sizzling precisely because Rhea is using Harry and preparing to feed on him. Yet when her spoiled step daughter, Odette, appears, Harry is forced to pleasure not one but two of the most dangerous women in Palmetto!
Frankly, the ending of this movie is not very satisfying -- Harry does not really triumph in the end, nor does he learn the value of Nina's loyalty and support. In the end it's more of a paranoid male fantasy than a real classic thriller, but still worth watching just for the sizzling sexual subtext between Harry and his three witches!
The plot of this movie is okay, and the story moves along at a slow, but steady pace. But what really makes it work is the sexual subtext of a man fighting to maintain both his moral high ground and his sexual potency while surrounded by a trio of luscious, dangerous women.
At first, Harry Barber's biggest problem is finding a job. When he gets out of jail, his loyal girl friend Nina (Gina Gershon) is waiting to meet him. Dark-eyed Nina is the ideal best pal -- friendly, loving, and supportive. Not only does she take Harry in, she's more than willing to pay for his expenses and keep him on as her "assistant" until he finds a job. The sizzling tension between them is that Nina wants a docile and submissive male concubine while Harry is too macho to accept the pleasures Nina can provide. He's clearly the kind of man who feels that it's emasculating for a woman to have too much money or power in a relationship. Still, Nina is so stunningly attractive and so clearly besotted with him that he almost unwillingly sinks into dependence. Watch the early morning scene where he makes coffee for Nina and tensely waits for her approval!
It's pure Neanderthal male pride that drives Harry to accept a "dirty job" from blonde temptress Rhea Malroux. Elisabeth Shue has never, ever been more radiant than in this classic noir role of the black widow. The sex scenes are sizzling precisely because Rhea is using Harry and preparing to feed on him. Yet when her spoiled step daughter, Odette, appears, Harry is forced to pleasure not one but two of the most dangerous women in Palmetto!
Frankly, the ending of this movie is not very satisfying -- Harry does not really triumph in the end, nor does he learn the value of Nina's loyalty and support. In the end it's more of a paranoid male fantasy than a real classic thriller, but still worth watching just for the sizzling sexual subtext between Harry and his three witches!
Trashy B Neo Noir
mls418222 July 2022
So-So Noir
gbheron5 March 2001
The color photography is all that'll keep you from thinking it's the late 1940s and you're watching grade B film noir. All the ingredients are there, including (1) a dumb sucker being set up to take the big fall for the femme fatale (2) the related crime which turns out to be far more serious than the protagonist first suspects, (3) the protagonist's voice-over reminding viewers that he is indeed that dumb, and (4) one or two too many plot twists.
Yes, "Palmetto" has them all, and for good measure is set in a hot, wet, sweaty Florida-in-summer locale. The problem is that the plot is a little over blown, the dialogue not nearly as crisp as it should be, not very well directed, and consequently the usually excellent cast seems to have mailed this one in. If you like the genre, or really dig one of the actors, rent it. Otherwise, look for something else.
Yes, "Palmetto" has them all, and for good measure is set in a hot, wet, sweaty Florida-in-summer locale. The problem is that the plot is a little over blown, the dialogue not nearly as crisp as it should be, not very well directed, and consequently the usually excellent cast seems to have mailed this one in. If you like the genre, or really dig one of the actors, rent it. Otherwise, look for something else.
Stupid thriller but Shue worth watching
rovi11 August 1998
The Story Just Seems Old and Predictable NOT Noir
gpeevers12 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Story of a reporter (Woody Harrelson) who is released from jail after two years for a crime he didn't commit, and returns reluctantly(?) to the woman (Gina Gershon) who loves him in the small Florida town of Palmetto. Unemployed and down on his luck, he is sitting in a bar where he meets a rich attractive woman (Elizabeth Shue) who has a proposition for him. She want's him to help her with the fake kidnapping of the woman's stepdaughter so that both her and the stepdaughter would have the money the want.
Sometimes style wins over substance and sometimes a film fails at both which is what happens here. Far to many little quirks are included here in an attempt to make the film stylish, most of them don't work and some of them actually become laughable.
There is a lot to admire in the noir tradition but it has to be done right, but here it just misses time and time again. The double-crosses are obvious, the irony is overdone and style is over the top. On top of that the characters behavior often makes no sense whatsoever and Harrelson's performance suffers here for already having played far to many 'dumb chumps' in his career.
Sometimes style wins over substance and sometimes a film fails at both which is what happens here. Far to many little quirks are included here in an attempt to make the film stylish, most of them don't work and some of them actually become laughable.
There is a lot to admire in the noir tradition but it has to be done right, but here it just misses time and time again. The double-crosses are obvious, the irony is overdone and style is over the top. On top of that the characters behavior often makes no sense whatsoever and Harrelson's performance suffers here for already having played far to many 'dumb chumps' in his career.
A steamy tale of greed and murder.
DennisLittrell21 February 1999
This is a male-ID flick (definitely NOT a "chick flick") with Woody Harrelson as a jaded small town Florida newspaper reporter just released from false imprisonment having his choice of three sexy babes and a fake kidnapping scheme. He tries all four with varying degrees of enthusiasm, but of course makes no real move on the underaged kidnappee, played very sexily by Chloe Sevigny, who calls his lack of initiative "a shame."
This steamy tale of greed and murder overcomes an unlikely plot thanks to her, Woody, Gina Gershon and Elisabeth Shue who keep us interested.
Shue plays a psychopathically sensual murderess with a studied lack of consistency, as though discovering the interpretation in medias res. Her final scene coming down the staircase a la Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard (1950) seems more than a bit contrived, as is the tentative voice-over frame from Woody via Joe Gillis from the same classic movie. Still, Shue, as always, is better than a drunken sailor's dream.
(Note: Over 500 of my movie reviews are now available in my book "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!" Get it at Amazon!)
This steamy tale of greed and murder overcomes an unlikely plot thanks to her, Woody, Gina Gershon and Elisabeth Shue who keep us interested.
Shue plays a psychopathically sensual murderess with a studied lack of consistency, as though discovering the interpretation in medias res. Her final scene coming down the staircase a la Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard (1950) seems more than a bit contrived, as is the tentative voice-over frame from Woody via Joe Gillis from the same classic movie. Still, Shue, as always, is better than a drunken sailor's dream.
(Note: Over 500 of my movie reviews are now available in my book "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!" Get it at Amazon!)
Royally, remarkably awful
ANelson24 January 1999
Good lord, this is bad. The film starts with a very interesting premise, and a pretty good plot, and proceeds to smash it in to the ground over and over again by virtue of one of the worst hack job scripts of the past century. Elizabeth Shue also gives one of the worst acting performances ever. She seems to have been instructed by the director "Stick out your chest and breathe a lot. We'll get it done quick and you can go home." Woody Harrelson, as the lead, gives a decent Woody Harrelson performance. Although he can act, he chooses not to, getting by on his solid Woody-ness.
A Very Underrated 'Neo Noir'
ccthemovieman-118 November 2006
I think this is one of those modern-day film noirs (neo noir) that went under the radar. It is excellent, and few people know about it. It's a very underrated film.
It had an interesting and unpredictable story with some very neat twists which a good noir might have. I'm not really sure I liked the very ending, but I sure enjoyed the rest of it. That entertainment included ogling a couple of sexy female leads, played by Elisabeth Shue and Chloe Sevigny and I loved the wonderful colors in this movie. Not only was the cinematography great, so was the soundtrack with some solid blues tracks. The guitar playing reminded me of the Ry Cooder's work in "Midnight Run."
The movie was labeled by some national critics as a "poor man's 'Body Heat.'" Well, that's fine with me because I liked "Body Heat" a lot, too. If you liked that, you should like this movie, too.
Yes, there are a few holes in the story but nothing that damaged the storyline to any degree. Woody Harrelson was good in the lead and Gina Gershon and Michael Rapaport provided solid performance in supporting roles.
It had an interesting and unpredictable story with some very neat twists which a good noir might have. I'm not really sure I liked the very ending, but I sure enjoyed the rest of it. That entertainment included ogling a couple of sexy female leads, played by Elisabeth Shue and Chloe Sevigny and I loved the wonderful colors in this movie. Not only was the cinematography great, so was the soundtrack with some solid blues tracks. The guitar playing reminded me of the Ry Cooder's work in "Midnight Run."
The movie was labeled by some national critics as a "poor man's 'Body Heat.'" Well, that's fine with me because I liked "Body Heat" a lot, too. If you liked that, you should like this movie, too.
Yes, there are a few holes in the story but nothing that damaged the storyline to any degree. Woody Harrelson was good in the lead and Gina Gershon and Michael Rapaport provided solid performance in supporting roles.
Worth a look
lenscap15 February 1999
I think that a lot of people don't give this one much of a chance. Sure, it's a bit contrived, but folks take this as if it were supposed to be a serious film. It is, in fact, a stab at the old Film Noir genre, and a humorous one at that. Harrelson is as always, Woody Harrleson. Elisabeth Shue is cute but not much of an actress. The best part of the movie is the irony it presents through the plot. Give it a shot, it's worth a look.
From "Die Blechtrommel" to ¿this 'abfalleimer'?
khatcher-24 February 2002
Volker Schlöndorff was just 40 when he made that wonderful film `Die Blechtrommel' (The Tin Drum)(qv) and six years later made a more or less nearly acceptable version of Arthur Miller's play `Death of a Salesman' with Dustin Hoffman before getting to this rather lame attempt at a thriller for the US market.
`Palmetto' just does not attain anything near reaching the capabilities of this erstwhile shrewd director; but, the same as Frankie Went to Hollywood, so did Herr Schlöndorff, and that was his undoing at least as far as intellectual and/or artistic cinema is concerned. `Palmetto' is a run-of-the-mill production, loosely directed, though often without direction as it wanders through rain-soaked Florida swamps with rather poor interpretative performances all round, and ends up being rather pathetic.I only watched the film from seeing the director's name heading the credits; otherwise this one would have passed by without my even knowing, which definitely would have been better for all.
You might watch this one for the lovely ladies, definitely not for the awkward Woody Harrelson, and most certainly not if you have seen `Die Blechtrommel' and consider Volker Schönberg as a great European director. Because, fair's fair, in `Palmetto' he is a long way from being such and merely comes up as a very poor second-class `B' rated Hollywood man who got lost somewhere along the road to fame.
`Palmetto' just does not attain anything near reaching the capabilities of this erstwhile shrewd director; but, the same as Frankie Went to Hollywood, so did Herr Schlöndorff, and that was his undoing at least as far as intellectual and/or artistic cinema is concerned. `Palmetto' is a run-of-the-mill production, loosely directed, though often without direction as it wanders through rain-soaked Florida swamps with rather poor interpretative performances all round, and ends up being rather pathetic.I only watched the film from seeing the director's name heading the credits; otherwise this one would have passed by without my even knowing, which definitely would have been better for all.
You might watch this one for the lovely ladies, definitely not for the awkward Woody Harrelson, and most certainly not if you have seen `Die Blechtrommel' and consider Volker Schönberg as a great European director. Because, fair's fair, in `Palmetto' he is a long way from being such and merely comes up as a very poor second-class `B' rated Hollywood man who got lost somewhere along the road to fame.
A largely underrated film.
arcav-130 April 2003
I think that "Palmetto" is going to be a cult movie some years from now. It has been clearly underrated. It is "noir", although located in sunny places. It has a sort of kinship relation with George Stevens' A Place in the Sun. And it has a quite good Woody Harrelson in the leading role. Sweat plays more than a role in the plot: characters are sweating all the time (mainly Harry Barber), for different reasons. May be that's why some people dislike it.
good story, although the movie could have been better
lee_eisenberg4 April 2009
Volker Schlondorff's "Palmetto" has a very interesting plot, although I think that the movie could be better. Woody Harrelson plays an ex-con who gets drawn into a supposedly fake kidnapping in Florida. The movie contains a series of plot twists (I won't name them, lest I spoil the whole thing), but nothing gratuitous. You have to realize that this is not a bad movie; it's just that Schlondorff could have done a better job with it (especially towards the end). Overall, I do recommend it. You'll probably like it.
Also starring Elisabeth Shue, Gina Gershon, Michael Rapaport, Chloe Sevigny and Tom Wright.
Schlondorff also directed "The Tin Drum" and "Strajk - Die Heldin von Danzig".
Also starring Elisabeth Shue, Gina Gershon, Michael Rapaport, Chloe Sevigny and Tom Wright.
Schlondorff also directed "The Tin Drum" and "Strajk - Die Heldin von Danzig".
Under-rated Neo Noir
sankhan9928 September 2013
Another underrated movie on IMDb like many other suspense/mystery thrillers. Seeing the rating on IMDb and then watching suspense/mystery thrillers made me feel that movies of mentioned genre are not rated well here. They are often underrated and because of that many suspense/mystery lovers might have missed quite brilliant movies. I rather put it in a way that Neo Noirs are actually not well rated here.
Any suspense/mystery lover can easily like this movie. Movie has quite good twists and turns which are difficult to predict. Screenplay is written well but could be better. Woody has done great job but I feel Elizabeth was bit over acting. Direction is good. Overall movie has great neo noir feeling.
I recommend this movie specially to neo noir lovers, they will not regret watch it. There are few others which I like to mention are well underrated like Wolfgang's Shattered, John Dhal's Kill me again.
Any suspense/mystery lover can easily like this movie. Movie has quite good twists and turns which are difficult to predict. Screenplay is written well but could be better. Woody has done great job but I feel Elizabeth was bit over acting. Direction is good. Overall movie has great neo noir feeling.
I recommend this movie specially to neo noir lovers, they will not regret watch it. There are few others which I like to mention are well underrated like Wolfgang's Shattered, John Dhal's Kill me again.
Pretty good noir
rhefner200221 December 2019
Did you ever notice that in Florida noir films, regardless of the era, there is apparently no air conditioning? The men are all sweaty in the heat and humidity, while the women are always mysteriously cool and dry. Also, in spite of the blazing sunshine, nobody has a tan.
Palmetto contains all these cliches, and many more. The women strut around in sexy dresses, swinging their hips like good femme fatales, and Woody Harrelson's protagonist dresses like a guy out of a Raymond Chandler novel: suit pants, long sleeved shirts, and suspenders in the 90 degree heat. No shorts and T shirt for him. That wouldn't be "noir."
Both Elizabeth Shue and Chloe Sevigny demonstrate their inability to act. Harrelson is really the only skilled actor in this film. He's in great form. Of course, in film noir, there are no "good" guys. But he's so hapless, we root for him in spite of his stupidity.
The plot is clever enough to keep us watching. It gets absurdly twisty in the last third, but I shamelessly hung in there for the final payoff--and it's a good one, rather self-satirizing.
South Florida (Anna Maria Island, Fort Myers, and Palmetto) looks appropriately steamy, and several palmetto bugs make cameo appearances (seriously).
I haven't read the book the film is based on, Just Another Sucker by James Hadley Chase, but after seeing Palmetto, I'd like to.
Palmetto contains all these cliches, and many more. The women strut around in sexy dresses, swinging their hips like good femme fatales, and Woody Harrelson's protagonist dresses like a guy out of a Raymond Chandler novel: suit pants, long sleeved shirts, and suspenders in the 90 degree heat. No shorts and T shirt for him. That wouldn't be "noir."
Both Elizabeth Shue and Chloe Sevigny demonstrate their inability to act. Harrelson is really the only skilled actor in this film. He's in great form. Of course, in film noir, there are no "good" guys. But he's so hapless, we root for him in spite of his stupidity.
The plot is clever enough to keep us watching. It gets absurdly twisty in the last third, but I shamelessly hung in there for the final payoff--and it's a good one, rather self-satirizing.
South Florida (Anna Maria Island, Fort Myers, and Palmetto) looks appropriately steamy, and several palmetto bugs make cameo appearances (seriously).
I haven't read the book the film is based on, Just Another Sucker by James Hadley Chase, but after seeing Palmetto, I'd like to.
In a plot this old, it's hard to be good
huggybear-22 July 2001
Your enjoyment of this film is likely to be based on your expectations. Why? It's the odd combination of some Class A talent (Woody Harrelson as the sucker who gets involved in a fake kidnapping plot and Elizabeth Shue as the femme fatale), and the standard potboiler plot. From many happy hours spent in front of a television tuned to BBC2 in the afternoon I am fairly confident this film has been made at least 200 times before, usually in black and white.
The plot meanders rather than twists and Harrelson's character isn't interesting enough to make you feel sorry for him - but he is playing a sucker and he does that well enough. A film limited by the core material, rather than the execution.
The plot meanders rather than twists and Harrelson's character isn't interesting enough to make you feel sorry for him - but he is playing a sucker and he does that well enough. A film limited by the core material, rather than the execution.
So-so script and pointless plot twists
David N.20 April 2000
"Palmetto" is humid and sweaty, but it flounders around on the screen trying to convince the audience that it is a taut noir thriller. "Palmetto," about a fake kidnapping plot gone wrong, is actually aimless and pretty tame. The film isn't outright bad, exactly. Just unremarkable and forgettable.
Woody Harrelson, who is good in just about anything, nicely conveys Harry Barber's desperate attempts to keep the kidnapping plot from collapsing, but Elisabeth Shue looks like a deer caught in headlights and acts like an eleven-year-old girl trying on Mommy's clothes and acting naughty. The plot progresses with the mandatory double-crosses and revelations, but fails to make any impression except for Shue's vamping and Gina Gershon's nagging.
The final twenty minutes of the movie are downright laughable, but by then I was already bored into a state of complete disinterest. Honestly, "Palmetto" makes "Follow That Bird" look like an edgy thriller. And the only intriguing about "Palmetto" is Elisabeth Shue's wig at the end.
Woody Harrelson, who is good in just about anything, nicely conveys Harry Barber's desperate attempts to keep the kidnapping plot from collapsing, but Elisabeth Shue looks like a deer caught in headlights and acts like an eleven-year-old girl trying on Mommy's clothes and acting naughty. The plot progresses with the mandatory double-crosses and revelations, but fails to make any impression except for Shue's vamping and Gina Gershon's nagging.
The final twenty minutes of the movie are downright laughable, but by then I was already bored into a state of complete disinterest. Honestly, "Palmetto" makes "Follow That Bird" look like an edgy thriller. And the only intriguing about "Palmetto" is Elisabeth Shue's wig at the end.
In "film noir" way
ctosangel-216 July 2001
A German director for a film written by classic James Hadley Chase (The Grissom Gang, 1971). Recreated a quite achieved atmosphere from "film noir". There is a excellent and curved Elisabeth Shue who remind me some of the best vamp at the cinema story. Note her attempt of remaking Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard (1949). Curious and well-meaning picture.
NOT SO BAD
bibi-313 February 1999
This movie is rated 6 out of 10?
oragex9 June 2013
Seriously, those who rated this like some random stuff, are already medium to heavily hollyntoxicated. This is for the remaining ones who know what lively and charming acting is. This is the kind of entertainment movie I'm not sick to see. It's FRESH, teasing, simple and colored, something Hollywood guys forgot some time ago. Good actors but again not in the H. style (is that a style anyway?). Compared with Hollywood productions this movie is the same as going to a lively, friendly, full with warm locals bar, or going to some fancy club, full of models where nobody's talking with each other. Stop bashing, this is not perfect, but I prefer it to standard movies who are done by the book to the point the actors cannot express themselves any long.
A cheap update of Body Heat
cwpnewpaltz11 July 2000
Why does Hollywood redo movie ideas without even knowing it's recycling old material? Are these scriptwriters and producers so young that they can't remember back even less than 20 years? Palmetto is Body Heat on the cheap. And if Elizabeth Shue is better built than Kathleen Turner even when she was thin, the fact is Turner is a fabulous actress and Shue is just a gorgeous blonde. Woody Harrelson looks like he was born precisely to get into this kind of a mess, so it's hard to relate to his character, either. Film noir needs more than this.
Elisabeth is a Shue-in for vampiest female
Aqualung-231 October 1998
Although Gina Gershon is absolutely wasted in this film, Elisabeth Shue plays one of the best femme fatales of the Nineties in this film noir. Woody is just Woody....you enjoy watching his depiction of the hard-luck ex-con. Chloe Sevigny is also interesting as the rascally daughter. I rate this movie highly for the performances but not so high for the plot.
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