2 Days in the Valley (1996)

This absurd, nihilistic crime comedy stars a bunch of quirky actors 
as a bunch of quirky characters, conveniently divided among a pair 
of (converging) plot lines.  One thread follows the murder of an 
Olympic skier's (Teri Hatcher) abusive ex-husband (Peter Horton) by 
a bespectacled hitman (James Spader).  The other has the killer's 
left-for-dead partner (Danny Aiello) hiding out at the home of an 
uptight art dealer (Greg Cruttwell) and holding everybody there 
hostage.  Writer/director John Herzfeld attempts to mix raw humor 
and raw violence in that now-familiar Tarantino fashion.  His sense 
of humor isn't very good, though, and the mix ends up a mush.  Too 
slow, too long, and ultimately absurd, 2 DAYS IN THE VALLEY is not 
entirely without its guilty pleasures.  Where else can you witness 
a catfight between Ms. Hatcher and Charlize Theron from THAT THING 
YOU DO!?  Or a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo from Lawrence Tierney 
of RESERVOIR DOGS?  Or, my favorite, a cut from a pair of breasts 
being kneaded to a pot of boiling pasta.  At last, the link between 
food and sex is explained! (Rated "R"/104 min.)

Grade: D+

Copyright 1996 by Michael J. Legeros

Originally posted to triangle.movies in MOVIE HELL: September 29, 1996