This film is about the passage of time, and the unrealised importance of time itself; the fact that the film title has the words ‘two days’ in it should be enough of a clue, but just in case it isn’t, the tagline is “You have one minute to decide the rest of your life”.
I’d forgotten all about this film until chatting to my Dad the other day – he said he and his friend had been watching it the other night, and he’d forgotten how beautiful Charlize Theron was in it. “What the Charlize Theron who just won an Oscar?” I asked, to which Ian answered, “No, the other one,” in an unbecoming sarcastic fashion.
I kind of remembered it being a decent crime film, and looking at the back of the box confirmed this, but I couldn’t actually remember much else about it. I borrowed it (after much bargaining with dad to lend him “Pirates of the Caribbean”) re-watched it, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was actually the film I’d seen, really enjoyed, and then forgotten its name.
**The plot**
There are about five different plot threads going on at once, which all (unsurprisingly) tie up during the course of the film; two hitmen break into the house of an athlete and murder her husband, a washed-up director walks his dog and decides to commit suicide, a business man with a mousy secretary is recovering from bad kidney stones, a nurse goes to visit the grave of an old friend, and two policemen try and bust a Vietnamese massage parlour.
To explain exactly what happens would ruin the whole film, as it pivots around the varying twists each thread of the story takes. Hopefully it’s no spoiler to tell you that this is not your average crime film – it mixes its drama with dark humour, physical comedy and slight farce.
**Was it any good?**
Thankfully, I’d remembered correctly that this is a decent film. The writer/director, John Herzfeld, has done a great job of getting top class performances from this superb ensemble cast. I guarantee you’ll recognise more than 50% of the acting talent, and spend the next week muttering, “Where have I seen him before?” about at least one of them.
The storyline is easy to follow, despite all the twists and turns. You do have to suspend your disbelief a little bit at the amazing coincidences that occur; for example, and trying not to ruin the plot, the nurse and the businessman are brother and sister. Fortunately the whole film has such a humorous edge, that it’s not irritating.
James Spader, as usual, plays a fantastically cruel villain, playing everyone off against each other to get what he wants. His speech with a stopwatch to his victims prior to killing them may be influenced a little by Jules in Pulp Fiction quoting the bible, but at least it fits in with the whole theme of time.
Of course, one could argue that the whole genre of crime comedy owes a huge debt to Tarantino, and perhaps this more than any other film wears this influence proudly. People are ruthless towards each other, whilst cracking jokes, and whilst it may not be the most original film, at least it succeeds in entertaining, and keeping the viewer guessing.
![Two Days In The Valley [1996]](http://picnic.ciao.com/uk/65509993.jpg)
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