Page 16 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 112

16 Issue #112 May 2022 www.sportsenergynews.com

In Reel Time

Wipe the Slate Clean

By Nikolai Adams

iffing on the gumshoe detectives
Rof yesteryear, 1994’s Clean
Slate, directed by Mick Jackson, is
a bit like a comedic and much less
complex version of Christopher
Nolan’s Memento (2000).
Poor Maurice Pogue (Dana
Carvey) has a lot going on in his
life: a former LAPD detective, the
private eye will soon be taking
the stand. . . as he witnessed a
murder by a notorious one-thumb-
missing gangster, Philip Cornell
(Michael Gambon) – who’s always
accompanied by two menacing
bodyguards (Mark Bringelson and Photo Submitted
Christopher Meloni); though the
supposedly murdered woman, Sarah
Novak (Valeria Golino), has returned
looking for the PI’s help – or is she
simply a well chosen lookalike; he’s bed, he must make a record of his life the other between Pogue and the man Pogue’s second story apartment/
in the midst of having an affair with so that he won’t be out of the loop he assumes to be his landlord, that office. That same musician also starts
Judy (Olivia D’Abo), the fiancée of the next morning. also bring the chuckles. Likewise, the movie off by telling Pogue a joke.
his best friend, Rosenheim (Kevin Accompanied by his ocularly its cast features so many entertaining . . “Why don’t blind people skydive?
Pollak) – the Assistant DA on the impaired dog, the roguish Pogue character actors, it’s hard to not love It scares the f**k outta the dog.”. . . a
Novak murder case under John must tread a dangerous path. . . all their performances (each bringing gag that will weave its way through
Dolby (James Earl Jones) – who while being completely oblivious to their respective A game). Also, keep the piece in clever ways.
has recently been shot, leaving him everything. Thankfully quick on his an eye out for a scene with Bryan A zany, noir inspired comedy
in a wheelchair; furthermore, he’s feet, his wit and disarming attitude Cranston at a private club, as well as coming a year after the somewhat
misplaced a seven million dollar coin helps him dodge danger, despite a blink and you’ll miss it ten seconds similar Groundhog Day, Clean Slate
that is at the centre of the entire case; the fact he mistakes landlord for from Bob Odenkirk as one of the is a fun, frivolously cheeky crime
not to mention his ex-wife cop, Paula gangster, friend for foe, and his many cops at Pogue’s surprise birthday
(Jayne Brook), who has a new baby flings for loyal partners. party. caper. One of those films that was
(that coincidentally looks like him) Though never fully achieving It also doesn’t hurt that the entire panned by critics but thoroughly
and a jealous police officer husband. its full potential, there are enough picture is backed by a swinging jazz enjoyed by fans, its combination of

And this isn’t even his biggest moving parts and several standout score by Alan Silvestri, cleverly strong performances, quality score,
and waggish comedic set pieces
problem. . . the big blast from the moments that help this one succeed. woven in by way of diegetic music should appease those looking for a
explosive murder and resulting head Centred on the hilarious climactic performed by a blind musician silly satire on crime conventions. So,
trauma has caused him to have a courtroom sequence when all of the (Robert Wisdom) who plays the
rare form of amnesia that makes moving pieces come together to great number “These Foolish Things don’t ‘stall’, make sure to put this
him forget everything when he falls effect, there are two other scenes, one (Remind Me of You)”, by the beach uproarious affair in your memory
asleep. Thus, each evening before at a fashion show set in a museum, beside the staircase that leads to bank for future viewing.