"Who is Cletus Tout?"

He’s not Christian Slater’s character, an unlucky con-man sent to jail for forgery. He’s not Richard Dreyfus’s character, Micah Donnelly, an incarcerated aging magician who orchestrates an escape from jail with Trevor Finch (Slater). In exchange for helping him escape, Donnelly is giving Trevor a cut of the diamonds he stole, stashed, and was subsequently arrested for. Trevor’s side of the deal is to do what he does best: provide fake documents so each can start spending their fortunes with new identities. To do this, they enlist the help of Dr. Savian (Billy Connolly), a doctor at the morgue who provides Trevor with all of the information needed to assume a dead person’s identity.

Unfortunately for Trevor, his dead man’s name, Cletus Tout, has gotten into some trouble with the mob (hence, Tout’s untimely death-by-fire). When the mob hears the man they thought was dead is really alive (albeit a different man), they send out the expert, Critical Jim (Tim Allen). Without spoiling anything, mistaken identity, death, romance, jewels, nosy neighbors, and homing pigeons round out this “not-too-bad” movie.

What I didn’t like: No depth or development. Fortunately, most of the characters are archetypal (bumbling mob hit men, a mob based out of…..drumrolllllllll…an Italian restaurant!!!, criminals-with-hearts-of-gold, a quirky morgue attendant, etc.) so the lack of character depth isn’t a total loss. Additionally several key features of the plot are shaky (e.g., their escape from prison is as ridiculous as how the diamonds are stolen, and my personal favorite – homing pigeons only go one way….think about it.)

What I liked: There are only slight departures from these formulaic characters. These departures are distinctly the best part of this movie. For example, bumbling mob hit men have a hilarious dialogue in a coffee shop about the movie “Deliverance.” Nosy neighbor is RuPaul. etc.

Watch for: Quirky hit man, Critical Jim. He’s the prime example of how a little goes a long way in redeeming this movie. Critical Jim, so-named because of his incessant critique of everything, is not your typical assassin. You’ve seen this character before, John Cusack and Dan Aykroyd in “Grosse Point Blank,” James Gandolfini in “The Mexican,” actually…James Gandolfini in “Get Shorty,” hmm. And like Chili Palmer in “Get Shorty,” Critical Jim is a movie lover. He thinks that most of life should be scripted as a good movie is scripted. The majority of the movie unfolds as a story told to Critical Jim by Trevor while Critical Jim is …well, being critical of it, as any movie critic would do. It provides the important twist to an otherwise bland crime story.

Fast Forward Award: A montage about making fake documents.

You should see this movie if: 1. You like crime comedies/movies with a twist, especially movies that are about movies. 2. You’ve seen enough Christian Slater movies that you won’t be disappointed if he’s not great in this one either. 3. You like seeing a bare minimum of Richard Dreyfus in a movie.

Take home message: Make sure your fake identity isn’t in deeper than you are.