I don't know what film "Dr. Dick" watched, but take it from me, "Men of Means" is a thrill ride of action which delivers an astounding 64 acts of violence within its 80 minute time-frame.
That alone would not be enough to recommend it. What is though is the fact that it breaks new ground as an action film. There may be a lot of shoot 'em up here but the film captures the lead character's tortured spirit and his last, desperate drive to redeem himself in the eyes of his dearly departed mother. This is where "Men of Means" works best... as a character-driven exploration of the factors which motivate a man to resort to violence.
I have a difficult time trying to call to mind another action movie that can also be classified as such. Without character development, yes, this movie would fall by the wayside as another cheap, straight to video, grade B action flick. Fortunately it rates up there with some of the seminal Hong Kong action films such as John Woo's "The Killer" and Ringo Lam's "City on Fire". "Men of Means" will change the course of the action genre.
It's interesting to note however, that some of the best performances are turned in by the supporting characters. Austin Pendleton gives a bravura star turn as Jerry Trask. Watching him in this film, one has to wonder why he isn't a bigger star. There's a terrific realism to Todd Baker's Young Patrolman completely puts to shame the other actors who aren't adept enough to keep pace. Finally, John Jordan as Manny is character acting at its best... and amazing for a guy who, to the best of my knowledge, is normally behind the scenes working as a crew member.
If you miss this top-notch film, you've really missed something. Yes, the direction is spotty and yes the continuity is not as good as it could be, but with milestone films such as these, you tend to ignore it. This is a must see!
