A Deal
Joe De Matteo

Solid

One wonders what gives ideas to writers and filmmakers.  A couple of years back Ruth Epstein wrote a script that had America fighting an Arab country which drove up the price of fuel, and a scandalous backroom deal involving lots of money, and oil.  She wrote a very good script, from which The Deal was made.

However, Ms. Epstein's tale doesn't cover that reality, it is a fictional tale that shows us how greedy people will even kill for Deal.  This is not an film that moves at an MTV pace, it's a suspenseful movie that moves at its own pace.  For those of us who are patient enough, it will be a very enjoyable watch.

There is a lot of money riding on this deal, and to protect it, people who appear to be in the way are expendable.

Among the characters are investment bankers, one of whom is Christian Slater - who is a good guy, a recent Harvard biz school grad, the lovely Selma Blair - an environmentalist, and some very nasty, selfish people.

Slater and Blair fall in lust or love, as can only happen when two people are in danger of being killed.  Death can be around any corner, and you feel it.  This is a well made and acted film.