Review of Smokescreen

Smokescreen (1988)
8/10
Ambition to enter the advertising business lands a Canadian in a film noir labyrinth
20 April 2005
I was IN this movie, and it still took me by surprise. You might see thirty seconds of me at the drum set in the dance hall. Ric Georgi of The Rainbow Gardens Jazz Orchestra (now dormant) gives a very convincing turn as a gunshot victim (Tall Man). My thanks to Ric for a chance to try my chops as a "special extra".

Matt Craven plays a VERY low-level employee, at an advertising agency in Toronto, who is looking for the Big Idea to launch him into the Big Time. He become obsessed with cigarette-ad model Odessa Malone (Kim Cattrall) and attempts to infiltrate her world to gain her confidence. In the process he becomes enmeshed in some very dubious dealings, indeed. Craven and Catrall get excellent support from Dean Stockwell, Kichjael Hogan, a very frightening Kim Coates and Helen Hughes.

This is a well-crafted film with unexpected quality of direction, editing and sound-track. My high-school class-mate, the late Earl Seymour, created a lush lounge-music score for this film, which makes "the band" look and sound very good, even though it ain't us playing the music! There are plenty of hidden pleasures for historians, as the attention to detail and continuity are amazing. And, if you are looking for a concise definition of the Canadian personality, here it is, except most Canadians don't have QUITE that much kinky sex!
6 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed