100 Mile Rule (2002)

Best movie of this year hands down!

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

SPOILERS THROUGHOUT:Three salesmen take a trip together to attend a seminar. Much chaos and trouble follows. This was a movie that sounded like it had the capacity to be really good AND it had Maria Bello in it, of whom I've been a fan for several years. Unfortunately the movie left a lot to be desired.Maria Bello plays the seductress who blackmails one of the salesmen after he cheats on his wife with her. And Bello's actually not bad in the role. Unfortunately, there's not a whole lot she can do with the part. One of the main problems of this movie are the characters portrayed. Most of them are so totally obnoxious that it's almost impossible to have any enjoyment in the movie. The plot is overshadowed by the unlikeable element of almost everyone and sometimes they seem like caricatures rather then characters.The movie has many plot twists, some of them even are rather unpredictable but none of them are very interesting, in fact much of the movie doesn't make any sense. There's a lot of arguing amongst the three salesmen which becomes unenjoyable, overplayed, and tedious. Bello's character lacks any complexity whatsoever and the movie becomes to dark and a mishmash of arguments, and plot contrivances. Any interest in the movie at the beginning slowly dissipates due to the slow pace and above mentioned goings on.Although this isn't a movie I thought was terribly good, it may appeal to people who are major fans of black comedies (a genre that is not among my favorites though I have seen some movies of this genre that are absolutely outstanding.) But even the black comedy purist may have problems with this as it just isn't one of the best of the genre.I did appreciate the reference to the movie "Very Bad Things" (a Movie that for some unfathomable reason I did enjoy a bit more then this one.) And I liked the casting of Bello. But the movie itself just didn't strike me as being put together all that great and was disappointing. My vote's 4 of 10.

A movie consisting of excellent performances by Jake Weber and Maria Bello ("Auto-Focus", "The Cooler")and the irrepressible Michael McKean turning in a superb performance in a role that could have been a Jack Nicholson role. Also David Thornton, Cyndi Lauper's husband and a former alternative rock musician, in an unforgettable role as a wild-haired "unhelpful" fellow auto parts salesman to the lead character.100 Mile Rule is well-directed by Brent Huff and features equal parts of humor, drama and suspense. The film, like Tin Men, captures perfectly the world that most of us live in: working dry jobs, eating crow from your boss, trying to "turn the corner" financially, juggling the family flamed batons of Kids, Sex and Finances but having to deal-day-to-day with less than savory co-workers. And, oh yes, the temptations of the flesh which make a playground upon our suburbia-addled minds. Male motive, in all its ugliness, is splayed open for our inspection here.A thrilling ride and a mind-bender from start to finish, sit back and enjoy this film and the fine actors at work here.

Keeping you going the whole way through, wishing, relentlessly, for more plot twists upon plot twists. Where did all the greatly developed movies go? They're right here. I love this movie simply because it gives you only what you need to go by, it doesn't tell you what anybody else needs to know, and solidly keeps you in your place; An onlooker to a classic plot.

I saw this movie at a film festival (Fort Lauderdale) and what a waste of time and money. The only thing going for it is the presence of the beautiful and talented Maria Bello; however, the viewer wonders how someone of her talent got mixed up in a below-average effort like this one. The major problems are a deficient script that couldn't get a passing grade in Screenwriting 101 and what can only be described as amateurish directing.