Clay Pigeons

While it’s not the best of the “snowballing crime” genre, and is definitely a measure too silly and overwrought, it’s so well-done and overheated with a knowing wink to the audience that it’s easy to get swept along with its vibe – treading carefully to avoid spoilers: a perfectly cast Phoenix and Vaughn are the greatest assets here, with Vaughn in particular never better as his slimily charming character, though the film takes on a gleefully intoxicating “one damn thing after another” tone as it goes on, especially once a cynically sardonic Garofalo enters the fray, backed by an incandescent and awards worthy bit of scene stealing from Cates. While its arguable Healy’s screenplay can’t quite stick the landing, and gives too much time to some underdeveloped supporting characters which occasionally distract from the main thrust, this is still a great fun (and often times very funny) breezy outing.