Safe Men (1998)

We watched this on sort of a whim the other night, and it came as a pleasant surprise. The first feature film from John Hamburg (who just did I Love You, Man), Safe Men brings us a double bromance, before that word was even a big thing. Sam (Sam Rockwell) and Eddie (Steve Zahn) are struggling singers who are mistaken for master safe breakers by Veal Chop (Paul Giamatti), right hand man to Big Fat Bernie Gayle (Michael Lerner), a Jewish gangster. The bickering bandmates are forced to break into several safes under threat of death, but of course prove quite incompetent at the criminal game. Their friendship is tested as they struggle to get out of their deal with Gayle, especially when Sam begins romancing Hannah (Christina Kirk), the daughter of another crime lord (Harvey Fierstein). Meanwhile, the real safe breakers are experiencing friction as Mitchell (Josh Pais) is fed up with Frank (Mark Ruffalo) constantly pining over his ex-girlfriend.

While Safe Men is definitely character-heavy, the script alternates and ultimately combines all of their different plot lines so well that it doesn't clog the film's narrative. Plus, the cast is so spectacular, and there are always awesome people just popping up unexpectedly. Like Michael Showalter, for example! Sam Rockwell and Steve Zahn look like babies in this movie (I literally thought Zahn could have been in high school) despite being in their early 30's, and both are extremely enjoyable and appropriately hapless. Ruffalo stands out with his impressive mustache (ever-present in his 90's movies) and adorably goofy line delivery. Giamatti shows he is just without shame in his distractingly gaudy wardrobe, but of course puts in a very funny, slightly sleazy performance.

This is a silly, ridiculous movie but it's totally aware of itself. The jokes are often unforeseen and absurd, and there are a lot of little sight gags or throwaway lines that kept me involved in the dialogue. The characters consistently ride the line between stupid, weird, and clever and it's that constant shifting that makes the script work well. Everyone looks like they're having so much fun, and I can't help but be pulled in by that! Pure entertainment, really, and a lot funnier than I might have anticipated. It even ends the way everything should end: with a dance party.

4/5