The Proposal (2000)

This brisk thriller combines elements of buddy movies, mobster films, and detective dramas, with effective results. Debuting director Richard Gale shows a splendid flair for creating dramatic tension; time and again, he puts humanitarian and undercover detective Terry (Nick Moran) in perilous situations that seem to have no immediate happy resolutions, only to ratchet up the pressure with more tension in ensuing scenes. The ancillary characters are vividly drawn by an engaging cast; the henchmen of Simon Bacig (Stephen Lang) are colorful without being necessarily stereotypical, and Lang, whose ruthless, egomaniacal gangster could easily have crossed into caricature, only nibbles the scenery around the edges instead of devouring it completely. Jennifer Esposito, seen previously in I Know What You Did Last Summer and Summer of Sam, is more than up to assaying a role that calls for her to be frustratingly high maintenance and inordinately self-sufficient at the same time. But Moran, who nearly stole the show as Eddie in Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, is totally convincing as Terry, who seems on the verge of cracking under the strain of his case from the opening scene. He truly seems haunted by the bloody crimes he's had to witness while in the undercover employ of Bacig, and he seems helpless to do anything about it. Here's hoping this unheralded, direct-to-video offering finds an audience that appreciates a taut detective thriller. ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide