Clay Pigeons (1999)

Vince Vaughn, Janeane Garofalo, and Joaquin Phoenix

Rating: 8.5 / 10.0

by Bruce (February 02, 2002)

I saw this movie at the cheap theatres when I was in college. I really liked it. I then saw it a few months ago on USA, network TV does not do this film justice. So I got it on DVD and I was happy again.

Here's the story. Joaquin Phoenix plays the main character, Clay who is having an affair with his best friend's wife Amanda, played by Georgia Cates. The best friend goes nuts, kills himself and makes it look like it was Clay's fault. Clay asks Amanda for help and she tells him no, just like a woman would. Clay manages to clear himself from any wrongdoing and then Amanda wants to hook up with him again, just like a woman would. Clay kicks her to the curb and in the process meets Lester Long, played by Vince Vaughn. Lester and Clay become fishing buddies and keep finding dead bodies. To investigate the newly found dead bodies, in comes none other than Dale Shelby, played by Janeane Garofalo, who is on the search for a serial killer who might be Clay or Lester. Hilarity ensues.

The actors in this film are great. Phoenix plays the caught in the middle character of Clay perfectly. Garofalo's scarcasm comes through wonderfully as an FBI agent belittling the pratices of the small town police force. Above all is Vince Vaughn. I'm a big Vaughn fan, Swingers has always been one of my favorite films and I tolerated the new version of Psycho only because of him. Vaughn's character of Lester Long is outstanding. Vaughn is scary and yet very charming. An odd combination, but very truthful.

The soundtrack also kicks ass. Odd little songs of the southwest, the films setting, blend in the tranquilty of death. Plus the Refreshments are on it, who RULE!

As far as the DVD itself goes, it's okay. It has the standard interactive features such as trailers, cast bio's and wide screen versions. I wish it would have had outtakes or bloopers or something. Oh well.

In conclusion, rent or buy this DVD. It's a funny Hitchcock-esque film that will keep you entertained and leave you quoting Garofalo's line, "Barney, please don't poke the dead body with a stick."