Taglines: In this town, the heat can kill you.
In Phoenix, Arizona, Harry Collins is a cop whose compulsive gambling has indebted him to a local gangster, Chicago. As his losses mount and time counts down, Collins resorts to exploiting a young woman, Veronica, that he has picked up to distract his friends in a poker game. Despite the successful distraction, he still loses, and he rejects Veronica’s sexual advances, as he considers her to be bad luck. When Collins drops her off at her house, Veronica’s mother sees her daughter in tears and glares at Collins.
Collins later tracks down Veronica’s mother, Leila, and defends himself, stating that he did not have sex with her. Unimpressed, Leila rebukes him, which causes him to reassess his behavior and offer a sincere apology. Surprised by his apology, Leila slowly warms to Collins, and they begin a romance. Having lost his lucky lighter, Collins asks her for a keepsake, but Leila tells him that he must make his own luck and avoid whatever trouble in which he’s become involved.
Meanwhile, Chicago cuts off Collins from his bookies and gives him 48 hours to either repay his debt or murder Joey, a young suspect held in custody. Mike Henshaw, Collins’ corrupt partner, suggests murdering Chicago, but Collins, unwilling to welch on a bet or murder Joey, decides instead to rob Louie, a local loanshark. Collins recruits Henshaw and another corrupt cop, James Nutter, and, over their objections, brings in a more straight-laced cop, Fred Shuster.
Unknown to the others, Shuster has discovered that his wife, Katie, is having an affair with Henshaw. Distraught and feeling betrayed, Shuster agrees to work with Lt. Webber to bring down the corrupt cops. However, the robbery is botched when the trigger-happy Henshaw kills Louie before he can open the safe. Collins hires a local locksmith to crack Louie’s safe, and the group splits up. Collins and Shuster arrive at the meeting point, but Lt. Webber is already there; Webber betrays Shuster, killing him, and shoots Collins in the gut. Collins escapes, but Webber steals the money.
Phoenix is a 1998 American crime film directed by British director Danny Cannon and starring Ray Liotta, Anthony LaPaglia, Anjelica Huston, Daniel Baldwin, Jeremy Piven, Tom Noonan, Giancarlo Esposito, Yvette Cruise and Brittany Murphy. Liotta plays a cop whose gambling debt leaves him indebted to the underworld and desperate to find a way out without compromising his principles.
Phoenix (1998)
Directed by: Danny Cannon
Starring: Ray Liotta, Anthony LaPaglia, Anjelica Huston, Daniel Baldwin, Jeremy Piven, Tom Noonan, Giancarlo Esposito, Yvette Cruise, Brittany Murphy
Screenplay by: Eddie Richey
Production Design by: Charles William Breen
Cinematography by: James L. Carter
Film Editing by: Zach Staenberg
Costume Design by: Alexandra Welker
Set Decoration by: Jeffrey Kushon
Music by: Graeme Revell
MPAA Rating: R for strong violence, language and sexuality.
Distributed by: Trimark Pictures
Release Date: September 4, 1998
Views: 116
