2 Days in the Valley (1996)

This film also would have been perfect for my salute to Los Angeles. 

Synopsis: The lives of ten troubled Californians intersect during… oh, who cares? This movie features Charlize Theron in a skin-tight outfit and she gets into a catfight with Teri Hatcher! 

Blurb From the VHS Jacket: “Take one wrong turn in life and who knows where you’ll end up. For Becky, it’s waking up next to her murdered ex-husband For Teddy, it’s the tail end of a failed film career. For Allen it’s being kidnapped by a crazy toupee-wearing Italian hitman. 

What Did I Learn?: Rapini is a vegetable that’s a lot like broccoli, and it’s loaded with vitamins and minerals. (Ok, I knew that already - I just wanted to promote one of my favourite veggies)

 

You Might Like This Movie If: You figure it must be a 105-minute Moon Zappa video.

 

Really?: 1) Hmm… funny how Dosmo just happens to run into Lee again, isn’t it? That’s quite a coincidence. 2) So wait – Helga gets shot by Becky, and instead of hauling her ass over to the hospital, she decides to inform her completely amoral boyfriend? That seems a bit out of character for such a cunning temptress. 

Rating: 2 Days in the Valley is an enjoyable caper comedy with a most unusual cast; if you’ve ever wanted to see Danny Aiello trade insults with James Spader, or Jeff Daniels blow up at Eric Stoltz, this is your lucky day. I’m not entirely sure if we’re supposed to sympathize with Becky (Hatcher) or not, and I was a little upset that the storyline for Daniels’ character remains unresolved at the end, but it’s otherwise a good film. Kudos to Paul Mazursky for a fine performance as the suicidal Teddy Peppers, and I have to award an extra half-star for the aforementioned catfight. 8/10 stars. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115438/