THE AISLE SEAT - by Mike McGranaghan
"COHEN & TATE"
Cohen & Tate - On Blu-Ray 7/9/13
I love coming back around to catch a movie that I initially missed. Cohen & Tate was released in late December 1988/early January 1989. As a busy college student, I was vaguely aware of the film, although it never opened near where I was attending school. For whatever reason, I never rented it on home video either. Now that Shout Factory has released it in a sparkling new Blu-Ray edition, it seemed like the perfect occasion to finally give the film a spin.
Roy Scheider is Cohen and Adam Baldwin is Tate. They're professional assassins who have been given a very unfortunate assignment: kidnap a nine-year-old boy named Travis Knight (Harley Cross) who is in the Witness Protection Program after seeing a mob hit. As they drive through Texas, Travis works to earn Cohen's empathy and pit him against the volatile, hotheaded Tate. What begins as a dangerous situation for the boy turns into one that's dangerous for everyone.
Cohen & Tate mostly takes place in a car, with occasional scenes set at a gas station or along the side of the road. That's okay, though, because the psychological action taking place inside the car is just as intense as the physical violence that occasionally takes place outside of it. The best scene finds Cohen and Tate navigating their way through a police roadblock. Writer/director Eric Red shows how they combine their styles to overcome an obstacle. Other times, we see how their styles clash. Tate becomes frustrated with Travis's provocations and is more than willing to just "off" him. Cohen, killer though he may be, sees value in order, in recognizing that not everyone deserves to be eliminated. Scheider and Baldwin are both very good here. The former projects a certain world-weary cynicism, while the latter is all super-charged rage. Their chemistry drives the story.
Cohen & Tate is, at times, shockingly violent and, at other times, darkly funny. A few sections drag a little bit, and the film could have gone more in depth regarding how Travis feels about being snatched from his family. (The kid is surprisingly chill.) Still, this is a solid, entertaining little thriller that deserves to be more widely seen.
(
out of four)
Blu-Ray Features:
Cohen & Tate is available on Blu-Ray from Shout Factory. The digital transfer is excellent. Bonus features include audio commentary from writer/director Eric Red and some deleted scenes. The best feature is a retrospective documentary, running about 20 minutes, in which Red and other crew members share thoughts on the film. In one of the most interesting tidbits, the film's editor admits he didn't think much of Adam Baldwin's performance, expressing a belief that the actor went too far over the top. Also of interest is Red's discussion of the violence, as well as the intentionally abrupt ending. This segment is well worth watching after you've viewed the main feature. It will enhance your appreciation of the film.
For more information on this title, please visit the Shout Factory website.
Cohen & Tate is rated R for language and graphic violence. The running time is 1 hour and 26 minutes.
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