The Whole Nine Yards
dir. Jonathan Lynn · 2000
Life often pushes individuals into morally ambiguous situations where they must choose between self-preservation and doing the right thing.
"The Whole Nine Yards" is a sharp-witted crime comedy that explores the absurdities of suburban life through the lens of a hapless dentist entangled with a former mob hitman. With its blend of humor and moral ambiguity, this film offers a delightful ride through the chaos of crime and the quirks of everyday existence.
Montreal, Canada. A down-on-his luck dentist, "Oz" Oseransky (Matthew Perry), discovers that his new neighbor is Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski (Bruce Willis), former mob-contract-killer-turned-police-informant upon whose head the Hungarian mob has put a steep price. Egged on by his loathsome wife, Sophie (Rosanna Arquette), Oz sets off to Chicago to let the mob know where The Tulip is and hopefully claim part of the reward.
Talking points
- the ethics of betrayal for profit
- the absurdity of suburban life
- the interplay of crime and comedy
- character motivations in morally ambiguous situations
