Excellent but underrated film

Absolutely the worst movie.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Annoying characters, doing annoying stupid things, can be kinda hard to relate to, and they certainly where in this film. It's comedy classic to have stupid people doing stupid things, but if the creators also want the audience to be involved in the ups & downs of these characters they got to give us some kind of reason, any reason... they didn't here. Steve Zahn is likable and charmingly goofy, I guess they just hoped that would be enough...I was fairly entertained anyway though, not because of the lazy faux-Tarantino time shifts, or the I-can't-really-be-bothered direction ("lowkey", if one wants to be charitable), but because most of the truckload of stars they had wheeled in has at least one or two amusing tricks they always can rely on if everything ells fails; I rarely laughed at the obvious "witty" lines or comedy set piece bits, but several times I snickered and giggled at some funny little look or tilt with the head.The plot was just the usual losers & crooks doing stuff on account of some McGuffin; I thought those went out of style back when Two Days in the Valley was released, but it seems like I was wrong. Still, seeing Elijah Wood as a 17 year old hit-man who smashes chair on people's heads was at least something different, and Salam Hayek in her underwear is always nice, so despite the fact that I can't really claim this is a good movie per se, I would still recommend it for anyone looking for a very undemanding time killer.

"Chain of Fools" is one of those zany ensemble-cast spoofs on crime films. The "Fools" include Selma Hayek as a Playboy-posing police sergeant; Steve Zahn as an incompetent barber; Jeff Goldblum as a generic stylish thug; Elijah Wood as the world's youngest hit man; David Cross as an overgrown Boy Scout (literally); Tom Wilkinson as a vengeful wealthy industrialist; Orlando Jones as a beefy transvestite; and Lara Flynn Boyle as a treacherous ex-wife.Normally I love ensemble films, and this particular one had a great cast (well, Steve Zahn didn't particularly shine in this film, even though he has the most screen time). The problem with CoF is the parts aren't strung together that well. The plot is mediocre, the editing is haphazard and the story doesn't flow too well at moments.But the characters do provide quite a few laughs themselves. So it's better than your average schlocky comedy.7 out of 10.Barky

I was very impressed by this movie. It contained a totally awesome cast lineup, was genuinely funny - very remarkable on such a low budget. And it also moves fairly tightly and briskly, with none of the pretentiousness of most B-grade "arthouse" fare.The cast ensemble was an absolute dream in fact. Stalwarts like Jeff Goldblum, Steve Zahn, David Cross, David Hyde Pierce - and that lady who now plays the wife in "Scrubs". They were excellent.And Elijah Wood is totally awesome in this. I once said that he had totally lost his comic touch or interest after the NORTH fiasco. Well, I now have to completely eat my words. He showed a lot of the brilliant personality that he displayed as an all-time great child actor - especially as Huck Finn. This is the role that I would class as his definitive transition role from child protégé to credible adult actor. It contains most of his charm and personality that were the highlights of his early career, with the professional maturity of his later work.And once again I am totally blown away by Tom Wilkinson. His was a great role for a jobbing British actor in Hollywood; and he handles it wonderfully. This would be the perfect foil to his dramatic antagonist in Mel Gibson's THE PATRIOT (see my review); and a great foretaste of his comic flair as Doctor Chasubile in THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST.This movie really worked a lot better than I thought it would. I was expecting some dour, slow-paced cynical "modern" serio-comedy with garish visuals and poor pacing - like RUSHMORE, or ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, or ADAPTATION; i.e. **way** self-consciously smug, with far more drama than comedy. But instead I got a snappy, witty, intelligent little character comedy with enough imagination and pacing to really keep it rolling along. It lacks the real punch of a classic movie like THE STING, Jim Carrey's THE MASK, or even ZERO EFFECT; but on its own terms it is very watchable, and totally deserves a lot more success. I thoroughly recommend it to everyone. A movie that's definitely worth renting.

The movie industry never ceases to amaze me. How can it be that such a gem as this can be hidden away for so long and only be shown in scattered parts of the globe? It is a travesty and a huge mistake on someone's part. I know for a fact that this movie would go down a storm in the U.K. Yet, three years after it was made, it has never been seen in a British cinema, never been released on video or DVD in Britain and has not yet been shown on TV either. I had to buy a video tape from Australia!But, make no mistake, this movie is unique and an absolutely brilliant comedy. It is a chapter of accidents, in which nothing ever goes according to plan and the flashbacks, where events are constantly changing, are a hoot.To me personally, the Orlando Jones, Miss Cocoa character was a bit pointless, but some would no doubt find him amusing. Otherwise, the characters were a treat and superbly played. I single out Steve Zahn who was excellent as the bungling barber, Kresk; Elijah Wood who made me ache with laughter as a "hitman", the new kid on the block; Jeff Goldblum as the wicked Avnet; Tom Wilkinson as the English scoundrel, Bollingsworth; and Salma Hayek who could arrest me anytime. But,oh, Devin Drewitz! Devin Drewitz, was terrific as the hyperactive, Scottie. He was never still for an instant. Butter wouldn't melt in his mouth, but Dennis the Menace had nothing on this kid. Remember the name! The kid will go far.