Caught (1996)

Just perfect...

From my favorite movies..

Excellent but underrated film

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Fine drama borrows its theme liberally from the classic "The Postman Always Rings Twice" but manages to establish its own identity in the style of the noir thrillers of the past. A fish seller and his wife take in a wayward drifter who learns the ropes of the business and becomes the odd note of the triad, at the market and in the home. Edward James Olmos and Maria Conchita Alonso, husband and wife team, give young hunk Arie Verveen the sense of family he never had and soon Alonso and Verveen find a way to consummate their subtle but growing passion for each other right under Olmos' unsuspecting nose. An unannounced visit by Hollywood wannabe comic son Steven Schub kicks the drama into higher gear but an unsatisfying ending ruins what was up to that point an interesting movie with its myriad and complex threads of family life. Music score is nice and the end credits are highlighted by a jazzy, moody trumpet solo.

Robert M Young likes to do less with more. He's not bad at a sort of pale realism - his movies always feel like they could really happen, as if his scenes are less orchestrated than, well, caught. It's just that the worlds he captures, often in spite of their component elements, aren't very interesting ones. I am rarely compelled to finish one of his movies, and I rarely do. This, though he works all the time with one of the best actors in the business, who is also one of my very favorites: Edward James Olmos.CAUGHT is a credible, competent, thoroughly boring film composed of really exciting ingredients. Aside from a centerpiece of dueling Oedipal tragedies, it features forbidden love, a suitcase full of money, a mysterious drifter, a murderous stand-up comic, Olmos with a knife in his hand, and Maria Conchita Alonso naked. How could this possibly be less than entertaining? Well, set it in a fish market, for one thing; then have your mysterious drifter - who turns out to be not only not mysterious but not even very unusual - act the whole movie with a single look on his face. Then make none of the elements matter any more than any of the others, so instead of packed with thrills it's just a tired mess. Stir weakly and serve tepid.

I was informed that there is an old Eskimo custom where the guest in an Eskimo couple's home has to sleep with the wife as a sign of gratitude for the hospitality. "Caught" puts Joe and Betty, a Hispanic couple, in the same situation with the exception that Joe neither knows of or allowed for his guest Nick to show that kind of gratitude for the hospitality offered through his servitude at the couple's fish market and home. If a stray is cute enough, a family member will fall in love with it enough to keep it at home. Joe is much the business traditionalist by his rebuffing of corporate takeover requests pressured on him, but this hurts his marriage, giving his newest and prospective employee a new perspective. He's the son they always wanted to replace the son they wanted to replace, Danny. Betty still gazes at Danny's video past to expect a good future, much as she does for Joe's pastime despite his heart condition. Gazes are what occurs with Nick and Betty that slowly leads to the affair that lifts Betty spirits after Nick coerces Joe into selling the business for a fishing business venture.Sure enough, Danny returns with a wife and child for a surprise visit. The reality of the new living arrangements, Nick in Danny's old room, pushes Danny to the realization of his replacement. Now, a thorn has been added to the side of Nick, Betty, and Joe. It takes a good deed by Nick against Danny as well as the knowledge of Nick's affair that causes Danny to spiral down, even with part of the money Betty gave to help Danny, which is used against her when Joe gets the news broken to him. By the end, all four never see their futures. Half die suddenly while the other half die extremely slowly and sadly.Counting the number of holes in Olmos' face of checking out Alonzo's firm contours and sensuality also helps in viewing this movie but the story is plotted well despite the reality that someone would have beaten the hell out of Danny for his annoying behavior.

I loved this film because it was absolutely real and totally believable. The character development was awesome and the tensions between the characters could be cut with a knife (sorry, you'll see why!). An emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. Don't miss this one.