“Deadfall” (1993) Podcast Movie Review

By Daniel Barnes on May 12, 2020

Deadfall – Dare Daniel Podcast Episode 63

“Hi-fucking-ya!”

It took them over 60 episodes, but Daniel and Corky are finally ready to review their first Nicolas Cage movie. Did Cage’s unhinged performance as a psycho gangster in Deadfall live up to the hype?

Also known as Nepotism: The Motion Picture, the remarkably inept Deadfall was directed by Cage’s brother, Christopher Coppola. Other stars doing favors in service of one of the most braindead movies ever created include James Coburn, Peter Fonda and Charlie Sheen. Unfortunately, the lead role and most of the screentime goes to Michael Biehn, who brings the gravitas of Mr. Bean to his hardboiled con man role. As far as Cage goes over the top, Biehn goes exactly as far under the bottom.

Deadfall features some classic Cage freak-outs, but the film is unwatchably atrocious whenever he’s offscreen. Coppola reaches for some hardboiled noir existentialism, but the film is only existential in that it made us want to die.

Elsewhere, Daniel and Corky discuss villainous food courts, gratuitous sex scenes, Perry Farrell-esque henchmen, and “Sam fucking Peckinpah.”

NEW DARES

Chupacabra vs. the Alamo (Matthew Dougherty)

Saturn 3 (The Ghost of Kirk Douglas)

DEADFALL (1993) FACTS AND FIGURES

Theatrical release date: Oct. 8, 1993

Domestic box office: $18,000 (production budget: $10 million)

Critic scores: 0 on Rotten Tomatoes (6 reviews)

This week’s craft beer: Urban Roots Brewing‘s All Together IPA (6.5% ABV)

This week’s darer: Jordan Farrell

Why did Jordan dare Daniel and Corky to watch Deadfall? “Hey, guys! I recently stumbled upon your podcast via the r/bad movies subreddit, and I haven’t stopped listening to it since! However, I noticed you haven’t covered the enigma lunatic that is Nicholas Cage. I double-dog dare you to watch the movie Deadfall. Nicolas Cage is really the showcase of this. His performance is as insane as it was in Wild at Heart, except without any direction other than his own. Please please watch this, you won’t regret it.”

IMDB synopsis: “When Joe loses his dad in a sting, he contacts his dad’s twin, Lou, who has a major sting planned. Lou’s helper feels threatened by Joe. Who’s conning who?”

This week’s referenced movies: Vampire’s Kiss; Red Rock West; Goodfellas; Apocalypse Now; This Is Spinal Tap; Street Fighter (1994); The Sting; Roxanne; Napoleon Dynamite; Leprechaun in the Hood; Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS; Cutthroat Island; Blue Velvet; Green Book; Sleepaway Camp; Austin Powers movies; The Color of Money; Dr. No; Edward Scissorhands; Arsenal; The Terminator; Aliens; Tombstone; Forbidden Zone; Glengarry Glen Ross