Pups
Seen it?1999 | 99 min | Thriller, Action, Drama, Crime
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (90% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had almost no lasting buzz and soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Aimed squarely at fans of a good con and crime fans. Half the pleasure is trying to spot the trick before the reveal. Same wavelength as Dog Day Afternoon or The Town.
- The mood
- Tense, dark and gritty.
- The pace
- Quiet, then quietly devastating, at 1 hr 39 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Not ideal if you just want to unwind.
When troubled teen boy Stevie (Cameron Van Hoy) and his girlfriend, Rocky (Mischa Barton), attempt to rob a bank without any forethought, the situation rapidly deteriorates. Soon the young couple is holding bank customers and employees hostage, while law enforcement gathers outside. Daniel Bender (Burt Reynolds), a veteran negotiator for the FBI, is charged with assessing the crime scene and ending the standoff as quickly as possible, but Stevie's short fuse considerably complicates matters.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
90% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 15K people sought it out in the past year
More like this
Dog Day Afternoon
Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed FBI crime drama.
The Town Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed FBI crime drama.
Inside Man
Saturday SpecialAnother heist crime drama, and a Saturday Special.
Cash Out
Weeknight WatchAnother FBI action film, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
STRAW Saturday SpecialAnother FBI crime drama, and a Saturday Special.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Ash Baron-Cohen
- Mischa BartonRocky
- Cameron Van HoyStevie
- Burt ReynoldsDaniel Bender
- Adam FarrarWheelchair Man
- David Alan GrafBank Manager
- Kurt LoderKurt Loder
- James GordonJ.P. / TV Preacher
- Darling NaritaJoy
- Ed MetzgerMr. Edwards
- Jonathan CooganBank Security Guard