I watched this with a friend because I couldn't believe it was as bad as he said given the impressive cast. Well, it's even worse than he said it was. Where do I start? How about the script? Which is dreadful. It's all flatfooted exposition and no jokes. At least not any jokes that are funny. The characters talk about the protagonist and his situation rather than the film showing it to you. What you see has so little character that you wonder how anyone could care enough about this guy to even bother pissing him off. To say the plot is idiotic is to give it too much credit. I don't have a problem with the idea of someone bumping off everyone who wronged him. I'm OK with nihilism and the violence isn't even graphic enough to be upsetting. What I'm not OK with is stupidity. A doctor telling someone he has 6 weeks to live based on one errant x ray is a plot too idiotic for a children's cartoon. So is a professional hit man deciding to take the blame for multiple murders he didn't commit ... why? It's not really explained. I wrote better fiction in high school. I've read better fan fiction. Everything else is just as inept. The upbeat music is supposed to be an ironic counterpart to the dark mayhem on screen, but it just comes off as painfully stupid. There are some interesting camera angles, indicating that the movie was made by someone who has seen a camera before, but there are moments of astonishing clumsiness, like the opening music cutting off in mid-note, and the way the numerous death scenes are shot, with arms fluttering, eyes bugging out. It's as if this were intended to be a parody, intended to be "bad," but you know, horrifyingly so, that it isn't meant to be bad at all. Casting an actor with zero experience as your protagonist is a crapshoot at best and it sure did not pay off here. Anyone who thinks Chris Rea can act should be barred from ever having an opinion about any theatrical presentation for the rest of his life, much less being involved in creating one. Calling this performance wooden is an insult to wood. As for the supporting cast...wow, those poor people. I know Oliver Reed has been in a lot of Michael Winner's movies and I guess he felt obligated, but how did the rest of these actors get roped into this disaster? How do you manage to get a cliched, overwrought, cringeworthy performance out of BEN KINGSLEY? I wouldn't have imagined such a thing was even possible, but Winner managed it. I wouldn't have thought you could write a script so ridiculous that John Cleese is embarrassed to say the lines, but there it is, immortalized on film. Fortunately for Bob Hoskins, he just has to be nasty for a few minutes and then die, so he ends up looking a lot less foolish. Joanna Lumley as a shady bartender delivers every line in deadpan, which isn't interesting but at least doesn't make her look moronic. Reed as the hitman took the same approach. Peter Davison is basically the straight man as Rea's best friend and lawyer, and not being expected to be funny or evil probably explains how he coughed up the most credible performance of the lot. How he managed to react like a real human being might react when playing all his scenes opposite a two-by-four with vocal cords is almost impressive. It must be the three years he spent pretending to be scared by pathetic rubber monsters on Doctor Who. I felt truly sorry for Diana Rigg, who plays Rea's bitchy ex wife, and Felicity Kendal, who plays his current love interest. Both are way too old for their roles, and it came off as more than a little grotesque. Rigg's character had one speed -- oblivious bitch -- and Kendal had no character at all. So she sleepwalked through the movie with a dopey smile on her face, essentially showing no emotion at all, probably cursing her agent with every breath. I'm sorry, but this wasn't even bad in a funny way. It's just plain BAD. Wowee, super-strength bad. I'm checking my DVD player for corrosion now.

2 people found this helpful

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Mr. John Hudson

wealth of well known actors in a funny black comedy

Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2010

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The singer Chris Rae marvelous as a photographer diagnosed with a terminal illness (six weeks to live) who on the advice of his close friend (Peter Davidson) decides to get even with ALL who have taken advantage of him throughout his life.
Brilliant performances from Diana Rigg, his ex wife, Bob Hoskins a scheming financial advisor, Sir Ben Kingsley, a mad chef/restraunter, Joanna Lumley a pub owner who supplies anything you want be it illegal.
Felicity Kendal who befriends him on his quest, Oliver Reed a magnificent performance as a high society "Hitman" and many other stars show up in this highly hillarious black comedy. It takes a short time to get going, but rest assurred you will never stop laughing, and will be it stiches right to the end of the film, which has a nunber of twists, and very funny conclusion. Listen to the one liner references to his photography by all the stars.

A Michael Winner production, I would say his very best.

5 people found this helpful

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Kitten

Cast is amazing...fun escapism

Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2021

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Look, its not Shakespeare but it doesn't have to be. It was engaging and you cared about the main players. The end was very far fetched but the film wasn't awful like so many say it is. Good seeing all of the cameos of the stars, especially Cleese and Reed. Probably won't watch again but did enjoy it.

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J. Cardinale

Decent, if not spectacular

Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2004

Nothing about this movie really grabs you, but its decent enough. Its interesting to watch the lead actor (who is a musician and I don't believe had ever acted before), because he doesn't act like an "actor" (because he isn't). Some big names make very brief appearances (namely a hilarious John Cleese), but we could've used more of Ben Kingsley in a fun role. Some nice scenery to be sure as well.

2 people found this helpful

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They

I LAUGHED

Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2015

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Sometimes nice things happen by mistake; without reading the reviews, I ordered this thinking it was a different film. I'm not a fan of Michael Winner - quite the opposite; but, after seeing the cast, luckily decided to give it a go. What a delightful hoot! The charm of this 1998 black comedy may be too subtle for some. Yes, the plot is absurd; yes, there are stereotypes and overacting; but, that's the beauty of it -- watching a stellar cast in a send-up. (Rather like Sirs Derek Jacobi and Ian McKellen in 'Viscious' or Sir Michael Caine and Christopher Reeves in Deathtrap.) Thank goodness this film is not full of action, sex, graphic violence or belly-laughs; it's just 90 minutes of rather sophisticated fun.

Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2004

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I bought this movie because I am a big fan of Chris Rea, and have nearly every song he recorded. I don't expect singers to be good actors (the opposite is often true ... can anybody say "Madonna"?). I was pleasantly surprised at how good an actor Chris Rea is, and I loved the movie. It stands on its own as an original hilarious comedy. Anyone who likes the black comedy of John Cleese in movies like "Fierce Creatures" and "A Fish Called Wanda" should enjoy this treat. After years of buying PAL videotapes and German language only DVDs of this movie, I can finally watch it properly. Let's hope they bring out Chris Rea's other movies, "Soft Top, Hard Shoulder" and "La Passione" next!

11 people found this helpful

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Andrew Mackay, author of the 'Star Cat' and 'In Their Shoes' satire series.

Utter, utter rubbish - but I love every second of it.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 7, 2012

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It's potentially one of the worst films of the nineties, but the suicidal notion of casting Chris rea way out of his depth against the lieks of Kendall, Cleese and Hoskins is sheer brazen foolishness that only comes around once in a blue moon. Another belter from Michael Winner, and stands as a superb testament on when to use emotive soundtracks and when not ot (mostly the latter). Scene after scene reeks of sheer ineptitude, punctuated by the most flatlined of performances from leading man Rea. It's not worth a tenner. It's not even worth the five words it took to write the last sentence. It's nonsense; its infantile response to cancer victims and their relationships only add to the stratospheric mess. But goodness gracious me, it's compulsive viewing.

4 people found this helpful

Ralph P.

RUBBISH

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 7, 2024

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it is all in German language

Elizabeth

Emmersing on Power ... This is the excessive Story of revenge and life!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 7, 2012

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Come and experience a movie like no other movie. This is a powerhouse of moviemaking, With an exellent run of cast From Chris Rea to Bob Hoskins and many more talents. Parting Shots is one of the must see movies, it'll capture the meaning of life and shine through the power of emptyness and sadness. A wedding photographer is dying of cancer, everyone complians about everything he does and has done, he has been put down and bullied all his life now its his chance to get payback on those who made his life hell and pain, there lives will be shorter than the 6 weeks he has to live.

There is a real funny GAG LOL twist at the end of the movie! I would not say this is a comedy its more of an emotional and unique movie DRAMA with one joke to end all jokes.

You must see this!

4 people found this helpful

steve

No wonder!!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 17, 2011

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No wonder this film dissappeared without trace! I only bought it because I was an extra in the scenes filmed at the French Horn at Sonning.
Leaden dialogue and predictable ending, shame on the good actors used- what has Winner got on all of them!

A. D. Vowles

Disappointed, as the film is dubbed in German

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 5, 2015

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Disappointed, as the film is dubbed in German, and there are no English sub-titles. Would have returned it, but cost would outweigh the purchase price.

5 people found this helpful

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Parting Shots [DVD]

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Format	Color, NTSC, DVD, Closed-captioned
Contributor	Patrick Ryecart, Michael Winner, Nick Mead, Joanna Lumley, Oliver Reed, Nicholas Gecks, Diana Rigg, Peter Davison, John Cleese, Bob Hoskins, Gareth Hunt, Ben Kingsley, Felicity Kendal, Chris Rea See more
Language	English
Runtime	1 hour and 39 minutes