Unpredictable Plot Makes ‘2 Days’ As Fun As ‘Pulp’

Ever since the mind-boggling success of “Pulp Fiction,” movie-making has been given a whole new twist. Every new feature film tries to at least slightly emulate that one, and some are little more than remakes.

Such is the case with “2 Days In The Valley.” With a well-known ensemble cast and subtle, quirky humor, I kept expecting one of the characters to comment on the French translation of a McDonald’s sandwich.

While this movie did seem to be a shameless rip-off of “Pulp Fiction,” it’s not quite as bad as I might make it sound. Aside from a couple of misplaced, wannabe teary, dramatic moments, “2 Days” was thoroughly entertaining.

Perhaps it’s best quality was the unique “Fiction”-like style of humor. There weren’t more then a couple actual jokes in “2 Days,” but the bizarre dialogue and wacky physical humor kept me laughing for almost the entire show.

Like “Pulp Fiction,” the movie had an excellent ensemble cast. No one in this movie will probably have the same career boom as John Travolta did, but the film won’t hurt anyone’s career, either.

Danny Aiello, Jeff Daniels, Teri Hatcher, Glenne Headly, James Spader, and Eric Stoltz were just some of the semi-big names in “2 Days.” The cast almost reads like a list of the best actors in Hollywood who don’t make very much money doing it.

It’s difficult to point to one actor as the most memorable in this film, but a few were prominent in making it entertaining.

Aiello plays Dosmo, a washed-up Italian hit man who is afraid of dogs. After performing his duties for the bad guy (Lee, played by Spader), he’s almost killed himself. Lee tried to off Dosmo, but Dosmo’s bulletproof vest prevented it. In an effort to protect himself, knowing that Lee and the cops will be after him, Dosmo takes a couple hostage.

Jeff Daniels plays Alvin, a washed-up cop obsessed with shutting down a massage parlor in his neighborhood that he thinks is selling more than just muscle relaxation. He and his partner (Eric Stoltz) enter the plot when they pick up Becky (Teri Hatcher) at the side of the road.

If this sounds even mildly coherent, I haven’t portrayed the movie very well. Until about 75 minutes into the film, very little of it made any sense, and only a little more did at the end.

But that made the movie as enjoyable as it was. With so many films whose climaxes can be predicted from a trailer, “2 Days in the Valley” was unpredictable up to the end, and was all the better because of it.

Grade: B+