Double Whammy

Colour, 35mm
USA, 2000, 100 min
Section: Forum of Independents

Synopsis

Ray Pluto and Jerry Cubbins are New York City homicide detectives. Pluto hasn’t been himself since the tragic death of his wife and child and finds solace in smoking a little hash and watching TV, especially an exercise show with scantily clad cheerleaders called "Fitness Cheer". While Pluto is getting lunch one day, a vicious gunman bursts in, and Pluto is presented with the perfect opportunity to regain some self-respect. But instead, his back goes into a spasm, and he drops his gun, allowing six-year-old Ricky Kapinski to save the day. The press goes wild…

About the director

Tom DiCillo (b. 1953, North Carolina) completed his film studies at New York University in 1979, and has since been active both in theatre and in cinema. In 1979 he was director of photography for Jim Jarmusch’s Permanent Vacation and in 1984 for another Jarmusch film, Stranger than Paradise. He has written several theatre plays, most of which he directed and appeared in. After his first feature film Johnny Suede (1991) he wrote and directed the successful comedy Living in Oblivion (1994). Box of Moonlight (1996) was in competition at the Venice Film Festival. His next film, The Real Blonde, was finished in 1997.