The Negotiator (1998)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 1998
	Director: F. Gary Gray (The Italian Job)
	Actors: Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction, The Hateful 8), Kevin Spacey (American Beauty, The Usual Suspects, House of Cards TV-series), David Morse (Contact, 12 Monkeys), Paul Giamatti (Sideways)
	Country: USA
	Genre: Thriller
	Conditions of visioning: 17.03.2017, VOD, 32" TV screen.
Synopsis: Danny Roman (Jackson), a gifted negotiator of hostage crises, has to face accusations of murder and ends up in an unexpected situation.
Review: As much as we have seen Samuel L. Jackson in a vast number of movies in the past twenty years (almost 30 of which are reviewed on JoRafCinema!), it is in fact pretty rare to find a movie in which he is has the leading role. Only Shaft and Snakes on a Plane come to my mind. So it feels odd to see him so much: at his job, at home with his wife...! But given how good/natural he is, we understand pretty quickly his character and are thus immersed in the story and root for him. This kind of conspiracy / corruption / false accusation story is not new, and I was expecting car chases and games of cat and mouse, while surprisingly (but cleverly) the suspect locks himself in a situation he is familiar with, and that creates some other kind of games between him and his policemen colleagues. And then comes the character of Chris Sabian (Spacey) a bit out of nowhere after a good half hour of movie, which I found a great idea because it stays a Samuel L. Jackson movie but with now a more interesting "opponent". The kind of movie that makes me lie when I say that the 90's didn't produce much good in Cinema.
Rating: 7 /10