Stylish, cleverly plotted, and well acted, Shade has to go down as one of this year's best "under the radar" films. With elements that recall films like Ocean's 11 and Snatch, Shade nonetheless swiftly establishes its own identity: it fits nicely into the genre of "grifter" films, but on its own terms and with its own style.

As the film opens, we're introduced to a number of hustlers operating in L.A.'s gambling underground: Charlie (Gabriel Byrne), a small-time grifter looking to break into the big time, Tiffany (Thandie Newton), who has a sharp eye for potential marks, and Vernon (Stuart Townsend), a young man who's made a name as a "mechanic": someone who can skilfully manipulate the cards. What all of them would like is a chance to take down the acknowledged master card sharp, the Dean himself (Sylvester Stallone), but even getting a seat at the table is hard to come by.

The film has somewhat of an ensemble feel, with quite a few secondary characters beyond the main trio, but the film never feels crowded: all the characters are introduced well and it's always clear who's who (though what they're up to is, of course, another story...). It's a credit to the filmmakers that they handle a surprisingly star-studded cast so well, keeping the size of each role strictly in proportion to its place in the plot. Byrne and Townsend are at the center of the film; Stallone doesn't appear until much later, and Melanie Griffith has only a small part. It's all very well balanced: it's in the film's best interest that the Dean remain off-stage, as an almost legendary figure, until the time is right.

Shade doesn't waste any time in getting the story rolling, and in fact we get off to a great start; the opening minutes of the film set the hook in the viewer, and with the film's snappy (but never hurried) pace, it never lets go. The filmmakers clearly understand that what they have here is a plot-based movie, and they know how to make it work: the characters are all very believable, and we get a clear sense of their personalities as the story moves on, but it's through action, not "character development" scenes, that we see this. Of course, half the fun of Shade is that as the twists and turns of the story unfold, we have to wonder how much we really know about these characters... how much is the real deal and how much is show, designed to snare others in increasing layers of betrayal.

And we do indeed get plenty of twists and turns, and not just in the grand finale, either. Fairly early in the film, we are treated to a fantastic "hustle" that's delightfully plotted and absolutely devilish... and that's not telegraphed in the least, so the viewer gets to enjoy the dawning realization of who has really hustled whom. The complications of that particular situation continue to mount as the film builds toward its finale, which seems to pull out all the stops. But even at the end, there are a few surprises in store.

It doesn't hurt Shade in the least that, in addition to an excellent plot and polished performances from some very good actors, its cinematography is perfectly in line with the tone of the film, helping to make Shade both stylish and visually interesting.

The DVD

Video

The anamorphic widescreen transfer of Shade, which presents the film in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, looks excellent. Colors and contrast are handled very well, and the image overall has a clean, crisp appearance with plenty of detail. The print is clean, with minimal touches of noise or edge enhancement. All in all, it's a very pleasing video transfer.

Audio

Shade's excellent 5.1 surround mix does a good job of providing an immersive listening experience for the film, with some scenes making excellent use of specific surround effects. The dialogue is always clean and crisp, and the music, which plays a significant role in setting the mood and pace of the film, has a nice, full sound to it. A Dolby 2.0 soundtrack is also provided, along with a Spanish 2.0 soundtrack (dubbed in Colombia). French subtitles are also available.

Extras

Shade has a reasonable number of special features, though they're not all particularly substantial. Of most interest is a 14-minute "Tricks of the Trade" featurette, which takes a look at the card tricks that are so essential to the film. Director/writer Damian Nieman and actor Stuart Townsend (Vernon) also provide a full-length audio commentary for the film.

The remaining features are of moderate interest. "The Making of Shade" is a promotional-style featurette, running only 8 minutes. A section of actor/director interviews is more substantial: we get a total of about 18 minutes of interviews with Stuart Townsend, Gabriel Byrne, Thandie Newton, Jamie Foxx, Melanie Griffith, Sylvester Stallone, director Damian Nieman, and technical director Paul Wilson. Since each segment is so short, there's not that much time to get into any really interesting topics, but overall it's not bad. A theatrical trailer for the film is also included.

Final thoughts

Don't be fooled by the low profile of this film, which got much less of a theatrical showing than it deserved. This is a stylish little gem with a lot going for it, from a well-paced, clever plot to a snappy visual style. Shade stands up nicely alongside other con-game films like Ocean's 11 or Snatch, but with its own definite identity and style. Considering the very nice transfer and the excellent replay value of this film, it's definitely "highly recommended."