Ah, Eric Roberts, famous brother of actress
Julia Roberts. Eric Roberts reminds me of alot of Tom Cruise
and Matt Damon or other actors who get
alot of roles based on their looks.
However, unlike Cruise or Damon, Roberts
has failed to take advantage
of this.
He has appeared in a couple of good
films most notably the action film
"Best Of The Best", however, most
work has consisted of low budget and many
times direct to video movies.
However, unlike Julia Roberts, Roberts
does try for the most come across as
sincere and committed in his roles.
"Restraining Order" directed by Lee H. Katzin
, is a film about a Beverly Hills type lawyer,
Robert Woodfield(Roberts)
who makes his money by defending both
good and bad people, mainly bad ones.
One day, he manages to free, a hoodlum
with connection to the mob out, and then
starts the problems for Woodfield, because
it seems that one of Robert's friend
has a debt to pay to this punk.
Woodfield, at first doesn't give this
much thought, but after his friend is killed
Woodfield demands answers from this guy,
but gets none, other than to keep his
nose out of his business.
Woodfield though pursues the situation and
eventually the mob targets him and his
beautiful wife Leight Woodfield
(Tatjana Patitz).
Even though "Restraining Order" is filled
with at times bad action and acting, it has
it's moments.
The plot itself reminds of crooked high priced
lawyers like Johnnie Cochran who defend
such profiled scum as O.J. Simpson, with
the exception that Cochran hasn't been
targeted by mob.
Roberts himself does try to put a little
strength into the character. In the
beginning his character isn't all bad,
(he even stops a robbery in progress),
but in the middle he gets a little
too overhead and then realizes the error
of his ways, but overall Roberts does
an ok job.
There is a pretty good acting job by
Dean Stockwell as Charlie Mason who I
believe is a high profiled D.A. who is
Woodfield's friend, but who may not be
who he says he is.
Like I said "Restraining Order" is filled
at times with bad action and acting, for instance the movie has the lame , laughable,
twists that just has laughing your head
of when you see it.
Like for example there is a point where
Woodfield, has a gun pointed to his head
by one of the mob guns, and just when
you think Woodfield is about to die,
the mob goon's gun is out of bullets!!! LOL
Then a funny fist ensues between the two.
In the end, I'll recommend the movie because
it ain't all bad, and at the very
least "Restraining Order" will give you a
good laugh.
If only Eric Roberts got better roles, maybe
he would become as big as his distant
sister , Julia Roberts.
Oh well.
