High Stakes

Following Sally Kirkland's award-winning and Oscar nominated performance in Anna, this absurd romantic thriller is a real letdown. Kirkland plays Bambi, a stripper/call girl who helps John, a rich stockbroker (Robert LuPone) who was mugged and robbed outside her brownstone on Christmas Eve. After he finishes washing his face and has a little coffee, John and Bambi are surprised by the visit of the latter's pimp. A fight ensues, and Bambi takes the pimp's gun and money belt. When the bad guys retaliate by stealing her daughter, Bambi and John raid their lair. John--who has known Bambi for about an hour now--plays Russian Roulette for the release of Bambi's daughter--not once, not twice, but three times (with one bullet that's a 50/50 chance of pushing up daisies). They run, they separate, they finally end up in each others arms. Amazingly, Kirkland is such a powerful actress that she manages to give this movie a lot more reality than is actually there. With a decent co-star (LuPone is animated wood) they might have pulled it off. As it is, High Stakes offers only the unsatisfying experience of an "A" actress wandering around in a "B" movie. Not recommended. (R. Pitman)