11:14

11:14 is a dark, deviously funny thriller that was never released in theaters. Destined for sleeper status (and given a slightly higher profile by Hilary Swank's subsequent Oscar-winning performance in Million Dollar Baby), the audacious debut of writer-director Greg Marcks boasts a fantastic cast in a smartly constructed comedy/thriller, partly inspired by the Coen brothers' Blood Simple, in which a fatal traffic accident (which occurred at 11:14 on a pleasant night in a typical American suburb) is examined and reexamined from multiple perspectives. Marcks' screenplay attracted an impressive ensemble cast, including Rachael Leigh Cook (whose bad-girl behavior sets the chain of events in motion); Patrick Swayze and Barbara Hershey as her worried parents; Swank and Shawn Hatosy as would-be criminals with a dimwit plan; Henry Thomas as a drunk driver whose involvement is deeper than initially evident; and Colin Hanks as one of three teenage vandals on a fast track to trouble. With falling corpses, graveyard sex, reckless gunplay, and a severed penis, it's all in good, grisly fun, and while there's ultimately not much point to its random misfortune, 11:14 is clearly the work of a promising filmmaker. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include Marcks' intelligent commentary, a standard behind-the-scenes featurette, and a useful "character jump" feature allowing viewers to choose a plot trajectory whenever one character encounters another. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a winning film.] (J. Shannon)