Three Businessmen

After Walker and Straight To Hell were mercilessly savaged by film critics in 1987, the creator of Repo Man and Sid & Nancy seemed to have fallen off the face of the earth, at least to Americans. Fortunately for all of us, Alex Cox did continue to make movies, even if they were basically unseen on this side of the Atlantic.

And, just as fortunately, those movies continued to be as creative as the films that made him famous. Three Businessmen is a charming, thoroughly original movie about two men who meet in a hotel dining room. They talk awhile, but when service appears not to be forthcoming, they set out into the streets of Liverpool in search of dinner. And they talk. And that's about it.

Out of this slim premise, Cox and Tod Davies have fashioned a brilliant and memorable film. It never fails to capture your interest -- either intellectually or visually -- and as soon as it was over, I wanted to watch it again (not unlike my reaction when I first saw Repo Man, oh these many years ago).

This is definitely one to check out if you want something a little "off the beaten track" but not too self-consciously artsy.