Product Description

Liam Neeson (STAR WARS, EPISODE 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE) and Oliver Platt (BICENTENNIAL MAN) star with Sandra Bullock (HOPE FLOATS) in an outrageously offeat comedy about what happens when a busy undercover cop suddenly loses his legendary nerves of steel! The only way Charlie (Neeson), a respected D.E.A. agent traumatized by a hair-raising run-in with some ruthless gangsters, can do his job is with the embarrassing treatments of an attractive nurse (Bullock) and the questionable psychotherapy provided by a highly unstable support group! And since he's stuck in a deep-cover sting operation until he nabs a wisecracking, trigger-happy Mafia leader who scares him to death (Platt), Charlie can only hope to fake his tough-as-nails image long enough to make this one last bust ... and make it out alive! Loaded with huge stars and big laughs -- you can't miss with this high-caliber comedy hit!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22424 in DVD
• Released on: 2000-06-20
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 102 minutes

Amazon.com
Gun Shy had the misfortune to come along after several other "killer pursues therapy" movies/TV shows (Grosse Pointe Blank, Analyze This, The Sopranos); in this case, it's a DEA agent and not a Mafioso, but that wasn't enough to keep it from getting swept aside. Liam Neeson (Schindler's List, Rob Roy) plays Charlie, a government undercover agent whose last mission got botched, resulting in his partner's death. But the DEA isn't willing to let him get out early; clinging to his fantasy of a seaside retirement home, Charlie agrees to one more mission, even though he's convinced that the New York City gangster he's investigating will kill him. On his flight to the city, he meets a psychiatrist who encourages him to join a group therapy session. Meanwhile, it turns out that the gangster Fulvio, played by busy character actor Oliver Platt (Funny Bones, Bulworth), is equally miserable with his career. Curiously, Neeson and Platt both seem initially miscast--Neeson exudes a solid imperturbability, and Platt comes off as too soft to be really threatening--but over the course of the movie, their performances become increasingly compelling, perhaps because they are cast against type. Their neuroses, which initially seem like weak gags, start feeling genuine and sad. Gun Shy is marketed as a comedy, but its strength is in the truth of its characters. Sandra Bullock (who also produced the film) has a small role as a gastroenterologist with whom Charlie falls in love. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews

Boy, you think YOUR job is tough?
Five stars for this cleverly made dark comedy about a DEA Agent's last assignment, to catch the players in a drug ring.

Liam Neeson plays Charlie, whose last assignment with the DEA went south badly, resulting in his partner being killed and him being literally tied up on a large platter of watermelon, but is rescued before he is executed.

The very opening scene of this movie is a kick, with Charlie sitting pants-less on the bathroom floor of an airport, talking to himself and reliving his arguments with his boss and the execution of his partner; complete with a hilarious fantasy of the bad guys doing ballet leaps as they are shot, surrealistic and funny, choreographed along with the tune "Blue Skies For Everyone".

Charlie meets a psychiatrist on the airplane, and decides to see him. Dr. Bleckner talks Charlie into joining his group therapy session, where Charlie unloads the stresses of his job, to the astonishment of the group. He also talks Charlie into seeing a gastroenterologist, and prescribes some sedatives for him to take before his big meeting with the drug mob.

Charlie teams up with Fidel and Estuvio, two Columbians who are bringing in the drugs, and a meeting is arranged with Fulvio Nesstra (Oliver Platt) and his money man Jason Cane (Andrew Lauer). Fulvio is a frustrated gangster, following along in the family business and trying to please his father-in-law, when what he really wants to do is just be able to grow a good tomato.

The meeting is hilarious, with Charlie falling asleep from the drugs while talking with Fulvio, and Fulvio shooting Estuvio in the jewels.

Charlie goes to the gastroenterologist and meet nurse Judy Tipp (Sandra Bullock) who tells him that he needs to get his life under control or he will s*** himself to death. This is probably one of the best scenes in the movie, the enema scene done to the tune of "Man's World" while Nurse Tipp chats away. Charlie and Judy strike up a romance, the chattering Judy giving Charlie the new perspective on life that he needed.

Charlie is trying to get through this assignment and nail the drug ring, while Fulvio is trying to get through the deal to make a name for himself, and they strike up an unusual friendship.

Things go from bad to worse, as Charlie reveals more and more of his job to his counseling group, becomes more involved with Judy, and goes deeper and deeper into the dealings with Fulvio and the columbians.

This is a not-to-be-missed movie; it is well cast and well acted, with a fresh and unique storyline not even comparable to Analyze This or the other movie competitors. I would go so far to say that Gun Shy is far superior to the competing movies that pushed it into the video stores so quickly, more full of life and humor even with its black undertone.

The surprise twist at the end will leave you laughing for a long time, I didn't even see it coming and it was the perfect top off for this excellent dark comedy. My advice? Go out and buy this movie. Enjoy!

Warm-hearted and hilarious!
I found this to be a wonderful and engaging film. The plot has been criticized for being a tad meandering and while I do agree with that, it didn't detract from my enjoyment at all. I found it a little hard to get into at first, I think because there was so much of Liam Neeson in the first several scenes and he is not one of my favorite actors. He won me over in this, however. People also have stated that the "bowel humor" was a bit gross, but I felt the sound effects were funny and also made you really feel the charactor's discomfort and fear in the scene. Remember, everybody poops.

Oliver Platt is one of my favorite actors, and he does not disapoint in this movie. This is definitely a charactor driven movie, with a lot of conversations and not much action, but the action was well placed and hilarious. There are also small nuances that really develop the charactors further such as when Oliver Platt's charator, Fulvio, spends the night cleaning his kitchen. I found it both warm-hearted and funny and the statement it makes about some peoples need to get out of the rat race of their lives and relax really spoke to me! To the Ocean View!

A word to Sandra Bullock fans - she has a very small part in this film and is only in a few scenes, although she is wonderful as always.

An Underrated, Underseen Gem
Apparently this movie got lost in the shuffle somehow (see other reviews)and it is a shame, because it is a very funny, semi-black comedy that deserved a broader audience. While Liam Neeson is not usually cast in comedies, he should do more of them because he was very good as Charlie, the burned-out drug agent and he was surrounded by a great cast, topped by Oliver Platt, who was, as usual, excellent, and Sandra Bullock, who had a small but effective part as Charlie's no-nonsense girlfriend. Mary McCormick was hilarious in a tiny, almost unrecognized part as Fluvio's (Pratt's) caustic wife and the group of sadsacks who made up Charlie's therapy group added their own comic note. I would recommend this to anyone who just wants to relax and have a nice, uncomplicated laugh and enjoy two very attractive leading actors.