loopy and but shrewd and formidable mob bos vic ( an excellent performance by richard dreyfus ) get release from a mental hospital . several of vic fellow criminal cohort who include volatile henchman brass ball ben london ( a gloriously manic and over the top hammy portrayal by gabriel byrne ) and the smarmy jake parker ( a perfectly smug kyle maclachlan ) and and vicious rival wacky jacky jackson ( a neat turn by burt reynolds ) all try to bump vic off . meanwhile and lay back and self assure hit man mickey holliday ( nicely play with low key confidence by jeff goldblum ) find himself catch in the middle of all this deadly lunacy . writer or director larry bishop bring a supremely hip and quirky and and original idiosyncratic sensibility to this deliciously dark and deadpan pitch black comedy about betrayal and loyalty and and ruthless ambition run dangerously amok . the bang up cast have a field day with the colorfully grotesque rogue gallery of blithely amoral and treacherous hoodlum represent ellen barkin a tough and sultry moll rita everly and henry silva a vic reliable right hand man sleepy joe carisle and gregory hines a philosophical smoothie jules flamingo and diane lane a vic sweet and perky mistress grace and billy drago a the slimy well and and christopher jones a brutish rub out artist nicholas falco . bishop make the most of his juicy secondary role a lethal and laconic ace assassin nick . pop up in nifty bit be billy idol a a blustery thug and michael j. pollard a the ill fat red and joey bishop a mortician mr. gottlieb and rob reiner a a jolly chauffeur and and richard pryor a jimmy the gravedigger . byrne delightfully insane duet with singer paul anka on my way rate a a definite sidesplitting highlight . a tense and amuse climactic mexican stand off likewise tickle the funny bone something hysterical . frank byers slick cinematography and the outrageously nutty dialogue and earl rise jazzy cocktail lounge score and and a choice soundtrack of vintage swing golden oldie all far enhance the engagingly peculiar charm of this immensely entertain one of a kind curio .