Pssst, want to check out Oxygen in our new look?
Information
- Year
- 1999
- Runtime
- 92 min.
- Director
- Richard Shepard
- Genres
- Crime, Drama, Thriller
- Rating *
- 6.1
- Votes *
- 3,683
- Checks
- 143
- Favs
- 2
- Dislikes
- 3
- Favs/checks
- 1.4% (1:72)
- Favs/dislikes
- 1:2
Top comments
-
Siskoid
Oxygen is a fairly gritty cop thriller that in some ways reminds me of a stage play. It's more literate than most and features an important two-hander in Maura Tierny, as a self-loathing police detective who seeks refuge in an extra-marital masochistic affair, and Adrien Brody, as a kidnapper who models himself after Harry Houdini. The ticking clock: Harry has buried a woman alive in a coffin. The hook: He's one of the those types who loves to play with your head. The 90s noir that springs from this set-up has some interesting shots, some good dialog, something to say about destructive escapes from one's life, and memorable characters. Tierny's cop and the world she lives in feel textured and real. Despite the tired "I will only talk to this one cop!" trope, things move logically, characters' reactions make sense, and no one is a "super-cop" (quite the opposite). I'm kind of glad I came upon this sweaty little thriller. 5 years 11 months ago