Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
Jimmy Kilmartin's an ex-con who's trying to go straight. But he can't say no to a quick driving job because his so-called friend's life is threatened. The job is for Little Junior Brown, a violent and powerful villain. When things go wrong, Jimmy is left to do the time, and his whole life is turned upside-down, but if that wasn't enough, the cops won't leave Jimmy alone when he gets out... They want Little Junior Brown.
This 1995 remake of the 1947 noir classic is a competent but uneven neo-noir thriller. Nicolas Cage's turn as Little Junior Brown is memorably unhinged and clearly the film's strongest asset — a genuinely menacing, eccentric villain performance that elevates the material. David Caruso struggles to carry the lead as Jimmy, limiting the drama's emotional pull. The cinematography is serviceable urban grit without much visual distinction. As a remake, Novelty suffers — the film recycles the basic premise and witness-protection tension without bringing a truly fresh perspective, despite updating the setting and tone. The ending resolves competently but without particular impact or surprise, feeling more like a deflation than a satisfying payoff.