Cast:David Duchovny, Timothy Hutton, Angelina Jolie, Michael Massee, Peter Stormare, Andrew Tiernan, Gary Dourdan, John Hawkes, Will Stewart, Philip Moon, Pavel Lychnikoff, Tracey Walter, Sandra Kinder, Bill Rosier, Keone Young
Stripped of his medical license after performing an operation while high on amphetamines, famed LA surgeon Dr Eugene Sands abandons his former life only to find himself crossing paths with Raymond Blossom, an infamous counterfeiter. Employed as a "gun-shot doctor" when Raymond's associates cannot risk visiting a hospital, Eugene is lured deep into the criminal world and becomes entangled with his boss's girlfriend.
AMAZON.COM REVIEWS FOR PLAYING GOD (1997): After his bloody showdown with Brad Pitt's psychopathicredneck in Kalifornia, David Duchovny used an off-season hiatusfrom The X-Files to star in this 1997 thriller, in which heplays a doctor whose fall from professional grace leads to a dangerouscareer in the criminal underworld. Having lost his license after drugabuse caused him to lose a patient during surgery, he's recruited intohis illegal career by a slimy but charismatic millionaire (TimothyHutton) whose associates have a way of getting shot all thetime. Before long, Duchovny comes to realize the extent of Hutton'sevil, and he finds himself caught in a criminal trap that alsoinvolves an alluring femme fatale (Angelina Jolie) and a Faustianbargain that could cost him his life. The plot's rather absurd andfairly predictable, but fine performances by Duchovny and especiallyHutton (who makes a memorable screen villain) make this stylishthriller intriguingly worthwhile. The DVD includes the originaltheatrical trailer. --Jeff Shannon
