After Tangerine, a similarly unpredictable but far less credible tale of one wild Christmas Eve in the City of Angels is Doug Liman’s 1999 hit Go. This one is an enjoyable throwback to the mid-‘90s, when it seemed like every filmmaker wanted to make their own hip Pulp Fiction. Luckily, this is one of the better attempts at a multi-overlapping-narrative tale full of smart-assed referential dialogue, cool music and random acts of violence, with the Swingers director continuing to shine and showing the promise that would see him become one of Hollywood’s heavy-hitters.
This one follows three separate but intersecting tales that show how a simple shift swap becomes a catalyst for absolute mayhem. I saw this when I was a teen and catching it again as an old fuddy duddy, I find myself loving the way it absolutely captures what life is like as a young twenty-ish old – a time to be young and dumb and where life revolves around nothing more than paying bills, getting wasted and having fun.
The film’s first segment follows cashier Ronna (Sarah Polley), who clearly thinks she’s too cool for school and believes she sees the answer to her rent troubles after accepting a colleague’s late shift at the last minute. She eyes an opportunity to make some quick cash when customers Adam (Scott Wolf) and Zack (Jay Mohr) come sniffing around for some Ecstasy. She’s soon in way over her head with dealer Todd (Timothy Olyphant) when she figures she’s being set up by the cops. The night turns proper wild when Ronna hits a big Christmas rave to try and sell some pills, before a seemingly random auto accident sends things spiraling out of control. I’m reminded of my own reckless behaviour as a daft young man when, even after being hit by a car, Ronna still gets up and goes to work the next day. Those nights out won’t pay for themselves.
Elsewhere, after getting Ronna to take his shift, cheeky Brit Simon (Desmond Askew, Jekyll) goes on his own wild trip to Vegas with some pals (including Taye Diggs and Breckin Meyer). Lots of unlikely boy-ish naughtiness ensues involving strippers, gangsters and tantric sex. It’s ridiculous but told with some stylish storytelling verve that makes it all hard to resist.
Adam and Zack’s segment provides great laughs too. Both are closeted Hollywood heartthrob actors pulled into a sting in order to have drug charges against them dropped but somehow get roped into dinner at cop Burke (William Fichtner)’s house who, along with his randy missus, turns out to be a lot weirder than expected. The boys end up on an unexpected collision course with Ronna as the movie takes some far-fetched but very entertaining twists.
While all this is going on, Ronna’s buddy Claire (Katie Holmes) finds herself romantically drawn to pusher Todd and all the narrative strands conveniently come together for an unfeasible but very smart and satisfying finale.
This is a film set at Christmas that doesn’t make too big a deal out of the holiday season, but does squeeze a lot of festive party shenanigans in. On the festive imagery front, Claire has a big monologue about Christmas presents and surprises that is basically a big metaphor for the movie itself, which isn’t short on colourful shocks and surprises. Olyphant is a festive treat for the ladies, slinging pills while topless in his Santa hat and doubtlessly encouraging naughty thoughts of sitting on his lap.
The yuletide theme continues with the concept of human kindness and goodwill to all men. Zack realises the cops are entrapping Ronna and mouths “Go!” to her, encouraging her to get the hell out of there. She’s his ticket out of trouble, but he can’t bear to drag this unassuming first-timer down with him. Not at Christmas.
It's maybe a push, but a snarky customer that cocky Ronna deals with at the start of the movie could even be considered her Ghost of Christmas future, as the patron chastises her – “I used to have your job. Don’t think you’re something you’re not.” Wounded by this, Ronna then of course goes straight out and tries very hard to be someone she’s not, getting involved in cataclysmic drug deals gone wrong. Should’ve listened.
So yeah, Go is totally a Christmas film. More than that, it’s a film that really speaks volumes about the carefree hedonism of my generation – the kids that came of age around the time of the millennium. Ronna and her dumb little buddies only just survive this crazy Christmas Eve night by the skin of their teeth but her pal Mannie (Nathan Bexton)’s final line really sums up their devil-may-care, don’t give a damn attitude – “So, what are we doing for New Year’s?”
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