Three Kings

David O. Russell makes his entry into the major studio big leagues with this electric war dramedy. The charged script, based on a fictional story by John Ridley, is a sly reworking of KELLY'S HEROES that concerns four Gulf War soldiers who discover a map that potentially leads to an enormous stash of gold bullion. Russell gives his actors a chance to shine with roles that step outside of the usual cinematic cliches and enable them to create humanistic, believable characters, resulting in one of 1999's most exciting, original and underrated motion pictures.