Powerful

A Brilliant Conflict

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Unfortunately, he doesn't have a whole lot to do in this TV movie.In 1980s London, David Katz (Jay Acovone), a timeshare salesman living in England, is asked by a taxi driver if he is interested in doing some business. Turns out that business is counterfeit pound notes, so Katz calls in the police. The detective, George (Owen) works with Katz to set up a sting to catch the head man, known as "The Magician." Katz turns out to be uncooperative, refusing to let the police do their jobs. The IRA wants The Magician too, for other reasons. The wild card turns out to be the man who brought the case to the police in the first place, Katz, and he doesn't seem to care if he risks the sting or his marriage to get his way.I found this film a little slow and confusing at the beginning. My own fault, I guess, but there were two old men and I got them mixed up. Jay Acovone did a wonderful job as a man walking a fine line, loving the edgy life and trying to convince his unhappy wife that he's on the straight and narrow. He has a larger and showier part than Owen, which is strange because this movie was made after his hit TV show, Chancer, that brought him to public attention and that he left of his own accord.This TV movie also features Jeremy Kemp.I didn't find "The Magician" particularly magical.

The Magician is a little gem of a movie. Jay Acovone, plays a man who seems to have slipped out of the real estate office of Glengarry Glen Ross. He can't help himself, he loves the deal. And the riskier the better. Suspected IRA counterfeit bills might just fulfill his need. Its a interesting study of a man who has to live on the edge. The film also keeps the suspense up throughout. Just who is The Magician? Definitely a movie worth watching.