Synopsis

After a robbery goes wrong, three small-time criminals flee into a New Orleans basement bar already under police surveillance. They seize the patrons and employees as hostages, hoping to negotiate their escape. As law enforcement surrounds the building, tensions among the criminals and captives steadily rise, exposing shifting loyalties, hidden motives, and the fragile line between control and chaos.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film marked the feature directorial debut of its leading actor, who had previously established himself as a prominent screen performer.

• Christian Forte made his screenwriting debut with the film. The screenplay was developed and revised over several months.

• The production attracted an ensemble of established performers before its director had made a feature film, helping give the small-scale crime drama considerable industry attention.

• The film was presented at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 1996, before its United States theatrical release on January 17, 1997.

• The title comes from an anecdote told within the film about alligators sacrificing an albino member of their group as a distraction. The story functions as a metaphor for manipulation and betrayal.