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Neil Jordan's re-working of Michael Curtiz's 1954 film "We're No Angels" is a woefully shoddy, misfiring, and mis-conceived affair typical of the director's frequent forays into Hollywood.

Ned (De Niro) and Jim (Penn) are two hard-bitten convicts who escape from stir and the clutches of a relentless warden (played in one of his final roles by Ray McAnally). Disguised as priests, they take refuge in a monastery close to the Canadian border and plan to use an annual religous procession as the means to flee their homeland. The duo's plans unravel when Ned falls for Molly (Moore) a single, and therefore frowned upon mother of a deaf and dumb child. Jim meanwhile, falls for... religion.

Intended as a throwback to the Warner Brothers comedies of yore, the film is a minor disaster on just about every level. De Niro and Penn seem to be in two entirely different movies and demonstrate a distinct lack of comic timing, while the film's empty message concerning redemption and second chances is patronising at best. Surprisingly penned by the normally reliable David Mamet, the film is a career low for all involved.