Directed By: Vincent Gallo
Written By: Vincent Gallo & Alison Bagnall
Story By: Vincent Gallo
Cinematography By: Lance Acord
Editor: Curtiss Clayton
CAST: Vincent Gallo, Christina Ricci, Anjelica Huston, Ben Gazzara, Kevin Corrigan, Mickey Rourke, Jan-Michael Vincent, Rosanna Arquette, Kevin Pollak, Alex Karras,
This is a film I truly wish I would have seen on the big screen. Not that there is anything wrong with seeing it on the small screen but this film truly feels cinematic and feels like it could have came out of the auteur driven 70’s. luckily it came out of the independent 90’s Sort of the second great film movement.
The film uses a lot of in camera cinematic effects that brings a emotional deepness but also a other wordly haunting element. Not a fantasy but more of a surreal touch at times. The film is about a man who has just gotten out of prison he told his parents he had been working for the CIA all the time he was in prison and was married. So when he goes to a dance studio to use there bathroom he ends up kidnapping a student there and bringing her home to his family. I know describing it. The film more sounds like a comedy or a black comedy. It’s has those elements but is also a deep love story.
Some of the material doesn’t make sense like the kidnapped woman instantly filling in love with Vincent Gallo’s character and never trying to escape. Especially since Gallo’s character abuses her verbally and emotionally through the film but seems to only make her fall in love with him the more he abuses her which is partly believable because i’m sure we’ve all seen a couple like that and wonder how she puts up with him. As the movie progresses we learn more about him and the way he ended up in prison. The audience learns about him as her character does. The film seeks to excuse his behavior for the way he was brought up and while I don’t believe that. I can excuse it since the rest of the film is virtually perfect.
Your enjoyment of the film depends on how much you can really stand him.
It’s a beautiful film to look at the craftsmanship is impressive. As are the performances the filmmaker gets from the cast of character actors some in cameo’s some in supporting roles there is not a weak link among them. The film brought Christina Ricci a lot of attention showing she could play adult roles. The film has music montages that work just as good as any Scorsese scene though with more obscure music. Especially the strip club Scene.
Now supposedly the character Vincent Gallo plays and him are not so much of a stretch he has a reputation of being a asshole I don’t know if it’s true I never met him but have always been fascinated by him and I can’t say he is without talent. I mean he wrote and directed this film. It shows a certain deepness on his part
I don’t want to spoil the film too much this is definitely a film to experience a one of a kind gem.
This is a must see. Add it to the library
GRADE: A
The whole Patty Hearst thing I found a bit absurd and feel Vincent Gallo wanted something different just for the sake of being different regardless of it making sense or not. I had trouble locking down what decade this was supposed to be taking place in and found it had a slightly slow pace. The most interesting part of the film was of course the relationship that was forming between Vincent Gallo and Christina Ricci and the cinematography which had the film almost shot in a range of pastel of colours which were pleasant on the eye.
ReplyDeleteOverall I liked it but then again I applaud anyone trying to do something different these days.
PS: I remember seeing Michael Vincent with a small part in this. I hear he is not doing so well which is a shame as I have fond memories of Airwolf (I know it was crap) and the film Big Wednesday.