Best Picture + Best Screenplay must mean something!
Understandably the quality of this film, if indeed made for a low low budget as stated, is somewhat questionable, and I agree the marketing by Lionsgate using heavy starpower on the DVD cover maybe a little OTT, but the story is fast paced, fun, quirky and well-balanced by a great music score that plays throughout the film. Let's not forget most films make no money at all and the investors are left with nothing but a dvd on their shelf as a reminder of their poor investment....my bet is the money spent on this film was made back tenfold and the producers are smiling all the way to the bank! Well done....god knows the film business is a tough racket to be in. You made a good film at the right price and entertained the audience from start to finish.
The amazing thing is the number of cameo appearances by veteran actors, all of whom do a fantastic job at supporting newcomer Mick Rossi...(I actually lost count of how many stars were in this film). The highlight is Andy Nyman who steals the show with his funny but loathing portrayal of Danny (he went on to do bigger movies right after incidentally). Vinnie Jones is superb and does some of his best acting since the good old Guy Ritchie days! Gabriel Bryne does an excellent job at popping up when you least expect it (I loved when he first appears, it is such an awesome scene and devilishly sinsiter), and not to forget the auspicious Roy Dotrice who plays the crime lord Jack Rawlings to perfection. As for the ladies...well it was great to see both Patsy Kensit strutting her stuff and not her body, and Jo-Anne Whalley looking so ladylike in her performance....where has this woman been?? All the cast do a fine job and even the haunting death scene of Terry Rawlings from a drug overdose is so sinister it makes you wanna quit smoking let alone drugs!! Anthony LaPaglia and Bruno Kirby do a fine job as police interagators and Sile Bermingham's Samantha Fay give's us a good giggle as she menacingly seeks revenge on LA's very own icon radio talk show host and former Sex Pistols band member Steve Jones. Ok....so I think I made my point....it was a job well done by all even the little characters added depth like Danny's girlfriend Nikki or even the look on the Gallery attendent's face when confronted by an edgy Riley played by Patrick Bergin...all add to a great character piece...and prove the proof is in the detail.
If you are looking for a glitzy hollywood factory movie, then this isn't for you. I agree some aspects of the film could have been done better. Certain camera work or lighting of scenes was a touch amateur but if you like underground filmmaking which takes risks, delivers laughs and thrills and doesn't subscribe to the mainstream, then this is for you....and by the way, the story may seem confusing at first but if you think about it, it all makes perfect sense..and if you don't get it....watch it again and you may find it delivers even more next time round.....duh! As for the ending....all I am going to say about that is.....Casino Royale....you get my point...do we always have to have it so nice and tidy?? Exactly.
Well done to the producers and the director for showing Hollywood that you don't need millions to pay named actors to be in films...and show me a film that packed more star power for so little cash (if you check Film and Music Entertainment 10Q's the price of this film was no more than $500K). Lastly, the footage of Val Kilmer alone is hilarious and worth watching the whole film for....if indeed this was all improvised as stated, it is pure genius and well done to the filmmakers in capturing it on film. "Don't let them taco you Ray!"
Anyways, at my video store the film has been on the new releases shelf for over nine months now and it is still there! So, for those who say toss this film in the trash....I don't think so...it's a little gem! I also noticed it won a couple of awards for writing and best picture so someone out there agrees with my view.....give credit where credit is due....these guys put together something edgy and real and probably did so for no money but a heck of a lot of passion, and that alone tells me two thumbs up!!