SMART PEOPLE (2008), Drama, R, 95 mins.
Heading up the new DVDs of the week is the directorial debut of Noam Murro, who presents a mainstream Indie film (and yes, there is such a thing), with an outstanding cast for the genre, including Thomas Haden Church, Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, and of course, Ellen Page of the charming but overrated Juno.
Murro takes the safe route and provides us with an unadventurous cookie-cutter redemption tale. Dennis Quaid plays Lawrence Wetherhold, an intolerable intellectual who suffers a brain injury and suddenly finds himself at the mercy of other people. Unfortunately, Lawrence is the only character who undergoes any change, all of the other characters exist to give the film color and to help him along the path of self-improvement.
It’s a simple character drama and is entertaining enough, but leaves you with a feeling that it could have been much better had they fleshed out the secondary characters a little more.
Cast: Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Thomas Haden Church, Ellen Page, Ashton Holmes
Director: Noam Murro
Screenplay: Mark Jude Poirier
THE FELON (2008), Drama, R, 104 mins.
In direct-to-video fare if I’ve ever seen any, Val Kilmer and Stephen Dorff star in an action drama about a loving family man with a bright future and happy home who is forced to commit a terrible crime to protect his home and family and is then sentenced to a maximum security prison.
If this sounds familiar at all it’s because you’ve probably already seen this story about a hundred times. I still see Dorff as Deacon Frost from Blade, although he has been pretty busy since then, starring in films like Cecil B. Demented, Feardotcom, Cold Creek Manor, Alone In The Dark, and the hugely disappointing World Trade Center.
As for Val Kilmer, I’m still trying to get over his spectacularly bad 2006 film Dead Man’s Bounty. Holy crap.
Starring: Val Kilmer, Stephen Dorff, and Harold Perrineau
Written and Directed by Ric Roman Waugh
ART OF WAR: THE BETRAYAL (2008), Action/Thriller, R, 103 mins.
Wesley Snipes’ Art of War was an unremarkable action film in which Snipes plays a man who is framed as an assassin and, wouldn’t you know it, has to prove his innocence on his own with no help from the police and never knowing who he can trust. It was not well received when it was released in 2000, but I maintain that it was enjoyable because the premise is believably presented and it doesn’t pretend to be anything more than it is.
Enter the direct-to-video sequel, where Snipes plays the same character, emerging from exile to to vindicate the murder of his former mentor. He soon finds himself surrounded by corruption and, you guessed it, betrayal, and discovers that he has been set up as more people turn up dead.
It’s suspicious that Snipes has recently been in trouble with the IRS, which may have something to do with why he agreed to do this movie. I’ll put it lightly and just say that this is not his best work.
Starring: Wesley Snipes and a whole mess of people you’ve never heard of.
Director: Josef Ruznak
Written by: Jason Bourque and Keith Shaw
THE ORANGE THIEF (2008), Comedy, 84 mins.
Surely we’ve all been tempted by those orchards overflowing with oranges begging to be picked, especially those of us in southern California, but here is a story about a guy who steals them for a living, but also for a bit of an outlaw thrill. Soon enough his lifestyle on the outer edge of society lands him in jail where his life takes an unexpected turn when a cellmate makes him a bizarre offer.
It’s a clever comedy in the vein of Jim Jarmusch, but also gives the feeling of trying to make a feature length film out of a half hour of good comedy.
Starring: a lot of Italian people
Directors: Vinnie Angel and Boogie Dean
Written by: Vinnie Angel and Boogie Dean
