Shot
guerrilla-style on and around Hollywood Boulevard, Nick LoCasale's
debut film, shot when he was just 16, aspires to neo-realism in its gritty
depiction of a street kid (LoCasale) trying to stay
alive while avoiding low-level drug dealers who want to offer him a job, a
corrupt cop who insists that he deliver payoffs, and a homeless preacher
spreading the word of Christ in a highly confrontational manner. The atmosphere
is thick, and the cast -- including some actual gang members recruited at the
last minute -- are well chosen, but the story doesn't always make sense. Why,
for instance, would the corrupt cop insist on forcing a reluctant street kid to
help him out, when he could undoubtedly find one who would co-operate? The film
is also hampered by LoCasale's tendency to spout long
chunks of expository dialogue (much of which consists of "This fuckin' place sucks!" or variations thereof) at no one
in particular, a device that's every bit as artificial as talking to the
camera, but less effective. Nonetheless, it's a powerful topic, and the movie
is visually arresting. LoCasale is obviously an
efficient producer and director, but given more resources, he'd be better off
hiring another screenwriter.