ILLTOWN
A Film Review by James Berardinelli
RATING: ** OUT OF ****
United States, 1998 U.S. Release Date: 1/30/98 (limited) Running Length: 1:43 MPAA Classification: R (Profanity, violence, brief nudity) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Michael Rapaport, Lili Taylor, Adam Trese, Kevin Corrigan, Paul Schulze, Tony Danza, Isaac Hayes Director: Nick Gomez based on the book THE COCAINE KIDS by Terry Williams Producer: David L. Bushell Screenplay: Nick Gomez Cinematography: Jim Denault Music: Brian Keane U.S. Distributor: The Shooting Gallery
With ILLTOWN, it's time once more to enter the seedy world of drug using and dealing, only on this occasion, at least there's a little variation on the theme (although it's not a very good one). The drug dealers want out, and the turf war that starts to fill the vacuum of power is more about settling a personal grudge than it is about making the local crime boss rich. However, while the storyline is not inherently uninteresting, writer/director Nick Gomez is determined to make this as much of a spiritual allegory as a small-time gangster drama. This is a mistake, and the muddled result feels a lot like a failed Wim Wenders project.
When it comes to concrete characters, ILLTOWN offers Michael Rapaport's Dante (as classical allusions go, this one is a little too obvious) and Lily Taylor's Micky. They're an upper middle class couple who have made their money by selling drugs for the local syndicate boss, D'Avalon (Tony Danza). Now, sensing the inevitable approach of middle- age, they want to go legitimate and start a family. But, just as they're considering a way out, a new dealer by the name of Gabriel (Adam Trese), storms into their territory, spikes their drugs (causing six overdose deaths), and declares war on Dante and his best friend, Cisco (Kevin Corrigan). The results are as predictable as they are bloody.
Occasionally, Gomez (who previously brought the grim-and-gritty NEW JERSEY DRIVE to the screen) inserts strange, metaphysical images into his film. Dead people re-appear on golf courses to give advice, a God- like figure dispenses pearls of wisdom ("You're never going to find what you're looking for if what you're looking for is an easy way out," he tells Dante), and dreams occasionally intermingle with reality. Unfortunately, little of this stuff really works, and it all comes across as a rather pretentious and unwanted interruption in an otherwise humdrum story. And, worst of all, the ending is so bogged down in spiritual imagery that it's virtually impossible to decipher what really happens. The result of this bizarre ambiguity is an understandable sense of dissatisfaction.
At least in ILLTOWN, I wasn't irritated by Michael Rapaport's abrasive (and overrated) acting style. While this is by no means a complete performance, Rapaport shows flashes of promise and manages to forge a fragile emotional link between himself and the audience. Lili Taylor's work, however, is more compelling. With fewer scenes than her co-star, she develops the film's only consistently sympathetic individual. Most of the other actors do adequate jobs playing standard types, although Adam Trese's Gabriel is a shell of a character with incomprehensible motives. Trese never loses his annoying smile, even when he's being shot or beaten up. I would also like to make mention of Tony Danza, who sheds his sunny, likable image to create a surprisingly effective villain.
Clearly, I would have appreciated ILLTOWN if it had been more straightforward. Gomez has tried something different, but the gamble doesn't pay off. This isn't really a "deep" film; it's silliness masquerading as philosophy. With all of the oblique references to redemption and salvation, there are times when the allegorical elements of ILLTOWN distract from the film's unremarkable, conventional aspects. With its painfully introspective tone, the movie is as low-energy as can be without threatening to lull audience members to sleep. (However, anyone who dozes off will likely be awakened by gunfire as one of many high-school kids is blown away.) As far as I'm concerned, the ending is ILLTOWN's biggest single flaw, but it's only one of many pieces that doesn't fit into the overall puzzle.
Copyright 1998 James Berardinelli
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@mail.cybernex.net
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