Revoloution

Powerful, audacious acting and film-making. If you've ever wanted to hang with a tough guy, and really know what goes on in his head, then this movie will give you compassion for him. And if you know of one, this movie will make him into a more compassionate guy. This is basically Passion of the Christ without leaving Brooklyn, but without the pornographic violence that Mel Gibson inserted. And it's funny. Short summation: Lou is a sh_t starter cause he has issues. He runs out of options, and has to overcome his stutter to get a job coaching. He learns that his stutter is about his past not his mouth. But then what happens is some of the most thrilling acting and film-making you are likely ever to see. You jump into this guys psycho-stuttering world and get to FEEL and LOOK at YOURSELF. The story just smacks you in the face just when you think, "I feel so bad for this guy", and then wham, everything it's been building up to, getting you to identify with gets turned around on YOU. And i'm left sobbing besides myself. EVERYONE SHOULD SEE THIS.

This movie is what it claims to be an independent film that fosters a personal revolution. Brett Carr brings humanity and heart to his performance as a stuttering boxer with past trauma. Anyone with heart can connect to this character and his struggle as his past continues to repeat itself in his life. As Lou's world comes crumbling down, he is driven to transform himself and the audience transforms with him. This film is transformational/spiritual cinema at its finest. In a time when when most films are all about money, this is all about the heart. It is guaranteed to awaken your spirit and compel you to live the life of your dreams.

No matter how well meaning his "message" is - this film is a terribly made trainwreck - awful acting, lame camera work - I do not know why Carr agreed to try and pull off a stutter - he is lousy at it. You watch the extras on the DVD and the way he has a camera follow him around - he just soaks it up - he loves being the center of attention. He is a bad actor - he reminds me of another arrogant filmmaker - Eric Schaffer. Some how Carr has had this film shown at city Youth Centers and New Age churches - where damaged people looking for reinforcement and attention themselves babble on about how the film touched them and maybe it did - but as a film itself it is choppy, predictable and sappy.

"Revoloution" has been called "visceral" and "moving" by TimeOut NY, but Jeannette Catsoulist of The New York Times has chosen to mock the movie rather than focus on what it's really doing: forcing people to confront their issues. Maybe she has a few of her own to confront. I'm just saying. ...Don't we all?

Because this movie isn't about the usual stuff.

This movie is about a street kid who transforms his life. This movie is about coming to terms with your inner demons and troubled pasts. This movie is perfect for teenagers to see. This movie is a chance to make your life matter, for once. This movie is about clarity. This movie is about owning the choices you've made and seeing that they're just choices and therefore you can make new choices at any time. This movie is about subverting the dominant structures that privilege the dollar over the community. This movie is about love. This movie is about joy. This movie is about living, I mean, really ...living.

Try it. It's free.

'Revoloution' is a beautifully paced film that hooks you from the opening scene and never bogs down in New Age cheesiness but hews closer to the Buddhist mandate of seeing things as they are and doing what has to be done. It reminded me of my first experience with yogurt: I thought I would be put off by the experience and ended up happily surprised.

There are plenty of things for the serious film fan to savor: 'Rocky' references and re-workings (including music by Bill Conti, a cameo by Burt Young, and the whole 'Rocky' of the soul vibe), lively camera work (including some great shots of NYC locales), and engaging and believable performances.