Le rebelle

...this movie is so confused it goes from good-bad to bad-bad quite early on. The sexual relationship between the two male leads would have been interesting if explored. Am I the only one who thought the lead (Mark Decascos?) was gay and struggling with his sexuality???

Since Pulp Fiction, you haven't been able to throw a rock without hitting a video box emblazoned with such hyperbole as "more stunning than Pulp Fiction", "in the spirit of Pulp Fiction" and so on (and on). So it is tempting to ignore BOOGIE BOY, what with its box featuring a very familiar image of a tough guy wielding a pistol, plus the blurb "from the Producer of Pulp Fiction". But to pass up this film would be a big mistake. While it is true that BOOGIE BOY does ALMOST fit into the subgenre of Tarantino-esqe action films that have sprung up in recent years, it has an originality and a soul to its story that the Pulp-wannabes on the shelf have no idea how to achieve. Screenwriter/director Craig Hamann presents a world so dirty, so mean, so grounded in reality, that the viewer slowly slips into the story, not immediately realizing that he is being told a tale of almost operatic drama. Elements of good and evil, betrayal and hope, all unfold neatly, aided by the characters, both mundane and off-the-wall, who turn the protagonist's attempt at redemption into an almost Oz-like journey. Viewers wanting a mindless action film should look elsewhere, as there are no car chases or tacked-on gun battles here. The violence in the film is strictly rooted to the story being told, and when it surfaces it is sudden, swift, and brutal, with none of the sanitization or sensationalization that big-budget films so inappropriately prefer. Also present is a strong anti-drug message, delivered without any traditional Hollywood preachy moralizing. Instead, the almost tangible misery involved in the daily lives of several of the characters speaks much more eloquently on the subject. No one will ever mistake any of the drug use scenes in this film of being glamorous.

Craig Hamann, working with a small budget and a cast of mainly less well-known actors (Fredric Forrest being the main exception), has put together a film in which drama and action blend smoothly. It's a production ambitious but without pretention, which sets out to tell its story simply but with style, and succeeds admirably. BOOGIE BOY is a thriller that doesn't let go, and a must-see for viewers who don't mind a little thinking included in an evening's entertainment. One can only hope to see more from the talented Mr. Hamann, as he shows all the signs of being a filmmaker who doesn't feel it necessary to pander to his audience. The Hollywood film community could use more like him.

I really like Mark Dacascos so I've been watching a lot of his movies on Tubi lately while I'm working. Mostly they're not great, to be generous. This was surprisingly really good? I was gripped by the story and the characters, I found it intensely interesting and really well-written and well-acted. It's not much of an action movie so if that's what you're looking for it's not here but the story is really compelling. Mr. Dacascos isn't usually a great actor (I tend to watch him for his stunts and his incredible good looks, that's enough for me) but he was really good in this. Also surprised to find the goatee really works honestly.

BOOGIE BOY is an engrossing character study that is gritty, realistic yet stylish, very well acted, written and directed. It's possible that some people will buy or rent this movie looking for non-stop action, and perhaps they will be disappointed. However, for those who simply are looking to watch a quality film with a good story and interesting characters, this film is a must see. Mark Dacascos gives his strongest acting performance ever.

Boogie Boy begins with the kind of idea that could either descend into mindless violence or squishy feel-good moralising. Instead, it does neither, prefering to sit on the fence the entire duration. It's a shame that someone along the line didn't take a chance and make a film that might have been *shock, horror* CONTROVERSIAL. The relationship between the two main characters is never more than hinted at, they always introduce each other as "friends" and as they progress along the path to "Clean Living", "A Fresh Start" etc etc they encounter similarly confused characters. View Hester, Emily Llyod's ditzy hair-twirling rip-off of Juliette Lewis in Kalifornia. When Hesters true colours show, and she turns into the hard, greedy bitch trying to run out with her nondescript husbands' winnings from a bet, she doesn't quite manage to give it the manipulativeness that I feel is trying to come across. She isn't quite nasty enough to have you believe in the change. But which one's the real her!? Actually, returning to Kalifornia, the fine road-movie serial killer tale of David Duchovny and his snobby girlfriend, the whole idea of the motel seems to have been lifted wholesale. A few tweaks here and there, but nonetheless the feeling is that empty wasteland, no way back kind of vibe that was one of the strongest atmospheres in Kalifornia. Maybe it's unfair to compare the two, but Boogie Boy seems to be all frills and no substance... something under the surface isn't quite sincere enough, not quite substantial enough to ring true. Unconvincing, Bland, the worst flaw is the characterisation. A fair enough film with some good ideas, nothing stunning. Watch it if there's nothing else