Une douce vengeance

You've heard it said to live every moment as if it's your last? Whether it's your last day or not, I beg you not to waste any part of it watching this! Nichole Hiltz provides some nice moments of eye candy (that alas, stays wrapped) and David DeLuise shows why he should stick to the small screen or dog food commercials. A shallow, unrealistic plot with dreadful dialogue means there is no "Art" in the "Art of Revenge".

I didn't expect much when I picked up `Art of Revenge' because, frankly, I hadn't heard much or anything about it. A terrific surprise. This stylishly sophisticated `unknown' film probably didn't have a big budget - the `ad' campaign, or lack thereof being the indication. But first time director Simon Gornick has created a true sleeper film, that looks like much more than it must have cost, and has `LA-Noir' infused in every scene. Despite its hyperbolic, salacious cover - this isn't some sleazy, mindless hack job filled with naked bimbos with big knives. Instead it's a skillfully put together small film for which the director and the director of photography deserve tremendous credit. It looks like a Vilmos Zsigmond film (think `The Two Jakes') with beautifully lit scenes that capture the edgy essence of a sun drenched LA - in which menace lies behind a landscape that is deceptively friendly and cheerful. The script doesn't rush its slowly revealed story, which for action junkies may be disappointing. But for mystery fans, and filmgoers who don't need monsters jumping out from bushes every few minutes or so, who appreciate a film that respects its own characters - and the audiences' intelligence - AOR builds with a self assured, relaxed fluidity that mirrors the casual, careless lives of LA's less likeable citizens. Director Gornick, his cast, and his crew have created a film that lures you in - just as the characters manipulate each other, with the lure of beauty - and then show a much tougher, dangerous reality underneath the exteriors.

blows my mind how this movie got made. i watched it while i worked at home writing emails and answering the phone -- i ONLY watched it because i hoped the "revenge" part would be good. needless to say, the revenge and the forced plot twists were not worth the emails during which they were watched. in fact, i'm not even sure what happened at the end any more. the acting was as bad as re-enactment scenarios on the "FBI Files" show -- by far, the worst re-enactments (really only "Arrest and Trial" can possibly be as bad at re-enactments). i didn't even know that the leading man was in Third Eye Blind until i looked the movie up here on IMDb, but its obvious why he hasn't made any movies since. i hope he is a good singer.

I wasn't expecting much renting this movie. I thought I was in for a dumbass B Movie flick. But my girlfriend really wanted to check out Stephen Jenkins' (from Third Eye Blind) performance.

Yea, it kind of blows when you have to watch a film that you wouldn't normally give a second glance to. But every once in a while, however, something surprises you.

Such is the case with ART OF REVENGE, a thriller-ish drama from Gator Home Entertainment, distributed by the good folks at mti Home Video. It?s not so much that the movie looked dull, it just didn?t appear to be the kind of flick I normally gravitate too, like horror, Sci-fi, bathroom humor... you know, the more mature stuff. This despite the fact that the cover art suggests knife murders and lesbian love affairs.

Having more in common with a Lifetime Network tele-film than an erotic flavored thriller, ART OF REVENGE ended up not having any nudity, lesbian love scenes, or knifings, but heck if I didn?t enjoy the flick anyway. Now I?m not saying that ART OF REVENGE is this fantastic movie that?s going to change the way you look at cinema for the rest of your life. It is, however, a simple little flick that manages to entertain and perhaps even work as a catharsis for those who have had their love spurned. Realistically, I doubt that everything could come together as perfectly as it does in this film, but hey, this is just escapism entertainment. Just relax and go with it.

Joyce Hyser (HOLLYWOOD KNIGHTS) plays Laura, a successful business woman who?s been carrying her husband Matt (Stephan Jenkins from the band, Third Eye Blind) on her coat tails for quite a few years. Now at long last, his dreams of being a big time architect are about to become reality. For Laura, this means that they can finally have a baby together. For Matt, this means he?ll be making good money and be able to have his choice of California debutantes. Not only does he not need Laura?s support anymore, he wants her gone so that he can pursue the lifestyle he?s always secretly fantasized about, that of the wealthy single stud. Needless to say, Laura isn?t too happy about getting kicked to the roadside, especially after years of nurturing him during his starving artist days. Laura doesn?t get mad though, she just gets even.

Enter the beautiful Tuesday, played by Nichole Hiltz (AUSTIN POWERS IN GOLDMEMBER). Blond hair. Frosty blue eyes. Mysterious. Classy. She?s even interested in the same artists and poets that Matt admires. Could Matt have just found his idea woman? His perfect match? Or is she just a little bit too perfect? And how is it that Laura has gone from bitter ex-wife to supportive best friend? Well, if you read the back of the video box then I?m probably not spoiling anything by telling you that Laura and Tuesday just might be working together to teach Matt a lesson that he will never forget. The question is, since Tuesday is basically a wild card, can even Laura be sure that Tuesday is not going to pull a double cross on her as well? How far can you trust someone who?s in the business of deception?

I did a have a few problems with ART OF REVENGE, mostly concerning elements of the story. For example, one of casualties in Laura?s revenge plot is her best friend Izzy?s marriage. Although it?s clear that Izzy?s husband Ben, played by David DeLuise ("Bug" from THIRD ROCK FROM THE SUN), deserves what he gets, I never understood Laura?s total lack of empathy when it comes to destroying the marriage of her best friend. As cold and calculating as Laura seems, you can still relate to her being the underdog and root for her. However, when she stabs her friend in the back , figuratively speaking, with out any kind of provocation other than it was a necessary loss to achieve the bigger goal, Laura goes from being the poster girl for scorned women to just a plain old hateful bitch. Once this happens, the movie is left with no redeeming characters, anti heroes or otherwise, for the audience to get behind.

My second complaint comes right about the time when Izzy, played by Tembi Locke (STEEL), realizes her marriage is over. We see Tuesday entering Izzy and Ben?s house to plant some incriminating evidence, then we cut to Izzy crying, explaining how she found the evidence and told Ben that their marriage was over. Not only are we completely cheated out of seeing the confrontation between Izzy and Ben, but the jump forward in time creates momentary confusion as well. The problem isn?t so much that it?s difficult to put two and two together and figure out what just happened, I just feel that when you have to stop to figure it out, even if it only takes a second or two, then the director (in this case, Simon Gornick) has failed to keep you involved in the world he has just created. It?s not unlike having the show interrupted with a commercial break. Not really that big of a deal I guess, but I just thought that I would mention it. It?s either this or write a whole paragraph about how cute I think actress Nichole Hiltz is. Hello nurse!

Anyway, ART OF REVENGE is a pretty decent little film that a guy can watch with his wife or girlfriend, unless he?s thinking about dumping her soon, then he might want to go with something more along the lines of FRIED GREEN TOMATOES instead. Fans of the rock band, Third Eye Blind, will want to check this out to get their Stephan Jenkins fix. He turns in a pretty good performance as self centered Matt. Not unlike Bon Jovi, I can see his acting becoming more polished and moving up to bigger films if he continues to pursue acting.

An okay film, with a fine leading lady, but a terrible leading man. Stephan Jenkins, who plays the husband, is a truly bad actor. Joyce Hyser, on the other hand, is the movie's saving grace. She's the best actor of the bunch.

NOTE* the first comment, by the fellow who heaped praise upon the movie (and, according to his IMDB.com account, has only written ONE review -- and guess for what movie?) is obviously a plant. While the movie is nicely shot, it's by no means subtle or great or whatever other hypobolic descriptions the reviewer used.

"Art of Revenge" is a fair movie, but it's a big tease. It offers up all manner of sexual situations but never goes through with it. Like watching a Skin Flick on Cinemax, but with all the "naughty bits" edited out.

The film, as a whole, is a bit unfocused and the ending, and much of the third act, is really a big mess. There's a twist ending, of course, since every movie nowadays finds it necessary to have a twist ending.

A 4 out of 10.