Cry Uncle

Normally I wouldn't rate this kind of movie very high. However, this movie is much better better written, produced, directed and acted than other "Troma" productions. Now don't get me wrong. There is A LOT of graphic sex and nudity here. Full frontal female and male. I think that maybe all of the women but one or two had fully nude sex scenes. Some of them had several. But, this movie was very light hearted with a lot of humor. But much of that was raunchy old school 1970's humor. So if you're an easily offended person or a feminist, you might want to watch something else.

A rotund private dick is hired to find a killer, and has to get naked in the process.

I can't figure out if the movie amounts to serial copulation with whodunit overtones or a whodunit with serial copulation appeal. One way or the other, a naked Allan Garfield did keep my popcorn untouched. Actually, the 90-minutes is so smoothly directed and the girls so fetching that I did stay glued. Also, catch the symbolically placed donut and banana in the opening slow pan. I guess that tells you what's coming up. As I recall, the movie was much ballyhooed at the time. After all, what could only be hinted at before 1969 now became permissible, thanks mainly to the counter-culture's clash with censorship. Also, the Swedish ground-breaker I Am Curious (Yellow), (1969)-- the first commercial film to show copulation on screen-- drew lines around the block when I saw it. Now Hollywood, even Troma, could cash in on the novelty.

The movie itself may look like an oddity after 40-years. Certainly, the sex scenes take up as much time as the narrative. Still, the production is smoothly done, with about the right amount of tongue in cheek, Garfield included. And I like Madeleine LaRoux (!) who has a different movie look, sort of like an elongated Goldie Hawn. But a screen name like that suggests plans for a big porn career, which I don't think happened. All in all, guys could do a lot worse than Uncle, plus you don't have to feel inferior to the stud (Garfield). And, oh yeah, let the girl viewers figure out the plot.

For anyone looking for a prurient Sam Spade or a Peeping Tom's idea of a Raymond Chandler mystery, director John G. Avildsen's very-nearly pornographic crime satire should suffice while also giving character actor Allen Garfield an overdue starring role as a not-so-private dick. Garfield's Jake Masters, on a blackmail/murder case for five G's, always seems to have his pants down, coming down, or about to come down. David Odell's script (adapted, believe it or not, from a novel, "Lie A Little, Die A Little," by Michael Brett) can barely work up the semblance of a storyline, while the naked ladies who cross Jake's path aren't the luscious dames of years-past; Avildsen has filled these roles with cheap and hardened braless babes. The film quickly begins to ape its own rancid scenario (this is literally a 'dirty' movie), but Garfield doesn't notice, making the most of the opportunity. Constantly horny, and wearing an ever-present stingy brim hat and sweaty undershirt (pulled down just far enough to cover his privates), Garfield is in the required raunchy spirit, all right, yet he also has unmistakable star appeal. He's the naughty kid from grade school barely grown up, unable to get information out of a female suspect without unzipping his fly. Avildsen's movie makes no overtures to morality or ethics--he just wants to goose the audience--and he has found the perfect lead for the job. ** from ****

Cry Uncle is a fine piece of filmmaking. For those of you familiar with Troma video and all the junk it puts out, this is not a normal Troma film! In fact, this is the direct antithesis of a Troma film! Allen Garfield is a detective who is hired by a man being blackmailed by the women he acted with in a porno video. The movie includes acid freak outs, b/w porno video scenes, and a great necrophilia scene. Garfield was also in a bunch of other softcore films like Orgy Girls and Roommates. Nevertheless, check this film out.

THE PLOT: A down and out private eye (Garfield) becomes embroiled in a complex case involving murder, intrigue, and a lot of sex.

THE POSITIVE: This is one drive-in flick that definitely does not skimp on the sex. There is a lot of it and it is very explicit and done in some outlandish ways. One features a couple having sex during the national anthem, while another shows Garfield having sex with a prostitute while in front of a picture of Christ, yet the most notorious one involves Garfield having sex with a dead body while ragtime music plays in the background. Garfield, in the lead, is quite amusing as he seems to be always running his mouth off about something. Sorvino also has a funny cameo as a policeman plagued with a terrible case of smoker's cough.

THE NEGATIVE: Although she delivers her lines well Le Roux, in the female lead role, is not real sexy. Her face resembles that of Cruella De Vil's in the cartoon version of 101 DALMATIONS and her body is very flat making her nude scenes unexciting. She also doesn't seem too young either. Certain camera angles make her look like a youthful 30 while others give the impression that she is pushing 45. There are also enough nude shots of overweight and out of shape Garfield to make just about anyone sick. The film is also unable to sustain its nice slam bang funny pace that it has at the beginning with the second half being not as outrageous or inspired.

THE LOWDOWN: For fans of low-grade, T & A, drive-in fare this one pretty much hits the target and makes the most of its low budget, underground roots.

THE RATING: 5 out of 10.