Buffalo '66

Vincent Gallos directorial debut film. Billy Brown who is just released out of prison abruptly kidnaps Layla, an amenable tap dancer to pose as his wife while he visits his parents for the first time in 5 years. The raw cinematography and unconventional editing makes this movie unique. Billy's resilient persona and Layla's willingness keeps you intrigued. With performances by the characters that you never see coming, this blossoming romance between two complete strangers becomes relatable and captivating.

Vincent Gallo's has supplied us with more than just a powerful character driven pic with the touching "Buffalo '66". Somehow he has managed to provide a much needed counterpoint to another recent noteworthy effort, "Good Will Hunting".

Instead of a pouting GQ-genius we get a main character much more common to everyday life. A simple loser trying to claw his way out of a hole that he never meant to dig for himself. A victim of circumstance who not only dosen't but couldn't know any better. It's a simple tale of desparation and lonliness that never shies away from cutting all the way down to the bone.

Billy Brown is revolting. Greasy, unmannered, and fresh from jail, the viewer is given no reason at all to care about him. He kidnaps Layla (Ricci) in an effort to maintain the machinery of lies that he has constructed to keep his nebulus parents unaware of his time in jail.

It becomes clear that she falls for him after meeting his parents and other major players in his life. Billy didn't just get the short end of the stick, he never even had a chance. At this point you are forced to ask why, instead of trying to connect with him, she isn't running for her life from this apparent maniac. But on closer examination you realize that you are also sticking around. Not simply to see what happens but to make sure that Billy turns out OK.

Gallo want's to make it clear that Billy was warped from the outside in. From the day of his birth he was hated by his psychotic mother, played brilliantly by Anjelica Houston, because her going into labor prevented her from watching the "Big Game" in which her favorite team triumphed in the 1966 Superbowl. And it was another pivotal Bills game that doomed Billy Brown and sent him to jail for 5 years just as he entered adulthood. A stark contrast to the scene in "Good Will Hunting" where Damon and Williams charachters recount the famous Boston Red Sox victory and thereby establish a deeper connection on the road to that protagonist's healing.

The road to Billy's wellness will have to be found elsewhere and with little help from anyone at all. He is forced to configure his own compass to guide him to the next step in his life and although it isn't pretty the result is far more belivable than "Good Will".

Gallo used his microscopic budget well especially in the flashback and dream sequences. This work resonates with some of John Cassavetes' tradmark overtones without exploiting them. And I'm not just talking about the presence of Ben Gazzara.

You can feel the cold of Buffalo seeping through every crack inside a given scene. You can also sense that the actors were given plenty of latitude to construct their charachters but we're directed with a special urgency. The end result enables the viewer to be propelled through the film instead of mearly left to watch it unfold before them.

The screenplay delves into territory where Tarantino and his like fear to tread. A style of film making that depends more on raw performance than on well laid plans and clever constructs. Gallo chose his team well and trusted them to win it for him and they came through brilliantly.

Never even heard of Gallo: just happened onto this film on IFC one night and totally loved it. The acting was superb, the story even more so; and that camera work! Gallo's character, Billy Brown, was a picture of hate and resentment due to his unfeeling, unloving parents who made it clear from day one that he wasn't wanted, much less loved. This pushing away by these heartless, empty people turned young Billy into a introvert who was only able to find love within the confines of his own dreamy mind. Of course, this was insufficient which drove Billy to acting out in some bizarre and dangerous ways. Finally, when love does come it terrifies him and causes him to push away this affection continuing the cycle started by his parents. At times I found myself rocking with laughter at the antics of these hurting and emotionally scarred folks, but the tale was anything but comical. I wish there were more pictures coming out as interesting and dramatic as this.

I fell in love with this movie. Before I saw it, I didn't know much at all about Vincent Gallo. I saw the trailer that was attached to "Out of Sight" and was like "well, that looks interesting. Maybe I'll check it out sometime." It took me a long time to track it down, but it was so worth the wait. One thing I can honestly say, is that the trailer is NOT deceptive. It pretty much tells you EXACTLY what you're going to get. One thing I wasn't expecting thoug, was the humor. There were times in this movie that I had to rewind and watch over because I was laughing so hard from the previous scene that I missed what was going on. Despite the film's depressing tone and deliberately grainy look, there are a lot of laughs here. Most of them come from the character of Billy Brown.

Never in my life, have I seen a more pathetic hero. The guy is almost totally unlikeable without ONE redeeming quality. In the opening frame, he's being released from Prison. He's been there for something like five years and it's obvious that he's coming out of there in the clothes that he was wearing when he went in. His wardrobe is hilarious and his red ankle boots are a laugh riot. As are his pants that appear to be about four inches too short. You can tell when you first see him that this guy is a real piece of work. The first ten minutes or so focus on our new friend trying to find a bathroom, without any luck. When he finally does find a restroom, he is harassed by an obese homosexual. This sets up a scene that is kinda sick but darkly funny.

Next thing, we learn the plan (part of it anyway) that Billy has up his sleeve. We meet his lunatic parents through a phone conversation and learn that they are clueless that Billy has been in lockup for the last five years. Apparently, they are stupid enough to believe that their son has been working in a foreign country as a government agent. They also believe that he is married. So he has to find a girl to pose as his wife. This sets up even more hilarious scenes as he kidnaps a young tap-dancer. I'm not going to go much farther. But the movie does get even funnier. Not only is it funny but it covers a lot of emotions. Here's a guy who's clearly been a loser his whole life, trying desperately to impress his parents who could care less about him. It sounds really depressing, but it's actually inspiring and, because it ends on a high note, it's uplifting.

While it may not be for everyone, it's still a very entertaining and rewarding film. It's been a few years since Gallo has done anything, but I'm really looking forward to his next project.

If anything, I'd say that this is a black-comedy/character study. It's probably the most original film of 1998 and it did take a lot of chances with its unique style. I have no complaints about this movie whatsoever and I'm giving it the highest score possible. It's a 10+.

Considering that Vincent Gallo made a film that i pretty much hated, THE BROWN BUNNY, It's reassuring that he still has made this great film. I really had a ball watching this one. From the opening sequence of him leaving jail to the heartwarming, yet chilling ending scene, this is a film with lots of great moments. A man has just gotten out of jail and is to visit his parents, but first he needs a girlfriend and decides to kidnap a ballet dancer and force her to role play as his girlfriend. But when she starts to get too into the idea, the man shows his limits in a series of comic events ranging from darkly funny, to very inspired. And yet in between these events are moments of extremely depressing and moody sort of moments that elevate the film into a truly original masterpiece. A little bit brutal, a little bit surreal, and very depressing, the film manages to strike a perfect balance of comedy and drama and incorporate them into a truly original independent classic. It's definitely not for everyone, as a lot of the films i comment on are, but the audience that it is made for will fall in love with BUFFALO' 66.