The Low Life

For the most part, I thought that "The Low Life" moved pretty slowly. But even so, it's still worth seeing, if only as a character study. The main character is John Martin (Rory Cochrane), who has moved to Los Angeles hoping to make something of himself, but has to separate carbon copies to make ends meet. He has to stay with geeky Andrew (Sean Astin). Surrounded by several different kinds of people, John tries to maintain his identity however possible.

So, there's nothing particularly special about this movie. Maybe it's worth seeing once. But the entire cast does some interesting things with the characters. I think that that's about the best description that I can give; much of the movie confused me.

Also starring Kyra Sedgwick, James Le Gros, J.T. Walsh, Shawnee Smith, and Renee Zellweger in an early role (she plays the poet).

This movie is really good...easily Rory Cochranes best movie as well as Sean Astin's best movie. Sean Astin's character is so easily relateable to if you ever were a geek. The first time I saw this movie, I gushed tears at the end when they played that Journey song. Ron Livingston is always great to watch too. My buddy painted a picture of the end when Rory's character is walking along the street next to the parking meters and as soon as I saw it, I bought it from him. I honestly can't believe that this film has not been put on DVD. Anyways, you need to see this movie. It came out at a time when the Gen-X movies were in full swing and almost cliche, but Sean Astin's character breaks those cliches(when he crumples that lamp, you'll die), it will give Sean Astin a free pass much like Emilio gets a free pass simply because he was Otto.

The characters don't interact with each other very well, but separately they are very interesting. I especially liked Sean Astin's Andrew, a lonely twenty-something with a penchant for 80s power ballads. James LeGros is up to his usual standards as Michael Schroeder, Jr., the landlord who sends his temps to do everything from plumbing to evictions.

I usually like Rory Cochrane, but either his character wasn't written all that well (probably the case) or he didn't do it very well. At the end you're more interested in Andrew's fate than anyone else's.

Fine performances and a believable story revolve around a Yale graduate who is stuck in a rut of temp jobs. His bland friends can't help him get on his feet but a strange new roommate whom he thinks he can't stand actually brings out the life that he has pent up inside. At first glance this film may seem slow, a bit dark, and even depressing, but when examined as a whole after completion it really is a little slice of art with stand out performances from Cochrane, Sedgwick, and Astin.

The low life is a film that will no doubt leave you depressed and just for that, you know that this film is well made and very successful in it's aim. It's purpose is to portray the low lives of society, the people who are the 'scum' or the under-dogs of the world, the people we always look down on and give dirty looks. This film tells us that there is a reason for them being the way they are and provokes real sympathy. Sean Astin is the strongest link in this film, one can't help but feel so sorry for his character...all he wants is a friend. Viewers will find themselves hanging out for scenes with him. The low life is a very good film, realistic and thought-provoking....not uplifting, but thats how it should be.