Transparency

I was wondering where LDP went a couple of years ago, and suddenly *and oddly* he keeps on popping up in after midnight movies...

But I really, really want LDP to get back on the mainstream circuit... and even to a spot where he finds his niche. Psycho badass? Yea, he got game! A gay rodeo clown? OK. He could pull that off.. corrupt mid level CIA operative in Moldova with a cocaine habit? Sure.. with the right vehicle I KNOW he can do well. I am rooting for his success (I did not know I was this much of a fan - heee).

This movie was flat, fine. But it was great seeing LDP kick some buttock! There also was a nice exchange between him and the corporate lawyer that developed satisfyingly. And a few great personal moments where the reactions of the actors to each other was very personal... nice interplay. LDP looks good, it was free on HDTV... and with a bowl of ice cream and the cat I must give this film a very solid 7 for personal entertainment value.

What would you do to expose the truth? When a security guard (Phillips) stumbles on a woman that is part of a human trafficking ring he tries to save her. When she goes missing he devotes everything he has to find her. This is another hard movie to review. It was very, very flat and a little boring through most of it. The last 20 min picked up and the final 5 min will make you so mad that you will want to know how much they are saying is true. The acting is not that good and if there ever was a movie that makes you feel little or no connection to the characters, this is it. The subject matter is hard to deal with, and again the ending will infuriate you to the point of wanting to throw something at the TV. This is a movie I would not recommend, but the ending is so powerful that you should watch for the ending if nothing else. Hard to sit through, but worth it. Because of the ending...I give it a C.

Would I watch again? - No, I would not. But if someone else is watching it I would want to see their reaction to the ending.

*Also try - Elephant White & Out Of Reach

Despite its obvious low budget, and some weak writing, I thought this was a pretty good movie. The plot is a little contrived and some character development could have been handled better but overall I found it worth my time to watch. If anything, I'm impressed the movie did so much with so little.

Lou Diamond Phillips is a solid performer, and I didn't find much to criticize even with the supporting and bit players. It wasn't as highly charged as the typical Hollywood effort (I'm thinking of TAKEN here...a movie with a vaguely similar theme and plot) but instead it had a more documentary feel that contributed to my willingness to overlook some plot holes.