Gioventù perduta

Ok so I saw the 7.3 score and thought this must be good. 5 minutes into the film I sat thinking this film really isn't looking very good. So I looked at the score table. Have a look yourself and see if it makes any sense, it doesn't. I think somewhere the maths is wrong.

Young Oscar (Mitchell Paulsen) saves her friend Loux by killing her abusive father. He runs away to the big city where he is befriended by Peaches (Kylie Rogers). He joins Peaches and a group of young thieves working for Augustus (William Forsythe). It is many years later. Oscar (Michael Pitt) is leading his own group of young thieves under Augustus. Loux and her younger brother are still searching for him.

I like the first half. I like its fantastical Dickensian Oliver Twist nature. Quite frankly, I like to stay with those child actors. I like Mitchell Paulsen and Kylie Rogers. They need to resolve the story with the kids. Once the time jumps, the movie feels different. This is a tale of two halves. They really should be two different movies.

I hated this movie for showing us negative stuff like mafia, robberies, crime, violence, betrayal, revenge. Only feelings of anger and sadness. Then characters are mixed up and it is unclear who is who. Adult copies of young same characters are looking too different both by look and by character. Then story is unfinished. Too many things disconnected, nonsesnse, unexplained, occured without cause or solution. Very bad experience. Not comfortable to watch at least for people who don't like complex things and negativity (social and emotional).

I don't know how this has such a high rating or why people have rated it anything over a 5. It started out really interesting, I quite liked the casting of adult Oscar and found his transition believable. However the movie ends just as soon as it gets going, literally! It was like the director ran out of money or time, or that they didn't know how to write a good ending to the film.

The soundtrack/score was good and atmospheric. The acting was good too. Overall though the movie could have been so much better as it was very promising at the start. Avoid this movie to avoid disappointment... still in disbelief at the waste of potential this movie had.

I enjoyed this film. It was an independant low budget crime story of youth without consequence. Essentially teens that spent their life robbing and holding up people. It was a life that was an escape for Oscar from his abusive father only later to repeat as the movie jumps forward 15 years. Michael Pitt amazes me with his diverse roles and again creates another character that is far removed from himself. He looks damaged, he looks on edge yet has a strange moral compass and a deep down love for his family and those that he holds dear. Ron Pearlman provides a believable performance although perhaps something that we have seen a few times before...

The story didn't overly have a strong plot or a deeper underlying message and certainly no real consequence for the crimes they were all commiting which may of added an interesting element to the movie but was interesting enough as it progressed to make you invested in the characters and enough action to keep you entertained.

Ending (NO SPOILERS HERE) was odd imo as I would like to have know what happened next, but as the director said its the kind of movie where you can go home and think about it and kinda make your own mind up.

Enjoyable ride none the less.