Gioventù perduta

Newb (his third resume entry - this his second full length feature film) producer, writer and director John Swab did a decent job in the directing department, but the writing was a mess. I understood the story he was trying to tell, but it had many plot and technical issues, with choppy scenes. Had a seasoned writer made some edits, the story would've been much better told. Cinematography was great, the score decent, and the acting and casting on point, although Michael Pitt's performance and/or character was bland for the most part. Otherwise, not a bad film from a newbie filmmaker. 7/10 from me

Objectively: Plot holes too numerous to list but a major problem is the casting of the principals, Loux and Oscar. The features of the young actors are dramatically different from the adults but this can be excused in that I imagine that this can be a challenge. What is inexcusable is that Michael Pitt (adult Oscar) has different eye color to Mitchell Paulsen (young Oscar) and Madilyn Kellam (young Loux) has different eye color to Sam Quartin (adult Loux). Subjectively: Film is cast, directed and the script is written by very mediocre talent and by people that do not understand and have not researched the way packs of street kids work and interact together. The scene where Oscar "teaches" prospective tween muggers to commit armed robbery is ludicrous. Young inexperienced kids drawing guns in broad daylight, in the middle of a busy city?! Unrealistic. Adult Oscar does a high level disarming action and disarms and then trains the hand guns on not one but two of the trainees and then berates them for their error. Reasonable, I suppose if they are expected to be able to rob Jason Bourne. So this feeble sophomoric production meanders through its low-grade, implausible plot, with a cast of "street kids" that look more like kids on a field trip from a local prep school than street wise urchins ready to participate in armed robbery.

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.

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 liked the trailer and I'm a fan of Michael Pitt, so I gave it a chance.

It is a very predictable and dry, seems like a story that's been told many times before. Michael Pitt aside, there is no stand out characters. No development really in any of them and it comes across very rushed.

Michael Pitt is such a star in everything he does, I read he picks odd moves for artistic reasons but he deserves better than this. He plays the troubled white trash lad so well, he does not disappoint. However the movie does, it's a waste of time drama which lacks direction.

I wouldn't recommend this unless you're a Pitt fan and want to see his skills however he's only in half the movie.