Phoenix, Oregon

Enjoyed this one, no special effects or million dollar budget but good acting and a good story. The guy who plays Al steals every scene he's on, real joy to watch.

My wife and I enjoyed the message and story of the chef and bartender/graphic novelist striving to do something better and the struggles they faced along the way.

Phoenix, Oregon is a comedy drama directed by Gary Lundgren. The film primarily follows Bobby (portrayed by James LeGros), a bartender who decides to quit his job and open a pizza shop/bowling alley with his friend, Carlos (portrayed by Jesse Borrego). The film then follows their journey in opening the business and issues they deal with once it is open.

My rating of this film may reflect that this film is not good, but that's not entirely true. Pheonix, Oregon has a very small budget, which isn't an issue, but the scenes are mainly limited to the bowling alley, restaurant that Bobby/Carlos work at, and Bobby's home. The film is fairly predictable as I saw where the film was going and how each character would end up once they were introduced. I also thought the film is more of a drama then comedy but that could be because the comedy was a bit bland not necessarily funny to me.

With that being said, it's not a bad film. Just a bit boring and predictable. All of the main actors gave good performances and I was attached to Bobby, and to a smaller extent, Carlos.

If you like smaller budget dramas, its worth the watch - 4/10.

Loved this film, a little sweet snapshot of how droll the midlife grind can be when you don't have the life you thought you'd have. Great understated performance from James LeGros as Bobby, and the full cast of his friends & associates offer plenty of dramatic layers for his character to engage with. Jesse Borego as Carlos is a breath of fresh air to Bobby's downer moments & his passion for his craft is infectious. I appreciated the fumbled semi romantic thread between Bobby and Tanya too as too often in movies it's all packaged up so neatly the viewer is deprived of seeing the truth when it comes to 'just not the right time' connections. Oh and have to mention Kevin Corrigan's Al, nicely positioned in both character and storyline as Bobby's polar opposite nemesis. Highly recommend but one negative is I almost passed this by thanks to the insipid title. I get the 'Phoenix' connection in the storyline but come on, something a little more thoughtful would be cherry on the top.

This film is great watch if you're in a chill mood. It is relaxing, pleasantly funny and has some interesting writing and subject matter. The pacing can be a little uneven, but once it gets going it's engrossing. The cast give great performances and fit their characters very well and the story has some great moments that build on those characters. Good fun for a light evenings entertainment.