Hollywood Pervertida

Review: My expectations for this movie, really wasn't that high but it turned out to be a watchable film, which has different story lines running at the same time but they don't really join up. I personally found the acting pretty poor and the whole project had a cheap feel to it, like most of Vinnie Jones movies but I did stick with the film because I was intrigued about what was going to happen to Luca, (Antonio Cupo), who was fighting to save his kidnapped sister, Martina (Bianca Guaccero). Caprice's character, Cherie, was pretty useless and she seemed to cause trouble were ever she went but I was surprised with Vinnie Jones acting, which was better than the rest of the cast. As usual, he was playing the cockney hard man, who was the main culprit for kidnapping Martina but he actually was showing some form of acting skills which you don't see in his movies nowadays. Anyway, you can tell that the director had a low budget because of its poor casting and "dumb criminals" type concept but I have seen worse for films in this category. Passable!

Round-Up: This "straight to DVD" movie was directed by Fabio Segatori, who has mainly made movies for an Italian market. It did seem like he over complicated the movie, in some ways but I still enjoyed watching Vinnie Jones dancing. I doubt that I will be watching this movie again anytime soon but on the plus side, I didn't fall asleep whilst watching it.

I recommend this movie to people who are into their crime/drama starring Antonio Cupo, Bianca Guaccero, Casper Van Dien, Caprice Bourret, Vinnie Jones and Brad Renfro. 3/10

Italian Luca (Antonio Cupo) leaves Las Vegas for the Death Valley with his sister Martina (Bianca Guaccero). At the same time, Cherie (Caprice Bourret), striptease dancer and model, escapes from her rich boss, Zach (Casper Van Dien), to get back with her pimp boyfriend Mickey. On the highway, the two Italian give a passage to two hitchhikers, Sean and Emilio. They stop to rest in a motel (in which Cherie hides); but the next morning, Luca find out that Martina has been kidnapped by Jamie and Sean. Actually, the two hitchhikers are escaping from Las Vegas where they robbed a bank; they want Luca, alone, to catches up them to Los Angeles with the money in a rented car with a cell. Then, they will free Martina. But Cherie gets in the car when private Joe Gardner hired by Zach, find her. Fortunately, Luca will find both of them (Caprice, her lover, the private, Martina and the bank robbers) in LA motel where they are rooming. Now, everybody is after the money.

Filmed in part in Canada, this second movie from Segatori is pursuing the exploration of the desert (very present in Terra bruciata a western genre film), here in opposition to the structured city with false buildings and hot girls of L.A. As he did it many years ago with his short film about Cappadocia, Segatori continues his visitation of ruined landscapes but instead of philosophical comments, action for lost causes plots take place.

While too many writers credited, this script was well plotted. The suspense and intrigue left each scene with more riveting questions. That Bianca Guaccero is just the female role for today. A young Claudia Cardinale with no inklings of annexure, an actress not afraid to perspire and a face to cut apple pie. The director knows pacing for the movie was edited with straight cuts, camera steady that moved with just the right light and tempo. The group will be something to look forward to, either together again or individually. Caprice Bouret is another Usurla Andress with warmth where Ursula has fatality in her eyes. We loved everybody but the bad guys.

Hollywood Flies is a rip-roaring action neo-noir thriller, the kind of film you would expect if Quentin Tarantino and Dave Barry eevr wrote a screenplay together! Two young siblings are cruising the countryside when they pick up a couple of hitchhikers who seem a bit dodgy... one thing leads to another and bodies start dropping like flies, which is where I assume the movie got its title from. Renfro gives the performance of his career as young hooligan Jamie, who starts being attracted to the kidnapped girl, which may compromise his relationship with his co-conspirator. Fantastic performances, great acting and a roaring soundtrack make Hollywood Flies one of the most underrated gems of 2004! A must see!

The only two names you will recognize in the cast of Hollywood Flies are Casper Van Dien as a rich club owner who is now confined to a wheelchair because of a car wreck he caused while driving intoxicated and Brad Renfro as a sad sack bank robber. I guess they were there for a little bit of box office insurance, but these two both saw better film projects.

Van Dien's main squeeze Caprice Bourret has given him the air, but Casper is a spoiled rich guy who doesn't take no for an answer. He sics a private detective.

At the same time Anthony Cupo meets up with his sister Bianca Guerrero just over from Italy and they pick up two hitchhikers Vinnie Jones and Renfro. Big mistake this two did a bank robbery where one guy was killed and they've stashed the loot in a bus station locker. They hold Guerrero and want Cupo to go to Los Angeles and get their money.

Cupo and Bourret hook up under some odd circumstances and now everyone would like to get that loot.

The story is pretty lame with a lot of holes in it. But some real acting is done by Jones and Renfro who met each other in the joint. When Renfro says Jones helped him make it through prison you know exactly what Jones got from him in return. Jones is one dangerous dude.

Still Jones and Renfro are not enough to make up for the rest of the film.