Hard Luck - Jogo Sujo

'Hard Luck' is one those many half baked direct to DVD movies that Wesley Snipes starred in after the third 'Blade' movie. Not definitely the best one, but one of the most interesting from the bunch. Snipes stars as an ex-hustler gone straight, but with the string of bad luck he ends up as a witness for a deal gone bad. Throw corrupt cops, striper, stolen money and couple of serial killers into the mix and you get quite interesting over the top and action packed thriller (that lacks the actual thrills). Although the film has quite usual premise that is liven up with some ohter interesting subplots, the uneven tone and occasionally rushed screenplay hinders the film grow into it's full potential. As the film was trying to be serious and hilarious at the same time, it was little hard to feel for all the characters and take some of the actions seriously even in the context of the movie. In that sense, 'Hard Luck' felt like someone's first experiment as feature film director, but by that time Mario Van Peebles had became quite experienced filmmaker with some critically acclaimed works under his belt. And they had 56 days to shoot? The most entertaining part of the film was Cybil Shepherd as demented serial killer - her performance was so wonderfully hammy that it would have been perfect fit also into Tarantino's universe.

Not the usual Wesley Snipes movie, but nothing very exciting either.

Well, I've finally tracked down Wesley Snipes's worst film and it turns out to be this Mario Van Peebles-directed stinker that attempts to mix the small-time gangster genre with a serial killer flick. HARD LUCK is an appallingly shot, badly written B-movie that's so inept that you wonder whether Peebles went out of his way to make the worst film he could as part of a bet.

The film stars Snipes and the often-naked Jackie Quinones as an ex-con and a stripper who go on the run from the Mob with a suitcase full of cash. All very ordinary you might think, but then the plot takes a turn for the bizarre with the introduction of a serial killing couple played by Cybill Shepherd and James Liao. Yes, that really is Cybill Shepherd in this movie, although what she's doing here I can only guess.

HARD LUCK is shoddily made and particularly badly shot; all of the dialogue scenes and moments of exposition are acceptable, but the handling of the action is horrendous (a surprise considering Peebles's experience in the genre). The ineptness has to be seen to be believed: there's genuinely nothing good here, aside from a typically reliable Snipes, so how this got made or even released I have no idea.

Faded/fading stars, newbies just out of school, a plot which makes little sense, clichés tired and banal, dialogue which adds insult to injury, performances which range from good jokes to bad, to just tired as well. You hope everyone was stoned and having fun enough to actually laugh at the mess they're making which at least aspires on occasion to camp, however hard it falls on its face. Dreck, grade D product with grade B- production values. Only the dregs of basic cable could pass this off as a way to kill a couple of late-night hours, which might work as you also do your toenails (and/or beat weed), listen to music, and chat online.

HARD LUCK with Wesley Snipes, Mario Van Peebbles and Cybill Shepherd. Not bad but I think its a little late coming. It feels like it should have been released at least six to seven years ago. It is part of the post-Pulp Fiction style of movies of the last 12 years. It has that Tarantino, DePalma, David Lynch feel to it at times that I think Van Peebles(and Snipes I would imagine)wanted to try and capture. Its a very good attempt. Because its another straight-to-video flick it won't likely make any best of list or even honorable mention but I thought it was worth checking out. One goes in thinking its another straight forward action-thriller and you realize that it is an absurdist black comedy. An African-American take on Joe Orton or Harold Pinter. Not all the writing is at that level but definitely the atmosphere is. Very different kind of role for Ms. Shepherd. I don't want to spoil anything so you'll might be curious enough to see it. She made my eyebrows rise a few times. I felt it could have been better edited with a higher grade cinematographer. It just didn't have enough polish to give it a higher rating. I sensed that Mr. Snipes might have been a little nervous working on this kind of material that didn't position him in an familiar and easy to accept context. Its his way of acknowledging that TIME catches up to all of us. No matter how willful, handsome, charismatic or gifted we may be. Up to now Wesley has played easy to read heroes or villains and this guy was more of an Everyman. Not that he hasn't done regular guys in the past like WATERDANCE, ONE NIGHT STAND and DOWN IN THE DELTA. This character was an echo from his earlier work in NEW JACK CITY and SUGAR HILL but with far more apprehension and less cockiness.

This Mario Van Peebles and Larry Brand penned movie is a unique blend of two genre films, the "gangsta" and "psycho-on-the-loose."

There is also a wink that the director (Peebles) takes at the old 'screwball comedies' where a couple usually gets involved in a situation that neither wanted to be in from the beginning. And of course part of that scenario has a 'Bonnie and Clyde' overtone as the couple (Snipes and Jackie Quinones) try and stay one step ahead of both the law and gangsters that were 'short changed' by Snipes in the beginning of the film.

There is a little bit of 'political statement' at the very beginning of the movie that doesn't take away from the crux of 'Hard Luck.' For some reason Peebles wanted a 'current event' added to a film that did not warrant it. Over time the scene in question will only date the film.

Not wanting to spoil it for anybody, but lets just say Peebles has assembled a great cast -- some known faces and some relatively new ones -- and puts them to good use. While the material is sort of a 'walk in the park' for Snipes, you will be surprised by some of Peebles' unique choices at casting. Hint: be prepared to see Cybil Shepard in a new light! ;-D