Bullet

A lot of people bitch that "Bullet" is far from standard Hollywood fare, but what that means to you depends heavily on your personal opinion of Hollywood fare. If you, like myself, don't think too highly of it, then consider this your first boarding call.

The "Bullet" spoken of in the title is the film's central character, a 35-year-old Brooklyn heroin junkie (Mickey Rourke). The film begins with his release from the pen after serving an eight-year sentence, and then proceeds to closely follow the lives of him and those around him -- the parents, an eccentric little brother, a completely shell-shocked headcase of a big brother (Ted Levine, creating yet another standout psychotic), as well as various players in the substance supply industry (Tupac Shakur makes his last screen appearance as the druglord Tank, and does a decent job in a rather thankless role). I'd summarize the plot more clearly if I could, but the fact is, these people's lives just aren't that simple.

"Bullet" is one of those rare movies which somehow leak through the cracks and make it into production with their soul (or lack thereof) intact. One of the few who dare pay attention to the dregs of society. Worse still, actual dregs of actual modern day society. The REAL dregs. The "uncool" dregs which are far less likely to break out the one-liners after offing someone then they are to strip the corpse of all valuables and sell them for drug money.

"Bullet" wastes no time whatsoever on making it's characters presentable. I admit it, there's no way this film could ever have raked in the cash. On the surface, the majority of scenes depicted in "Bullet" are the furthest thing any decent human being would classify as entertainment. But below this poverty and violence is a complex and intriguing world filled with complex and intriguing characters.

The film's craft cannot be faulted. The direction is superb, the soundtrack appropriate -- at times eerily so -- but even despite all this, most viewers will recoil in disgust at the request to tune into the lives and minds of characters as genuinely vile, violent and emotionally unstable as these. Characters that would instruct packs of ten-year olds in mortal combat. Characters that can no longer see the future beyond their next hit. Characters that assault their own image in the mirror. This is ground most viewers aren't willing to tread, and why this film was doomed to fail commercially. But that by no means makes it bad. Those who can stomach the imagery and see beyond it will not be disappointed... with the *movie*. How you'll feel once it sinks in that these kinds of things happen on a daily basis in what is supposedly the most civilized country on the planet is anyone's guess.

This is the absolute best movie ever. I have never been able to find a movie with more priceless quotes in it that this--unfortunately I can't mention most of them--but here's a few--"Ma where's my teef" "Alright Stanley up against the car" "Shut the **** up Oprah" "Git yer mama's titty out your mouf." "It's dead it just don't work" Ted Levine should have been given 100 Academy Awards for his brilliant portrayal of Louis Stein. My friend Billy hasn't even seen it and he thinks its great and uses these quotes all the time. No other movie in my life has given me such amusement and I haven't even seen it in like 3 years--but there is no need I think we have memorized the entire script. If you have an extremely sick sense of humor then this is the movie for you.

I stayed up one night till 3am and i put this in and at first i thought it was gonna be a waste of my time and i could juss be sleeping, but i was wrong. tupac dissapointed me actually, even tho im a huge fan of his music, but mickey rourke was looking real good. I wouldnt recomend it for the family or young kids, but this was a really good movie, full of alot of truth if youve ever lived in the city, the bad section, you will know exactly whats goin down. I would recomend this for anybody looking for some urban drama, action, its great and while youre at it, go rent the last boy scout w/ bruce willis and damon wayans, that movie is great too, its an action movie. Bullet is real gritty tho. A lot of cursing and drug use and some sex and some homosexual themes but overall a great rent.

If there's one word to describe this film it's - underrated. I must admit when I first seen this movie in the store, I was surprised I hadn't heard of it and I'm glad I got this little bargain bin gem. I'm a fan of gangster movies in general, in particular films in the 90's, and if you liked those type of movies I would recommend this film. The film does have a dark, gritty feel to it and Mickey Rourke really does a good job in this film as well as 2pac as the villain. This movie may seem like an action film, but its more a crime Drama as it has some depth and seriousness to it in terms of plot and characters.for what it is it's a good straight to video flick with a great cast (notice a young adrien brody and Donnie Wahlberg).Its definitely worth a watch.

Overall : 7/10

I saw Bullet about a year ago after really getting into Mickey Rourke films and i have to say i really liked it a lot. I can see why some critics flushed it, yet not all of them the film is very different from Rourke's usual work and nothing like other ghetto greats like 'Boyz n the hood' and 'Above the rim'the film has a kind of quirky way about it especially since it's story centres around a Brooklyn born Jewish junkie(instead of African-American)and his rivalry with drug dealer Tank (a small yet great cameo from Tupac Shakur)and also his social problems with friends Lester (who he thinks might be gay) and his two brothers Ruby (Adrien Brody)a painter who is looking for a way to get out of the whole street life and Louis (amazingly played by Ted Levine) who is a freaked out ex-soldier who still thinks the war rages on. So the story is very different,but in a good way i think. The acting is superb and directing from Brit Julien Temple is great. 9/10.