2 Birds with 1 Stallone

Rarely have i gone to the theatre and seen a character truly become a new human being. Bret Carr, who directed and starred in 2 Birds, has made a most powerful film. The title character, Lou Benedetti, transforms from violent stuttering homophobe into a motivational speaker. This alone is enough to keep you in your seat as his performance was spellbinding. However, the story and interweaving of flashback and sound effects taking us inside of his head, was almost painterly in its design. And the result was the most moving film experience I've had in the last few years. I fully recommend this wonderful film. It blended comedy with tragedy and then took me back out the top making me feel like I too can conquer the world. Or, perhaps, just my demons. That is enough for me. Oh, and there is a marvelous cameo which is excruciatingly funny and poignant and serves to move the story along in yet another wonderfully surprising way. This film is full of surprises and little miracles. See it now. Take you family. Then go see it again. I'm going to. But how, I'm not sure, since I accidentally walked into a screening at the angelika. Somebody is bound to discover this gem, and put it in theatres. This film needs to be seen.

Brett Carr tells us he spent 7 years and $100,000 on making this picture which raises two important questions: Why and on what?

Carr opens the movie with a confusing narration from inside a theatre lobby and is apparently speaking as both the director and as the protagonist, Lou Benadetti. What follows is a confusing group of flashbacks as the fighter is forced to leave the ring, break up with his girl and deal with his homophobia all of which is interspersed with more flashbacks to his childhood and flashforwards to the theatre lobby.

Somehow his stuttering problem is dealt with by some kind of silly pschycological brainstorming sessions and a beating from a 16 year old. Of the 6 or 7 subplots that dominate the film only the homophobia is resolved satisfactorily.

Suffice to say, this was 2 hours of my life that I'll never get back.

With final editing, this will be a good movie. While somewhat disjointed, the audience certainly gets a sense of the turmoil Lou experiences and participates in his triumph. Bret Carr turns in a very creditable performance in a demanding role as the protagonist. When I met him after the showing, I half expected him to be stuttering and darting glances from side to side.

I saw this movie in Austin, and was surprised at how much character and heart it had. Well made and performed by the main guy, his enthusiasm was contageous. I left the theatre wondering if I could debug my own brain, something Lou Benedetti learns to embrace throughout the movie. Been awhile since a movie introduced a new idea into my life. A four star thumbs up.

Bret Carr's film masterfully took me through the most risky of subjects. A film about a stuttering boxer who goes through self inflicted street therapy, ala fight club, in order to vanquish his impediment and traumatic memories at his fathers hands. First of all, the actor Bret Carr gives the best performance I've seen since Geoffry Rush in SHINE. Carr delivers a New York as wonderfully stylized as if it was his version of A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. The character Carr creates is a perfect rendition of an angry, uneducated Brooklyn superstar boxer who lives in a desperate attempt for Glory. Shades of Mike Tyson as Carr delivers a high pitched wine characteristic of the childhood LOU is trapped in. This is a really smart filmmaker. I come from a rough neighborhood, and LOU is a real character that you really feel for. Bret Carr also knows how to shoot. I was with a friend from boston who has gay tendencies and boy did this film p*** him off. LOU really challenges you to look inside yourself. A five star two thumbs up ten. AND boy did we laugh. Think Rocky directed by Oliver stone and starring a Mike Tyson character played by Thornton or Pacino or Hoffman. Bret Carr will win an Oscar some day if not for this role.