Young Lion of the West

A solid film through and through: great writing, story, characters, dialogue, acting, music, etc. The grittiness and high tension were perfectly balanced with both genuinely funny and soulful moments.

I really appreciated how the story deviated from the typical story arch and unfolded in a unique way that still held my interest. Too often indie films fail by trying to reinvent the wheel or by sticking to something predictable ...but this felt fresh, like the film could go anywhere and I was down for the ride. It's nice to find films like this which show how formulaic Hollywood can sometimes be. This one feels different. It's a wild ride. But in a good way. I was completely engrossed until the very end.

The storyline, the acting, the dialogue, the cameras and sound...all of it was superb! For being a first full length movie created by Joey Sasso and his crew, they nailed it! The way the story unfolds is relatable to all generations. Everybody knows somebody, or has been that person, to start out with glory in their eyes but fell onto a dark path. Your spectrum of emotions will be ignited during the highs and lows of the story. Sensitive topics of violence, drug abuse and domestic abuse are handled maturely and realistically. I look forward to enjoying more entertainment from this group in years to come.

Being a big fan of Joey on The Circle and having been born and raised in Rochester, NY, I knew I had to give this movie a shot and I'm so glad that I did. This movie evoked many emotions and was "deeper" than I originally thought it might be. The acting was well done, it kept me on the edge of my seat and surpassed my expectations. It didn't end with a pretty pink bow which I usually always root for, but was great none-the-less. I loved the representation of Rochester, NY-it was fun to see places that I've grown up with in the movie. I would never have expected this movie to be as good as it was with the budget they had. I highly recommend this movie!

Even if you're not a fan of Netflixes Blockbuster TV game show The Circle and its first winner, the lead actor Joey Sasso, you're still going to appreciate this compelling Tale of a Rochester, New York kid from the streets trying to make something of himself while still keeping his head above water amidst all the decadence, debauchery and mayhem that the dark side of life has to offer. For a low budget independent film, this has amazingly high production value. There were only maybe two scenes where the sound could have been a little bit better. However, for most of the entire movie the camera angles, the sound, the lighting, the pace of the story and an obviously great editing job holding it all together were top notch. Really, it's a great work by the whole crew involved with this movie. I would have given it another star for a total of eight if during the intro they took a little more time establishing why you should care or give a damn about the lead character Nick Donato. I think that would have brought a little more investment into the story as a viewer. But that's just a little nitpick comment, I really did enjoy this film. I'm looking forward to their next production. -Matt the Cat aka @Chicago. Shogun on Instagram.

This movie is so raw and so real. So much respect is deserved by the small group of dreamers who built this entire result on very little more than a camera, an idea, and a vision.

Admirable dedication shines through without question; from the phenomenal acting of the entire cast, to full-fledged commitment to even the smallest details in a plot that evolves act to act in ways you'll never see coming.

If you've only ever seen Joey Sasso shouting at screens or competing for love on reality tv, you have no idea what you're in for with this one. Turns out the guy who pees in showers can actually act... who knew?

Absolutely worth the watch.