Pinching Penny

I'm a fan. No question about it. When a group of college guys commit to creating a gritty feature-length movie and actually get it completed, sold and distributed nationwide, you have to sit up and take notice. I was intrigued in Pinching Penny's first moments, laughing out loud the next, and ready to cry by the end. Steven Molony stars as Alex, craving money to spend for the sake of spending and acquiring "stuff," but making poor choices to get the needed bucks. As he and his partners in crime move from petty thievery to kidnapping (aka pinching) and worse, viewers begin to literally feel Alex's misery. Molony demonstrates an entire repertoire of faces, emotions, and attitudes that are REAL. For me and my friends, the movie is a 10 based on the strength of his acting. In terms of the direction, Dan Glaser scripted some great comedic scenes as well as a few sudden shockers. He crafted cool settings, costuming, and makeup to complement effective montage editing. By casting Molony and some strong supporting characters, this little indie film has the potential to become a cult classic. Indeed, Pinching Penny is one to watch.

I liked the opening bit with the home invasions, but after that, the movie fell apart. Each new character got more and more ridiculous and unbelievable. The characters had no depth and no development.

They mentioned over and over in the story that the main character had an obsession with buying things. Too bad it wasn't shown in the movie. You didn't see or feel it about the character. It wasn't part of him. All you ever saw were a few additional items cluttering the house. It was an entirely unnecessary motive for him without showing it in the character. Hell, it wasn't necessary at all. Why does he need the obsession in the first place? Why can't they simply want money? Isn't that motive enough? It wasn't entirely rotten. A few scenes and characters showed promise. I've seen a lot worse with bigger budgets. I hope his next movie takes my advice. Great movies have deep characters. Forget the plot. Piling on more characters and more plot points don't make it better. Instead, deepen and develop your characters. Make me feel for them. Make them real.

As somebody who knows the filmmakers, I have no problem professing that all the high reviews as of 10.31.11 are from the filmmakers or their friends and family. In fact, they haven't even bothered to type new reviews, but have copied and pasted their previous glorifying comments from Amazon.com.

As for my review; this movie is your standard film student fare. It borrows from dozens of popular movies and makes no original additions of its own. Pinching Penny would be a good movie to watch if you know the people involved or are stoned, drunk, or otherwise mentally incapacitated. If not, I would suggest you don't waste your time.

This is a great movie that should appeal to many viewers on several different levels. The story is interesting and not too far off what could happen to many young people (or older people) as they get sucked deeper into a life of crime and violence. The characters are fascinating and each one has his or her personality that is defining. The message is certainly an important part of the film: important but not overwhelming or distracting. The tone and style of the movie add to the overall power.

I thought the production values were a plus. It's obviously NOT a Hollywood film. It's an independent, early career, well-thought-out visualization. The film travels back and forth between the bright sun scenes and the dark ominous scenes. The camera angles and editing heighten the pace and the off-balance feel of the characters' lives. The music definitely supports the action and the tone.

It IS interesting to read the various OTHER reviews of the film, as obviously some of the reviewers take themselves pretty seriously (particularly the bashers) and seem determined to downgrade the movie.

The bottom line, in my opinion, is that the movie does what I have learned and taught: it moves. It entertains. It tells a story. It carries a message. It grabs the audience and doesn't let go.

I'd say "watch it!"

I attended a screening of Pinching Penny and was blown away by the performances. Lauren Wertz as Penny was totally believable; Tim Meyer was the witty and fun sidekick; Ginny Glaser was the perfect femme fatale; and Steven Molony as the main character, Alex, was utterly mesmerizing, all the way from the clever hilarious opening to the undeniably tragic end. He definitely has great presence, a lovely voice (!), and talent oozing out of his eyeballs. The four main characters interact honestly, which kept me interested all the way through. Wow...the message is clear: Money isn't everything, and one bad thing leads to another! I think this movie WILL be noticed for its introduction of raw new talent to the movie industry. I predict Dan Glaser will be a famed director who reminds us of Aronofsky and Ritchie, but who develops his own unique tradition. As for Steven Molony, I predict he will carve his place in movie star history at the TOP. He is amazing, and I want to see MORE!