In his second directorial feature, Larry Clark once again puts us on the hindsight of a group of substandard human beings, which, like his first movie (KIDS), refuses to accentuate plot insomuch as it does character.
Opening, a teen tries to steal money for drugs in a locked up vending machine room. When a vicious guard corners and beats him with a baton he commits his second offense for the night, murder. We see a duo flashback of the guard and another man harming him, which was most likely his dad/step dad or whoever raised him before the current `mother' and `father' figure - a con `couple' (James Woods/Melanie Griffiths).
Under this dismal scenario is another commonplace crime family movie, which is only improved by the tacked on happy ending and the strength of the characters. Vincent Kartheiser makes a very good impression as an incredibility pathetic young man. Natasha Gregson Wagner as his girlfriend will probably only be remembered INO as the daughter of the late Natalie Wood. James Woods never has a problem portraying anti-social lowlives and there were no deficits in that ability here. And Melanie Griffith was so-so (as usual) as Woods' junkie mistress.
Opening, a teen tries to steal money for drugs in a locked up vending machine room. When a vicious guard corners and beats him with a baton he commits his second offense for the night, murder. We see a duo flashback of the guard and another man harming him, which was most likely his dad/step dad or whoever raised him before the current `mother' and `father' figure - a con `couple' (James Woods/Melanie Griffiths).
Under this dismal scenario is another commonplace crime family movie, which is only improved by the tacked on happy ending and the strength of the characters. Vincent Kartheiser makes a very good impression as an incredibility pathetic young man. Natasha Gregson Wagner as his girlfriend will probably only be remembered INO as the daughter of the late Natalie Wood. James Woods never has a problem portraying anti-social lowlives and there were no deficits in that ability here. And Melanie Griffith was so-so (as usual) as Woods' junkie mistress.