SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Lively and inventive but ultimately a letdown when it takes itself too seriously, "Road Kill" has a winner premise -- film student documents life of a killer for hire -- and a talented cast, including Jennifer Rubin ("Screamers") and Erik Palladino ("Can't Hardly Wait") as the leads.
Shot in the summer of 1997, writer-director Matthew Leutwyler's feature debut had its world premiere at the 14th Santa Barbara International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award. "Road Kill" is certainly edgy enough for the tastes of indie distributors, but it's one bumpy ride that ultimately won't win over many moviegoers.
The tone is set in the opening scenes in which slim, short-haired Blue (Rubin) calmly blows away an unidentified man with a gun and silencer. She drives off in her vintage light blue Mustang convertible and inadvertently into the life of Alex (Palladino), an underachieving film student who idolizes Jackie Chan.
The scenes spoofing film school and Palladino's dead-on portrayal of a passionate movie aficionado with boundless enthusiasm and limited brainpower are amusing. But the plot line of Alex owing money to tough guys who re-enact the nose-cutting scene in "Chinatown" on his roommate Lars (Billy Jayne) is the first of several major wrong turns in "Road Kill".
Palladino and Rubin are quite engaging in their early scenes together, when he first learns about lonely neighbor Blue's line of work. She forthrightly tells him all about it -- one indication that her resolve to quit the business is for real. He's at first scared and then pushes her to let him and Lars accompany her on her last hit in Miami.
Soundman Lars and Alex, using a 16mm camera, gradually get a feel for their subject. She gradually reveals more of her history and thoughts as well as chilling details of her profession. While sustaining one's disbelief, the film up to a point is blackly humorous. Then it turns into a horror show, recalling the similarly themed "Man Bites Dog" of several years ago.
One of their destinations is a drinkery with a bartender (Jon Polito) who collects toes, which he puts in glasses for drinkers who like a challenge. Blue's appointment in Miami turns into a minor massacre, with Lars becoming the next contributor to the severed digit collection, while Alex turns into a demonic filmmaker, energized by the real violence going on and encouraging Blue to confront her abusive father (Richard Portnow) in New Orleans.
Blue's revenge quest is a hard-to-watch sequence that further distances one from the characters, but Leutwyler has a rough time overall with the final act, and particularly the ending. What happened to Alex's movie? How did his fellow students and smarmy professor react to this one?
ROAD KILL
RicMar Prods.
in association with Faultline Pictures
Writer-director-editor: Matthew Leutwyler
Producers: Marcie Lestz-Jastrow, Richard Jastrow, T. Michael, Rebecca Taylor
Executive producers: Lindsey Perry, Richard Jastrow
Director of photography: Steve Gainer
Production designer: Grant Fenning
Color/stereo
Cast:
Blue: Jennifer Rubin
Alex: Erik Palladino
Lars: Billy Jayne
Jelly: Jon Polito
Mr. Charboneau: Richard Portnow
Joey: Brian Vander Ark
Mr. Z: Tony Denison
Running time -- 92 minutes
No MPAA rating...
Shot in the summer of 1997, writer-director Matthew Leutwyler's feature debut had its world premiere at the 14th Santa Barbara International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award. "Road Kill" is certainly edgy enough for the tastes of indie distributors, but it's one bumpy ride that ultimately won't win over many moviegoers.
The tone is set in the opening scenes in which slim, short-haired Blue (Rubin) calmly blows away an unidentified man with a gun and silencer. She drives off in her vintage light blue Mustang convertible and inadvertently into the life of Alex (Palladino), an underachieving film student who idolizes Jackie Chan.
The scenes spoofing film school and Palladino's dead-on portrayal of a passionate movie aficionado with boundless enthusiasm and limited brainpower are amusing. But the plot line of Alex owing money to tough guys who re-enact the nose-cutting scene in "Chinatown" on his roommate Lars (Billy Jayne) is the first of several major wrong turns in "Road Kill".
Palladino and Rubin are quite engaging in their early scenes together, when he first learns about lonely neighbor Blue's line of work. She forthrightly tells him all about it -- one indication that her resolve to quit the business is for real. He's at first scared and then pushes her to let him and Lars accompany her on her last hit in Miami.
Soundman Lars and Alex, using a 16mm camera, gradually get a feel for their subject. She gradually reveals more of her history and thoughts as well as chilling details of her profession. While sustaining one's disbelief, the film up to a point is blackly humorous. Then it turns into a horror show, recalling the similarly themed "Man Bites Dog" of several years ago.
One of their destinations is a drinkery with a bartender (Jon Polito) who collects toes, which he puts in glasses for drinkers who like a challenge. Blue's appointment in Miami turns into a minor massacre, with Lars becoming the next contributor to the severed digit collection, while Alex turns into a demonic filmmaker, energized by the real violence going on and encouraging Blue to confront her abusive father (Richard Portnow) in New Orleans.
Blue's revenge quest is a hard-to-watch sequence that further distances one from the characters, but Leutwyler has a rough time overall with the final act, and particularly the ending. What happened to Alex's movie? How did his fellow students and smarmy professor react to this one?
ROAD KILL
RicMar Prods.
in association with Faultline Pictures
Writer-director-editor: Matthew Leutwyler
Producers: Marcie Lestz-Jastrow, Richard Jastrow, T. Michael, Rebecca Taylor
Executive producers: Lindsey Perry, Richard Jastrow
Director of photography: Steve Gainer
Production designer: Grant Fenning
Color/stereo
Cast:
Blue: Jennifer Rubin
Alex: Erik Palladino
Lars: Billy Jayne
Jelly: Jon Polito
Mr. Charboneau: Richard Portnow
Joey: Brian Vander Ark
Mr. Z: Tony Denison
Running time -- 92 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 3/18/1999
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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