Cosmo Vittelli (Ben Gazarra) is a nighclub owner who just finished paying off a debt then promptly goes back into debt. The gangsters he owes money to make him sign some forms. He owes something like 23k but can get rid of it by killing a low level chinese guy who they can't kill but know pretty much everything about how to get to him. He doesn't take the offer, but then takes it because he has no choice, walks up the driveway in plain sight of bodyguards who do nothing, feeds burgers to dogs, walks up some stairs to an unlocked door, and kills the guy. He then leaves after killing a couple bodyguards.
But, twist, the low level chinese guy is actually a high level chinese guy with utterly horrible bodyguards, and he (Cosmo) wasn't meant to survive. But survive he does because he's a badass and the gang decides to just send a couple guys to kill him. They fail, he lives.
Oh yeah, the nightclub is a strip club where some guy sings and women show the occasional boob. The place is packed because, artsy strip club, duh.
Anyway, it ends with him giving an inspirational speech to the strippers, so go out there and get naked... for a couple seconds.
Look, I'm sure I missed some symbolism, or some connection, or some cinematography, or whatever. But the plot is just silly, the pacing is painfully slow, and the artsy strip club makes no sense. Everything I've heard and read from those who like it provide nebulous explanations -- the sort of hand wavy that works for some and not for others. I have hand wavy movies that I love and just really can't explain to others, or it just doesn't convey clearly why I like it. This feels like a movie that has that subset of people and I'm simply not part of the inside group.
3/10 with points for Ben Gazzara, who is great in an otherwise slow and dull movie.
But, twist, the low level chinese guy is actually a high level chinese guy with utterly horrible bodyguards, and he (Cosmo) wasn't meant to survive. But survive he does because he's a badass and the gang decides to just send a couple guys to kill him. They fail, he lives.
Oh yeah, the nightclub is a strip club where some guy sings and women show the occasional boob. The place is packed because, artsy strip club, duh.
Anyway, it ends with him giving an inspirational speech to the strippers, so go out there and get naked... for a couple seconds.
Look, I'm sure I missed some symbolism, or some connection, or some cinematography, or whatever. But the plot is just silly, the pacing is painfully slow, and the artsy strip club makes no sense. Everything I've heard and read from those who like it provide nebulous explanations -- the sort of hand wavy that works for some and not for others. I have hand wavy movies that I love and just really can't explain to others, or it just doesn't convey clearly why I like it. This feels like a movie that has that subset of people and I'm simply not part of the inside group.
3/10 with points for Ben Gazzara, who is great in an otherwise slow and dull movie.