My review was written in June 1991 after a screening in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood.
Lou Diamond Phillips wrote an indulgent vehicle for himself to play heavy in "Ambition". Poorly paced thriller is strictly for Phillips' video fans, though Miramax is according it a theatrical release first.
Pic's original tag "Mind Game" better describes its contents. Phillips portrays aspiring novelist Mitchell Osgood, whose first tome about his Filipino dad (Haing S. Ngor, Oscar-winner for "The Killing Fields") has gone unsold.
He wants to write about mass murderer Albert Merrick (Clancy Brown), but instead he hires the recent parolee to work in his L. A. bookstore.
Osborn is soon revealed as a nogoodnik, manipulating Merrick to bring back his psychosis. Poorly paced film (edited by director Scott D. Goldstein) takes several reels to come to the point: Osgood is setting up Merrick to murder his kvetching dad (Ngor).
While watching a slime take over a weak-willed individual, a la Pinter's "The Servant", has some interest, this ic is too low-key to inolve most viewers. Scene of Phillips reuniting Brown with his mom (Grace Zabriskie) in a restaurant is obviously "acted" rather than an organic extension of the story.
Philliops, as an unconvincing villain. Most often seems to be an actor in a vanity production. Brown, a hulking actor born to play Lennie in "Of Mice and Men", is okay in the psycho role.
Cecilia Peck (Gregory Peck's daughter) is stuck with the nothing part of Osgood's girlfriend. Best acting is by Willard Pugh, providing comic relief as a bookstore assistant. Cast, includng Richard Bradford as a parole officer and Katherine Armstrong as a prostitute, is underutilized. Production values are meager.
Lou Diamond Phillips wrote an indulgent vehicle for himself to play heavy in "Ambition". Poorly paced thriller is strictly for Phillips' video fans, though Miramax is according it a theatrical release first.
Pic's original tag "Mind Game" better describes its contents. Phillips portrays aspiring novelist Mitchell Osgood, whose first tome about his Filipino dad (Haing S. Ngor, Oscar-winner for "The Killing Fields") has gone unsold.
He wants to write about mass murderer Albert Merrick (Clancy Brown), but instead he hires the recent parolee to work in his L. A. bookstore.
Osborn is soon revealed as a nogoodnik, manipulating Merrick to bring back his psychosis. Poorly paced film (edited by director Scott D. Goldstein) takes several reels to come to the point: Osgood is setting up Merrick to murder his kvetching dad (Ngor).
While watching a slime take over a weak-willed individual, a la Pinter's "The Servant", has some interest, this ic is too low-key to inolve most viewers. Scene of Phillips reuniting Brown with his mom (Grace Zabriskie) in a restaurant is obviously "acted" rather than an organic extension of the story.
Philliops, as an unconvincing villain. Most often seems to be an actor in a vanity production. Brown, a hulking actor born to play Lennie in "Of Mice and Men", is okay in the psycho role.
Cecilia Peck (Gregory Peck's daughter) is stuck with the nothing part of Osgood's girlfriend. Best acting is by Willard Pugh, providing comic relief as a bookstore assistant. Cast, includng Richard Bradford as a parole officer and Katherine Armstrong as a prostitute, is underutilized. Production values are meager.