For anyone who has ever wondered why there's often no evidence of human life next to those phantom "Maps to Stars' Homes" signs, first-time feature writer-director Miguel Arteta has come up with an intriguing explanation.
His "Star Maps" puts forth the theory that one such Hollywood operation is actually a front for prostitution; that the signs often serve as helpful markers for those seeking the companionship of young Latino men.
Beyond the original premise, however, the rest of Arteta's film is sabotaged by weak, arch writing and some shaky performances.
The provocative, controversial plot line combined with a little Sundance festival buzz will no doubt point the way to some art house business, but it's unlikely "Star Maps" will emerge as the breakthrough hit Fox Searchlight is banking on.
Fresh-faced Douglas Spain, in his feature debut, plays Carlos, an 18-year-old Antonio Banderas wannabe who arrives in Los Angeles from Mexico to join his dysfunctional family and to follow his dreams.
A few obstacles become readily apparent as we discover Carlos' older sister Maria (Lysa Flores) has her hands full with a lazy goofball of a brother (Vincent Chandler) and a mother (Martha Velez) who's making an uncertain recovery from a nervous breakdown. Worse, Carlos is being pimped by his bullying father, Pepe (Efrain Figueroa), who adds the young man to his ring of young male hustlers.
Among his numerous male and female encounters, Carlos meets up with the insatiable Jennifer (Kandeyce Jorden), a popular but bored TV actress who promises him a part on her nighttime soap. As Carlos becomes drawn into her world, his relationship with his abusive father worsens, leading to predictable results.
Arteta serves up an awkward blend of fantasy, dark humor and melodrama that seldom transmits the intended tone. The written characterizations, meanwhile, are cut from stock cloth, and the lack of acting experience of many of the leads doesn't help matters. The notable exceptions are veteran actress-singer Velez as the family's eccentric but ineffectual mother and busy actor Figueroa as the nasty dad, both of whom manage to inject some much-needed shading into the parts.
Flores, meanwhile, who doubles as the picture's musical director, demonstrates an affecting honesty in her acting debut as Carlos' benevolent sister.
On the more satisfying tech end, leading Mexican cinematographer Chuy Chavez does some vivid work on his first U.S. feature, while Flores oversees a generous sampling of rock en Espanol that helps keep the pace percolating.
STAR MAPS
Fox Searchlight
Director-screenwriter:Miguel Arteta
Producer:Matthew Greenfield
Story:Miguel Arteta, Matthew Greenfield
Executive producers:Esther Shapiro, Chris Iovenko, Scott King, Mitchell Kelly, Beth Colt
Director of photography:Chuy Chavez
Editors:Jeff Betancourt, Tom McArdle, Tony Selzer
Production designer:Carol Strober
Musical director:Lysa Flores
Casting:Belinda Gardea
Color/stereo
Cast:
Carlos:Douglas Spain
Pepe:Efrain Figueroa
Jennifer:Kandeyce Jorden
Teresa:Martha Velez
Maria:Lysa Flores
Letti:Annette Murphy
Running time -- 95 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
His "Star Maps" puts forth the theory that one such Hollywood operation is actually a front for prostitution; that the signs often serve as helpful markers for those seeking the companionship of young Latino men.
Beyond the original premise, however, the rest of Arteta's film is sabotaged by weak, arch writing and some shaky performances.
The provocative, controversial plot line combined with a little Sundance festival buzz will no doubt point the way to some art house business, but it's unlikely "Star Maps" will emerge as the breakthrough hit Fox Searchlight is banking on.
Fresh-faced Douglas Spain, in his feature debut, plays Carlos, an 18-year-old Antonio Banderas wannabe who arrives in Los Angeles from Mexico to join his dysfunctional family and to follow his dreams.
A few obstacles become readily apparent as we discover Carlos' older sister Maria (Lysa Flores) has her hands full with a lazy goofball of a brother (Vincent Chandler) and a mother (Martha Velez) who's making an uncertain recovery from a nervous breakdown. Worse, Carlos is being pimped by his bullying father, Pepe (Efrain Figueroa), who adds the young man to his ring of young male hustlers.
Among his numerous male and female encounters, Carlos meets up with the insatiable Jennifer (Kandeyce Jorden), a popular but bored TV actress who promises him a part on her nighttime soap. As Carlos becomes drawn into her world, his relationship with his abusive father worsens, leading to predictable results.
Arteta serves up an awkward blend of fantasy, dark humor and melodrama that seldom transmits the intended tone. The written characterizations, meanwhile, are cut from stock cloth, and the lack of acting experience of many of the leads doesn't help matters. The notable exceptions are veteran actress-singer Velez as the family's eccentric but ineffectual mother and busy actor Figueroa as the nasty dad, both of whom manage to inject some much-needed shading into the parts.
Flores, meanwhile, who doubles as the picture's musical director, demonstrates an affecting honesty in her acting debut as Carlos' benevolent sister.
On the more satisfying tech end, leading Mexican cinematographer Chuy Chavez does some vivid work on his first U.S. feature, while Flores oversees a generous sampling of rock en Espanol that helps keep the pace percolating.
STAR MAPS
Fox Searchlight
Director-screenwriter:Miguel Arteta
Producer:Matthew Greenfield
Story:Miguel Arteta, Matthew Greenfield
Executive producers:Esther Shapiro, Chris Iovenko, Scott King, Mitchell Kelly, Beth Colt
Director of photography:Chuy Chavez
Editors:Jeff Betancourt, Tom McArdle, Tony Selzer
Production designer:Carol Strober
Musical director:Lysa Flores
Casting:Belinda Gardea
Color/stereo
Cast:
Carlos:Douglas Spain
Pepe:Efrain Figueroa
Jennifer:Kandeyce Jorden
Teresa:Martha Velez
Maria:Lysa Flores
Letti:Annette Murphy
Running time -- 95 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 7/23/1997
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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