I don't normally write reviews, but this film was such a case of wasted potential I can't help myself. In 1994, I was Shapiro's age, 'knew' delivery guys and was in NYC (village area).
The film has a few good moments and some nice visuals and editing, but there are too many unbelievable and aggravating elements that ruined it for me. It could have been an interesting study of pot delivery guys, wiggers, slumming, and class differences. Instead we get Sundance styrofoam.
In brief: 1) There is NO WAY, repeat NO WAY a weed delivery guy would stroll around the city with an ice cream bin full of BRICKS OF WEED. It wouldn't and didn't happen. Even a stoner dealer isn't that dumb. They had backpacks and rode bikes, had a car, or went on foot. Which leads me to my next comment...
2) WHERE ARE THE WEED FRONTS? The film is supposedly 'representin' '94 or whatever. Well, in '94 the East Village was loaded with 'fronts', fake stores that sold pot. That the film left out this detail (which would have been a cool scene) kills it instantly.
3) Awful opening narration. Should have cut it.
4) Film is too long. They should have cut the lame sex scenes and pared off 10-15 minutes.
5) Lose the hip-hop references in the dialog. Just play the soundtrack (which was rather boring btw), we get that Shapiro is a wigger. And speaking of wiggers...
6) The film makes no attempt to 'deal' with Shapiro being a wigger (and a goon, for that matter). It just accepts how he is without any critical viewpoint or anything. This isn't totally a problem, but it would have made the film better.
7) Kingsley's character does too many dangerous and unbelievable things for a rich shrink. NO WAY would he talk back to a drug dealer who is armed, run from cops after being caught tagging, etc. Ridiculous.
8) NO WAY would a dealer like Shapiro have trouble getting laid. The dealers and wiggers I knew all had game. You expect me to believe that Shapiro isn't afraid to deal w/ gun toting drug kingpins, but can't talk to girls? Come on now.
9) Is it a comedy? A drama? A dramedy? I don't know. What irked me was that Kingsley's character is supposed to be moved and changed by Shapiro's mixtape, but in fact that whole plot development comes off as totally phony. This is most revealing at the end when Kingsley says 'Peace out' and it rings hollow, even though the character means it to be sincere. Did the director intend for it to sound hollow? Who knows?
Eh, there's more, but it's time for the old folks to go to bed...peace out!
The film has a few good moments and some nice visuals and editing, but there are too many unbelievable and aggravating elements that ruined it for me. It could have been an interesting study of pot delivery guys, wiggers, slumming, and class differences. Instead we get Sundance styrofoam.
In brief: 1) There is NO WAY, repeat NO WAY a weed delivery guy would stroll around the city with an ice cream bin full of BRICKS OF WEED. It wouldn't and didn't happen. Even a stoner dealer isn't that dumb. They had backpacks and rode bikes, had a car, or went on foot. Which leads me to my next comment...
2) WHERE ARE THE WEED FRONTS? The film is supposedly 'representin' '94 or whatever. Well, in '94 the East Village was loaded with 'fronts', fake stores that sold pot. That the film left out this detail (which would have been a cool scene) kills it instantly.
3) Awful opening narration. Should have cut it.
4) Film is too long. They should have cut the lame sex scenes and pared off 10-15 minutes.
5) Lose the hip-hop references in the dialog. Just play the soundtrack (which was rather boring btw), we get that Shapiro is a wigger. And speaking of wiggers...
6) The film makes no attempt to 'deal' with Shapiro being a wigger (and a goon, for that matter). It just accepts how he is without any critical viewpoint or anything. This isn't totally a problem, but it would have made the film better.
7) Kingsley's character does too many dangerous and unbelievable things for a rich shrink. NO WAY would he talk back to a drug dealer who is armed, run from cops after being caught tagging, etc. Ridiculous.
8) NO WAY would a dealer like Shapiro have trouble getting laid. The dealers and wiggers I knew all had game. You expect me to believe that Shapiro isn't afraid to deal w/ gun toting drug kingpins, but can't talk to girls? Come on now.
9) Is it a comedy? A drama? A dramedy? I don't know. What irked me was that Kingsley's character is supposed to be moved and changed by Shapiro's mixtape, but in fact that whole plot development comes off as totally phony. This is most revealing at the end when Kingsley says 'Peace out' and it rings hollow, even though the character means it to be sincere. Did the director intend for it to sound hollow? Who knows?
Eh, there's more, but it's time for the old folks to go to bed...peace out!