Like so many featured in it, I would have never known this film existed if I didn't read the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, it is also interesting to be directed by, written by and starring Vincent Gallo, who I had never heard of before. Basically Billy Brown (Gallo) has been released from prison after serving five years for a crime he did not commit, he has a dilemma though as he has told his parents, father Jimmy (Ben Gazzara) and mother Jan (Anjelica Huston), that he is married with a successful career. The first thing he is trying to do is find a place to pee, being very desperate, and he finally finds that running into a dance studio during a tap dancing lesson. With what he has told his parents in mind, he winds up kidnapping young tap dance student Layla (Christina Ricci), forcing her of course to drive him where he wants to go, change her name and of course pretend to be his wife. Billy's only instructions are to make him look in front of the parents, and she allows herself to go with everything he says, and Jimmy and Jan enjoy their dinner with their son and his pretend wife. But is apparent she is not just helping him out however she can, this also includes later having some photos taken together, but Layla may in fact truly find some attraction towards Billy, even with his objections not to touch him intimately. The subplot of the story, seen in some flashbacks, is that Billy went to jail because he lost a large cash bet on the Super Bowl XXV, Buffalo Bills against the New York Giants, in 1991, and he wants revenge on the man indirectly responsible, Scott Woods (Bob Wahl). Billy is struggling against these demons, chronic loneliness and his severe depression, but eventually he does slowly open up and give in to his feelings with Layla, in the end there is some form of resolution. Also starring Mickey Rourke as The Bookie, Rosanna Arquette as Wendy Balsam, Jan-Michael Vincent as Sonny, Kevin Pollak as TV Sportscaster, Alex Karras as TV Sportscaster and Kevin Corrigan as Rocky the Goon. Gallo has created an inventive and intriguing story, and directs the film is very stylistic fashion, but of course it is his on screen presence that is best, being an unlikeable but sympathetic character, as well as the beautiful Ricci being just as compelling as the one who is falling for him, a dark and unusual drama. Very good!
Review of Buffalo '66
