Speedway Junky
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Movie Reviews of Speedway Junky
Movie Review: Objective/Non-Objective
Summary: 5 Stars
This Movie took me by suprise actually. Even if it may be hard to believe the speed of progression of the events in the Movie, it does overshadow the less observed emotional requisitions of different worldy individuals out there in the world. If you ask me, it's even an uglier world than protrayed which holds to the idea of one persons acceptance and sould (mate) searching.Movie Review: Great Story
Summary: 5 Stars
This was a great movie! I can relate. I highly recommend it.Movie Review: Compelling if imperfect character study
Summary: 4 Stars
This film provides an interesting combination of "name" actors in an independent venture telling an off-beat story of friendship and love. Jesse Bradford (Johnny), Jordan Brower (Eric), and Darryl Hannah (Veronica) give strong performances, while Jonathan Taylor Thomas (Steve) delivers a good performance that is perhaps just a bit too studied to be completely believable. This is JTT's second film dealing with a gay theme (he was previously in Showtime's "Common Ground", playing a gay high-school athlete.) It is certainly enjoyable to see him again playing against type -- in this case taking a hit off a hash pipe and brandishing a cigarette while tossing around the f-word -- but for me there was something missing in his portrait of a streetwise bisexual hustler. Since his character Steve is a supporting player rather than a lead, whatever weaknesses lurk in JTT's work don't affect the overall quality of the film too much. I still like it enough to award it 4 stars. There is much sincerity and craft here.
Indeed, this movie is for the most part excellent. Brower has the most opportunity to show his range as an actor and he takes good advantage of it. His character Eric is gay and in love with the straight Johnny played by Jesse Bradford. Eric knows that his attraction to Johnny is doomed to remain one-sided, and Brower communicates Eric's emotional turmoil about this very effectively. This is especially true in a crucial scene where he finally expresses his feelings to Johnny.
My one quibble is with some clunkiness in the script. There are convenient coincidences that jolt the viewer with their unlikelihood, as when an older man is driving Johnny around town and Johnny finally figures out what the man is after. Johnny jumps out of the car at a random street corner then walks a few paces, only to find Eric seated curbside on a bench. There is no acknowledgement of how strange and lucky this happenstance is -- the characters simply start talking as though they'd been planning to meet up all along.
Another coincidence occurs when one character is out on his own and gets beat up badly, only to awaken days later in another character's apartment. How did this amazing rescue happen to take place? We are expected to believe that another character stumbled upon the unconscious victim and, remembering him from a prior evening, got him to a safe haven.
What I like most about the film is the way it tells the story of Eric's redemption through selfless love. Knowing that sexual consummation is impossible, Eric nonetheless perseveres in his devotion to Johnny. In one scene he even engineers a life-changing experience for Johnny that, as transforming as it is for Johnny, at the same time causes Eric considerable personal pain. Both Eric and Johnny are changed by their friendship in a way that is truly moving. Johnny comes to recognize Eric as the best friend he has ever had, and Eric finds solace in the knowledge that he has for the first time been able to feel a kind of true, selfless love for another person. The characters' growth toward these realizations is well-handled. We are engrossed in what we see as Johnny gradually becomes more street-smart, and we can sympathize with Eric as he lets down his guard and learns to trust his feelings for Johnny. Johnny also comes to understand how Eric feels and is finally capable of returning his affection, if only in his own way.
That said, the ending of the film is something of a disappointment (that clunky script again.) I will not spoil anything here, but suffice to say that the story resorts to a tired plot device that ruined many a gay-themed movie in the 70's and 80's, in what I see as a desperate ploy for the (potentially straight?) audience's deepest sympathies. I wish the writer/director had had more confidence in the ability of the characters to emotionally involve the viewer and spared us the cliched turn of events. This ending did not have to be.
As for "rated-R" content, there is no nudity and sex of the heterosexual type is alluded to more than actually depicted. There is no gay sex shown although it is certainly discussed. Which means that the "R" rating is mainly due to language and adult themes -- a rather tame "R" when considered altogether.
From a technical standpoint, the DVD version of this film renders everything beautifully. Much of the film takes place at night, resulting in a shadowy milieu, but the picture is sharp and clear. In the area of sound, however, problems arise. Spoken dialog seems to be reproduced at a lower level than the background music. As a result I found myself cranking up the volume for many of the dialog scenes, only to have to turn it back down again when the soundtrack kicked in at full force.
Movie Review: AMAZING PERFORMANCE FOR SUCH A YOUNG CAST...
Summary: 4 Stars
In a word...WOW! Speedway Junkie is quite possibly one of the best movies I have ever viewed. As an avid movie buff, I watch movies from many different perspectives. I look for movies that entertain, educate, cover a broad scale of emotions and leave me wanting more from the performance. Rarely do I see a movie that does all of this...Speedway Junkie does!Covering the topic of young hustlers in Las Vegas, Speedway Junkie focuses on the emotional toll this type of lifestyle has on its young victims versus that actual work they are doing. Mixed in is the usual cast of supporting characters that live this life and the newcomer struggling to fit in. Additionally, you have the older veteran who has given up the life and shares past wisdom as they struggle to move on. With a dynamic young cast, Speedway Junkie shines as one of Director, Gus Van Sant's films.
Jonathan Taylor Thomas delivers a strong performance that makes it nearly impossible to remember the "Home Improvement" days. His role is so different from that of the middle child, that it is almost hard to believe it's the same person.
Daryl Hannah also delivers a strong performance as a strung out dancer (Veronica) who is serving in a maternal role for her friends widowed child. She is believable and displays a wide range of emotion in her role.
Jesse Bradford's role as the naive newcomer is the glue that holds the plot together. His portrayal of the innocent "Johnny" truly grabs you from the beginning and makes you want to see him succeed in his mission of getting to N.C.
The star of the film is Jordan Brower in the role of "Eric". By the conclusion of the film, I was so emotionally bought into his character that I actually felt he was someone I needed to help. It is rare that I see a movie where the actor moves me in a way that I can't stop thinking about the film days later. Jordan Brower does this. As I look at well-known stars and the projects that they work on today, I am often taken back to some of their earlier films. It is usually this work that shines as their best!. The acting is real and motivated and has some meaning to the person (actor) other than being a job. Jordan, quite possibly, has done his best work with Speedway Junkie. If you see this movie for any reason, see it for the performance delivered by Jordan in the role of "Eric'.
Overall this is a great movie to see and a very well directed film. Gus Van Sant does a wonderful job with such a rough topic and young talent.
Movie Review: Gripping and Gritty
Summary: 4 Stars
A gripping and somewhat gritty story that draws you in from start to finish. The story begins with Johnny (Jeese Bradford)arriving in Las Vegas after running away from home. He quickly learns that chasing your dream has it consequences. After getting out of a strangers car, he runs into Eric (Jordan Brower). From that point on, a remarkable and compelling friendship develops between the two. Both Bradford and Brower deliver solid and emotionally powerful performances. Unfortunately, implausible events and other fringe element characters become less of a backdrop, and more centralized to the story and it's dramatic conclusion (the only reason I gave it 4 stars vs.5 stars). At the midpoint of the movie, Eric asks his surrogate mom (Daryl Hannah) for a favor. The emotional impact this favor has on Eric is riviting, especially given the fact that Eric comes to realize that his love for Johnny will likley not be returned in the same way. As Johnny and Eric grow closer and become true friends, the fringe elements cause a somewhat implausibe situation to occur, leading to the movies powerful and emotionally jarring climax. The movie stays in your head long after it is over. The movies dramatic climax is compelling and gritty, with thematic cinemetography (shades of Brian Depalma and Alfred Hitchcock). Absolutely splendid. Fringe elements aside, the movie is thought provoking, provacative, and compelling. Highly recommended viewing.
The picture quality of the DVD is excellent and clear, but some of the dialogue is hard to discern even with a higher end home theater system (have your volume control nearby while watching the movie).