Speedway Junky
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Movie Reviews of Speedway Junky
Movie Review: Interesting & disappointing appetizer, but not a whole meal
Summary: 2 Stars
Speedway Junky is an indie film and as such I think we need to provide some latitude with regard to a rating scale. That said, the script of an independent film does not need to be given any latitude. Such is the case with this film. The young actors who carry this film are doing their level best to make this an engaging film - and to their credit, that much happens. In fact, the acting here is far better than many much higher profile films.Jesse Bradford (of Hackers and Clockstoppers) is a teenager who's run away from home to become a race car driver in Charlotte, NC (thus the title of the film). He makes it to Las Vegas where (fairly believably) he expects to strike it rich and finance the rest of his trip to NC. Of course, he is ripped off and forced to stay in Vegas and basically live on the street. Then he meets Eric (Jordan Brower), whom he doesn't realize is an underage male prostitute. He and Eric become friends and he begins living in Eric's (is it an abandoned building or is it just a really seedy weekly hotel?) place.
Apparently here is where the story begins to get hackneyed and disjointed. Of course, you can ultimately follow the story, but it just doesn't have the flow necessary to keep the tensions high when they need to be, nor the emotions steady when they need to be.
Eric, of course, is a cute as a bug, clean cut, non-drug using, prostitute with a heart of gold (aren't they all?). He falls for Bradford, but Bradford isn't gay (he later divulges that he is in fact a virgin - period. Eric hangs out with a group of other teen boys and girls (are they all prostitutes and thieves or just some of them?). To the credit of the screenwriter, the "leading" kids are unique and identifiable.
Jonathon Taylor Thomas (of Home Improvement fame) shows up as a slick smoothe "buy"sexual ("if you buy him something nice, he'll have sex with you") streetwalker. Just what this capable actor is doing in this film is unknown. He is good in the part, what there is of it, but either he or the screenwriter, or the editor decided to make his character vague and lackluster. Thomas is the villain of the piece and as such we should know more about him, but we don't.
Darryl Hanna shows up as a former female prostitute with a heart of gold, dating a cop, and who just happens to be the best friend of Eric's mother who abandoned him (got all that?). I've always thought that Hanna was an "actor-lite," and I've never been sure how she managed to get as many parts as she has. Here, in a fairly creepy scene (Hanna's pushing 40 isn't she?) she "deflowers" our little star, Bradford, as a favor for her little buddy Eric, who goes nuts over the thought that Bradford is having sex with someone other than him. To his credit, Brower, makes his young character believable and charismatic.
I won't go farther in detailing the plot, because it does have a touching and interesting "twist" in it, but it is one that you've seen before in dozens of films of similar genre (Sharkey's Machine, My Own Private Idaho, and any other film where there is a good-hearted hooker in love with a respectable person).
It's not that this is a BAD film, because it's not. In fact, I think with a better edit job, the film could be much better. With a beefier script and editor, it could be supremely better.
Make no mistakes: this is a drama and a slow one. However, the performances make it worth watching, even if the script is lacking.
I do recommend this film, because it is far better than many other "gay" genre or prostitute genre films such as "No One Sleeps" (or any other film Wolf Video). In fact, Gus Van Sant, as executive producer, seems to have had a hand in aspects of the film.
Check it out, but don't expect it to be a fully satisfying venture.
Movie Review: Never quite believable
Summary: 2 Stars
Despite gritty subject matter, an attractive and competent young cast, and Gus Van Sant as executive producer, this film never quite comes together. Johnny, a naive 18 year old with dreams of becoming a race-car driver, finds himself alone and penniless in Las Vegas. He is taken in by a gay hustler named Eric and his unofficial adopted mother, and begins hustling himself in order to make enough money to finance his trip to North Carolina. During his stay, he learns the ropes of prostitution, meets plenty of strange and unsavory characters, and develops ambiguous feelings for Eric, who is in love with him. Unfortunately, neither the story or the characters are ever really quite believable, especially the unrequited love between Johnny and Eric. The problem may be that the film can't seem to decide whether it wants to be gritty and realistic or surreal and over-the-top. For a far superior portrayal of prostitution and ambiguous male sexuality, I'd recommend Gus Van Sant's own excellent "My Own Private Idaho".Movie Review: Misses it's mark by a longshot.......
Summary: 2 Stars
This movie is not that good. There are plenty of reviews that describe perfectly where this movie fails and where it succeeds.
Unfortunately; it fails more often than not.
There are good performances mixed with bad performances- cliches mixed with some truth- and a weak script with a few high points.
Overall, the film just isn't edgy or honest enough. The characters and performances (with the exception of Jordon Brower) just arent fleshed out realistically ...and others are just downright annoying.
One review states that this movie should be watched with the directors commentary on. I think I may give that a try....since I've already suffered through the film itself.
For everyone else out considering this movie...."SpeedWay Junkie" is worth passing on more than it is worth watching.
Movie Review: Typical outcome
Summary: 2 Stars
I wanted to like this movie. And I did like the actors and the technical aspects, but the story...the story is typical Hollywood. I always ask myself after seeing a movie, "what have I gained by watching this movie?' I also asked myself "what did the characters gain from living out the story in the movie?"
My answer to both questions is pretty much the same. Johnny, the boy who wants to be a racecar driver, would have been better off if he never stopped in Las Vegas. Johnny makes it to North Carolina despite the people and experiences of Las Vegas...and that's a miracle. I'm all for new and unusual experiences, but this movie and it's story is best viewed once and forgotten.
Movie Review: Typical inane movie that barely entertains
Summary: 2 Stars
Skip this movie if you're looking for characters with depth and a film that doesn't delve into the stereotypical "young kids hate older guys" kind of fare. So much of this movie grated me I found it tough to watch the whole thing. The fact that the ending is predictable doesn't help redeem it in the end. This movie accomplishes nothing and only gets 2 stars because the dialogue between the gay and straight guy was fairly believable. Other than this, this is a can miss.