Dito Montiel’s “Riff Raff” is among the most off-putting movies I can bear in mind, the form of dangerous film that isn’t so-bad-its-good however genuinely laborious to endure.
That the leads are Ed Harris, Invoice Murray and Jennifer Coolidge, for starters, solely makes the movie’s failure much more miserable.
Interesting newcomer Miles J. Harvey stars and narrates as DJ, a talkative younger man raised by Sandy, his mom (Gabrielle Union) and Vincent, her a lot older husband (Harris). Whereas staying at an remoted house throughout the holidays, DJ and his mother and father discover their quiet retreat interrupted by the arrival of Vincent’s son Rocco (Lewis Pullman), his pregnant girlfriend Marina (Emanuela Postacchin) and Vincent’s unconscious ex-wife Ruth (Coolidge).
It seems that Rocco is on the run from a violent gangster named Leftie (Murray) and Lonnie, his lackey in coaching (Pete Davidson).
“A Information to Recognizing Your Saints” was Montiel’s 2006 directorial debut – along with filmmaking, Montiel reportedly teaches screenwriting at UCLA. The issue with “Riff Raff” isn’t the performances however the screenplay by playwright John Pollono.
This comes throughout like a pastiche of so many different motion pictures that got here earlier than it, starting from “Pulp Fiction” (1994) to “Fargo” (1996) and “The Ref” (1994) and lots of extra.
“Riff Raff” seems like one of many dozens of post-“Pulp Fiction,” Tarantino-wannabe crime comedies that littered a lot of the late 1990’s movie scene. Not all of these violent, self-consciously “hip” shoot n’ quip motion pictures have been dangerous.
Nevertheless, for each “Issues to Do in Denver When You’re Lifeless” (1995), there have been a minimum of three “Suicide Kings” (1997), “Feeling Minnesota” (1996) and “8 Heads in a Duffel Bag” (1997).
What Tarantino completed wasn’t straightforward, he simply made it look and sound that manner. The lengthy line of imitators solely demonstrated that “Pulp Fiction” was form of a miracle, with every part that got here in its path largely horrible.
Contemplating the creator’s background, it comes as no shock that “Riff Raff” seems like a stage play, although seeing it introduced as an unbearable night time of dangerous theater isn’t preferable to the all-star therapy it will get right here. The actors work the fabric, however Pollono retains his story firmly in impartial.
Everybody current is giving performances that remind me of their prior work.
Coolidge is enjoying a washout with an inclination to say some vile issues at random, the form of function she performed much better in Werner Herzog’s “Unhealthy Lieutenant: Port of Name New Orleans” (2009). Harris has given way more impactful depictions of males enduring a public gradual burn and Union deserves higher than showing on this.
Pullman is efficient in a harder function than ordinary, although it oddly jogged my memory of the comedian flip his father Invoice Pullman as soon as gave enjoying a equally impulsive prison in “Ruthless Individuals” (1986).
Murray’s scary portrait of a very harmful man is the most effective purpose to see this, although he was much more intimidating enjoying an analogous lowlife within the vastly underrated “Mad Canine & Glory” (1993). Davidson’s promising scenes with Murray made me want they have been in a distinct, higher film, as a substitute of showing right here sporadically to deliver some wanted menace.
The opposite standout within the supporting solid is Michael Covino, fascinating as Leftie’s rotten-to-the-core son, although his scenes, like all the flashbacks, aren’t actually obligatory.
“Riff Raff” starring Jennifer Coolidge, Ed Harris, Gabrielle Union, Lewis Pullman, Pete Davidson & Invoice Murray – The Poster is Right here! https://t.co/JfV5aT4ZLa pic.twitter.com/J5GEN4gMD0
— Craig Zablo (@CraigZablo) February 8, 2025
As soon as we get to the third act, the place the ensemble solid faces each other in a single location, it ought to all come collectively however simply will get even uglier. The ending is an enormous nothing and the supposed thematic exploration of dysfunctional households is, likewise, an entire bust.
Apart from a visible bit the place one more flashback is continually interrupted by DJ’s needing directions on the best way to function a range, I by no means discovered any of this humorous. Adam Taylor’s rating emulates Howard Shore’s ticking clock theme from Martin Scorsese’s “After Hours” (1985), one more film I wanted I have been watching as a substitute of this one.
“Riff Raff” premiered eventually yr’s Toronto Worldwide Movie Pageant to combined evaluations and missed the awards-heavy winter. When a movie with a solid this good can’t squeeze into the Oscar season, think about {that a} warning.
Right here’s one other one – I really like many of the actors on this however won’t ever watch “Riff Raff” once more.
One Star (Out of 5)
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