:
Vincent Gallo,
Vincent Gallo,
Christina Ricci,
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:
Vincent Gallo,
Vincent Gallo
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: Universal Studios
: Independent, Crime, Dysfunctional Families, Quest, Road Movies
: 109 min.
: English
: English, Spanish
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Actor Vincent Gallo (The Funeral, Palookaville) made his feature directorial debut with this drama about convict Billy Brown (Gallo), released after half a decade spent behind bars. Drifting into downtown Buffalo, Billy kidnaps teen Layla (Christina Ricci) and has her pose as his loving wife when he visits his parents (Ben Gazzara and Anjelica Huston). Layla praises him and goes along with his fanciful tale that they met at CIA headquarters, where they both worked. Mom and dad not only fall for this, they are entranced by Layla, who soon begins to embellish her act. When she claims to be pregnant by Billy, he hustles her out to a bowling alley and on to a restaurant, where they run into trampy Wendy (Rosanna Arquette), who might be Billy's former girlfriend. Eventually, Billy seems ready to track down and kill the person he feels was responsible for his five years in the slammer. Shown at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
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| there's much beneath the surface of the story
by SDerian
January 3, 2007 - 9:22 PM PST
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3 out of 3 members found this review helpful
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I couldn't stand reading the AMG synopsis so much that I had to write a review of Buffalo '66, which happens to be one of my favorites. It's a movie where you may see Gallo's choices as odd the first time watching it, but by the 7th or 8th time, you know they are the best choices.
The script is incredibly gifted with all sorts of memorable lines. I think it will be an often-quoted movie later in years to come, much like Taxi Driver is now. I have searched the memorable quotes on the 'Net and found people using them on their sites and profile pages.
It's a movie for people who've known what it is like to be in a strange, yet brief, relationship with at least one person in life whom has kept them at arms length, yet they never want to be left alone.
There's a reason why you meet each character and why you see them doing what they're doing. It's not easily observed in the first viewing until you have seen it all the way through. You get a sense that nearly everyone Gallo shows you may have peaked in their life long ago and now they just hope they can be useful or are blind to their uselessness.
Eight songs by Vincent Gallo are also featured in the movie; great soundtrack choices to use the band Yes and King Crimson, too.
I just found myself throughout each viewing of the film with hopes that Billy and Layla won't try too hard to accomplish a lot of stuff together. If they can just keep it simple, everything should be fine.
Gallo wrote some of the best roles that will sadly be underrated moments in the careers of Christina Ricci, Angelica Huston, and Ben Gazzara. I think there is also a cameo by Jimmy Kimmel's Uncle Frank as The Donut Clerk? I swear it is him but the credit in the end credits is "Manny Fried" so maybe this is the name he used because it was a non-union role. Having said that, a non-credited role played by Kevin Corrigan must not go without mention. He is one of the best standout actors outside of the leads in the film and I look forward to his scenes each time I watch Buffalo '66. |
| Of jump cuts and psycho-babble
by beckricci
November 6, 2004 - 8:31 PM PST
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4 out of 6 members found this review helpful
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| A perfect amalgamation of Godard and Cassavetes. Gallo creates a perfect underdog persona, the likes which has not been seen since Woody Allen. The film is somewhat affected, like a fake French accent. (this may be the first film that features both Method acting and Method direction.) But Gallo keeps things light with his own brand of self-hating ultra-American humor. Even if you find him to be a little too old and late to grab James Dean's crown, his handling of actors deserves special mention. Ricci, Gazzara, Huston (and in smaller roles: Mickey Rourke, Rosanna Arquette and Jan-Michael Vincent) make full fleshed characters out the half remembered memories and symbols in the script. |
| Don't waste your time
by mason
June 15, 2003 - 5:51 PM PDT
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3 out of 27 members found this review helpful
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| Well, I can see why Gallo's most recent film was called one of the worst to ever grace the screens at Cannes. If it was anything like this one, I hope nobody wasted their time watching the whole thing. I admit that I didn't make it through this one, and I'm a fairly patient viewer. Gallo's character was dislikable from the start, and worse than that I didn't care in the least what happened to him. Ricci's character didn't make any sense at all, and didn't seem to have any personality either. After the initial brief promise of having some content to it, things just went from bad to worse, and I had to stop. It takes a lot for me to ditch a film partway through, so...beware. |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 7.11)
359 Votes
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