Review of Lymelife (2008) by David M — 05 Jan 2010

Bewildered by the limited choice at the local Redbox recently, I chose this film during a moment of sheer desperation because I had never heard a word about it. So I watched it without any significant expectations.

Not only did I like the film, I was fascinated enough to watch it a second time accompanied with comments by Culkin and the director. The film was shot for a mere 1.5 million dollars, in New Jersey yet.

You'd never know it though. Timothy Hutton, Alec Baldwin and other cast members apparently did the film for little or nothing. The performances were excellent, particularly Hutton's. Not that the performances of other cast members were shabby by any means.

And that's the point, it was the acting that impressed me. If you're looking for an action film, this ain't it. Yes, it's another quintessential "coming of age" story set in suburban America.

Yes, there are some eerily familiar Scorsese like scenes that made me think of Goodfellas and Casino, particularly with regard to the soundtrack. But hey, the executive producer was Scorsese. Whether those scenes were a bow to the master or simply a form of plagiarism, it matters not.

The film is paced well and contained a sufficient number of plot twists to hold my interest. It is also not entirely predictable, primarily due to Martini's clever directorial style. If he can pull off a flick this good for 1.

5 mil, I can't wait to see what he'll do with 50 million.