Review of Neo Ned (2005) by Angela F — 18 Oct 2011

Renner definintely saved this movie. An independent about a skinhead who meets and falls in love with a black girl in a mental institution could go wrong many different ways. It actually held up for most of the way, largely behind Renner, but that ending was just terrible.

Renner has the best guns in Hollywood since Mark Wahlberg. I didn't necessarily like the Hurt Locker, and that was the first time I'd knowingly seen Renner. I've seen him since in The Town where he was solid, and now in this, which was actually pretty good. The guy might just have a future.

Gabby Union really seems to have fallen from her Bad Boys and Bring it On Days. At least those were big movies. She was in another indie preview on this dvd. Wonder why she didn't make it. Not bad on her part either, though Renner definitely stole the show.

Story is not overly bad. Kinda American History X minus a lot of the good stuff. It is a nice character study of Renner's character: this child-like adult just trying to fit in. Tries to be tough to get along, but really is just a caring kid at heart. But whoever devised of such a lousy ending? Truly, I've rarely seen a movie ruined by such an ending.