Opening 22 Mar 2007
Directed by:
Nick Cassavetes
Writing credits:
Nick Cassavetes
Principal actors:
Bruce Willis, Justin Timberlake, Matthew Barry, Emile Hirsch, Fernando Vargas
In a lush suburban neighborhood of Los Angeles, drug kingpin Sonny Truelove (Bruce Willis) is helping his son Johnny (Emile Hirsch) learn the business. Johnny is owed $1200 from a small-time dealer, Jake (Ben Foster), who enjoys sampling the gear. When Jake cannot pay the debt on demand, Johnny seizes the opportunity to pick up Zack (Anton Yelchin), Jake’s naïve little brother. Zack at just fifteen had escaped out of his bedroom window to avoid a confrontation with his parents.
Zack worships his totally strung out, drunken, addict brother and so tacitly agrees to stay with his kidnappers to help Jake out. Johnny leaves Zack in the care of Frankie (Justin Timberlake), a basically good-hearted rich kid whose daddy generously offers to share his doobies and bimbos. Along with Frankie, Zack parties with slick chicks while they all inhale and imbibe to excess. As time passes, Johnny has second thoughts about the crime he may have committed and after consultation with his lawyer, comes to the absurd conclusion that killing the kid is better that being popped for kidnapping.
Sound like a B-grade film? It would be except for some superb performances by Foster and Timberlake, and the chilling facts – this is a true crime story. (Mary Nyiri)
