Under Hellgate Bridge

I have to admit that I'm a sucker for movies about New York street life, but that doesn't mean I sit through all of them. This one I did, with pleasure. Under Hellgate Bridge has plenty of the prerequisite grit and guns and that's fine, but it's also got A STORY. Actually a very compelling story. Surprise. Some substance behind the style. It's fun to find yourself actually wondering what's going to happen to these characters instead of wondering how they did that 20 minute dolly shot.

Well shot and terrific acting this film grabs and harnesses the energy of the true New York rough and tough underworld. Director Mike Sergio does a wonderful job capturing New York and proving that these streets should never be emulated anywhere else in the world. Former Another World (my girldfriend watched) actor Michael Rodrick proved that he can definately hold his own on screen with name talent...ie Big Pussy and Uncle Junior from The Sopranos...

I'd say definately worth watching....I heard that it was going to be released on DVD...we'll see.

Why no one has realized Jordan Bayne's talent on a way larger scale is beyond me. The others are good, they have a little ninch in the entertainment 'world' but wow.. Jordan Bayne RULES!

The movie, for it's limited budget, was obviously a work of the heart. It's also obvious, with movies like this, that it shows just who has and who doesn't have talent. These kinds of movies are very telling as to whether a person has a true ability or if they're just a temporary 'flavor of the month'.

I have to admit to being disappointed that the Indy film avenue is letting the more mainstream actors/actresses in on these films. I do not watch movies to see Friends or Tom Cruise's ex wife. I watch Indy films to watch the REAL talent. Someone needs to hit the talent in this line of film actors and actresses with a spotlight because they totally rock.

Ten minutes worth of story stretched out into the better part of two hours. When nothing of any significance had happened at the halfway point I should have left. But, ever hopeful, I stayed. And left with a feeling of guilt for having wasted the time. Acting was OK, but the story line is so transparent and weak. The script is about as lame as it could get, but again, stretching out the ten minute plot doesn't leave a whole lot of room for good dialogue.

This is the type of film that gets shown on early AM cheap cable. It's an inarticulate thug movie disguised as some sort of heavenly message. With the exception of Melia and Brian Vincent, who play convincing junk addicts, the performances are paper-thin, as is Sergio's self-important script. The entire theater audibly moaned in disgust in one particularly revolting scene in which the villain humiliates his wife over a bar table in order to prove a violently brain-dead point to his unarmed enemy. Plot holes and verging on a dozen crying scenes make this movie banal and boring!