The film, which closed out the 2006 Sundance film festival, is based on the true story of twentysomething drug dealer Jesse James Hollywood and a kidnapping that goes sour. After a deadbeat (Jake Mazursky - played by Ben Foster) doesn't pay up, drug dealer Johnny Truelove (Hirsch) attempts to "rough him up". However, he falls short in getting his message across and Mazursky retaliates by later breaking into Truelove's home. In the escalating cycle, Truelove kidnaps Mazursky's brother and that's where the story really takes off. Featuring powerful performances by Sharron Stone and Ben Foster (and a surprisingly solid one from Justin Timberlake), I found the movie to be a pretty fun ride and a well-done indictment of the selfish mentality that befalls a generation of kids with too much money and time on their hands that watch too much MTV.
The biggest qualm the critics seem to have is how exploitive the film is, with its rampant drug use and t'n'a, even calling the film an "LA Exploitation Film". However, these types of comments, while not exactly unfounded, are misplaced. These "exploitive" elements are actually quite integral to the story, as they show the depravity of these kids, so I have to disagree with them.
Anyway, I liked it.
The biggest qualm the critics seem to have is how exploitive the film is, with its rampant drug use and t'n'a, even calling the film an "LA Exploitation Film". However, these types of comments, while not exactly unfounded, are misplaced. These "exploitive" elements are actually quite integral to the story, as they show the depravity of these kids, so I have to disagree with them.
Anyway, I liked it.