Boogie Boy (1998) User Reviews

has (some of) the ingredients but not the right mixture

[Quinoa1984 · 5/10 · 7 April 2010]

It may be of some significance to note that the front of the box boasts "From the Academy Award Winning Co-Writer of Pulp Fiction", which is a white lie as it only boasts Roger Avary as executive producer. But writer/director Craig Hamann does come out of the same group that Tarantino did, which was the Video Archives store that they all worked at, and in the mid 80's Hamann and Tarantino collaborated on the aborted feature-film project My Best Friends Birthday. So while Boogie Boy may appear to be a very pale knockoff of something from the Tarantino-verse (drug deal gone bad, bad-looking hit-men, some friendship stuff gone awry, weird supporting characters), it would seem to be more natural a thing to come out of Hamann than just cashing in. It was his feature film debut as director, and he probably carried some of those memories from the days of watching genre movies with the likes of Tarantino and Avary.

Sadly, Hamann's career didn't even turn out as good as Avary's much less Tarantino's, and after Boogie Boy Hamann's credits are basically non-existent. Maybe something happened during this production, or perhaps due to the lack of actual distribution (it's a straight-to-video looking thing right from the cover, and the eighteen minutes of previews on the VHS tape I saw confirm its uber-B-movieness). It isn't a completely bad premise, just a little tired: a guy gets out of prison, meets up with his old buddy from the inside (the two watched each others back to make sure neither was raped or beat up too bad), but the old buddy is a heroin addict, the other guy is clean and wants to move on to be a drummer after an impromptu performance in Joan Jett's band (yeah, she's not named Joan Jett, but she basically plays herself).

As it turns out though, Jesse goes along with Larry reluctantly on a drug deal, which goes bad and Jesse has to take out the baddie druggers. Jesse and Larry go on the run and hide out at some desert motel with two deadbeat weirdos (one of whom very strangely, though not funny-strange, by Frederic Forrest). That's the premise the movie rests on, and it's not very original. And for a film like this, it asks to have some strong characters, or just people that might be striking or different or have some kind of conflict that can resonate. Jesse and Larry, as played by Mark Dacascos and Jaimz Woolvett, don't really progress much from start to finish: Jesse leaves the high-and-mighty rehabilitated prisoner (albeit rather agile killer if need be, like a drummer ninja), and Larry leaves still a burnt-out-dead-end druggie. As for other characters, they either turn up dead or just... I don't know.

The characters aren't developed much past their initial impressions, and the dialog, while competently written and on occasion clever and witty, doesn't come anywhere near to the standard that Hamann's former Video Archives buddies could come up with. It carries some powerful scenes in fits and starts, but just when it looks like the actors (mostly Woolvett as Badascos is really stiff) could carry it somewhere else interesting, it stalls into formula, or weird asides with Frederic Forrest who looks like he just wanted some time in the sun (he only has one halfway convincing scene towards the end when he talks about how he came across a bunch of money).

And yet, for all of the faults in the film, mostly due to a lack of ambition if not some creativity (Hamann, like QT, is an Elvis fan thoroughly, which is a nice touch), I wish Hamann had made some more films. Between this and My Best Friend's Birthday, he doesn't shine out like a great auteur, but there are sparks that speak to an original talent just waiting to develop. Sadly, this doesn't really do it though. 5.5/10

Intense drama with a strong screenplay, strong cast

[Homer-59 · 12 May 1999]

Since Pulp Fiction, you haven't been able to throw a rock without hitting a video box emblazoned with such hyperbole as "more stunning than Pulp Fiction", "in the spirit of Pulp Fiction" and so on (and on). So it is tempting to ignore BOOGIE BOY, what with its box featuring a very familiar image of a tough guy wielding a pistol, plus the blurb "from the Producer of Pulp Fiction". But to pass up this film would be a big mistake. While it is true that BOOGIE BOY does ALMOST fit into the subgenre of Tarantino-esqe action films that have sprung up in recent years, it has an originality and a soul to its story that the Pulp-wannabes on the shelf have no idea how to achieve. Screenwriter/director Craig Hamann presents a world so dirty, so mean, so grounded in reality, that the viewer slowly slips into the story, not immediately realizing that he is being told a tale of almost operatic drama. Elements of good and evil, betrayal and hope, all unfold neatly, aided by the characters, both mundane and off-the-wall, who turn the protagonist's attempt at redemption into an almost Oz-like journey. Viewers wanting a mindless action film should look elsewhere, as there are no car chases or tacked-on gun battles here. The violence in the film is strictly rooted to the story being told, and when it surfaces it is sudden, swift, and brutal, with none of the sanitization or sensationalization that big-budget films so inappropriately prefer. Also present is a strong anti-drug message, delivered without any traditional Hollywood preachy moralizing. Instead, the almost tangible misery involved in the daily lives of several of the characters speaks much more eloquently on the subject. No one will ever mistake any of the drug use scenes in this film of being glamorous.

Craig Hamann, working with a small budget and a cast of mainly less well-known actors (Fredric Forrest being the main exception), has put together a film in which drama and action blend smoothly. It's a production ambitious but without pretention, which sets out to tell its story simply but with style, and succeeds admirably. BOOGIE BOY is a thriller that doesn't let go, and a must-see for viewers who don't mind a little thinking included in an evening's entertainment. One can only hope to see more from the talented Mr. Hamann, as he shows all the signs of being a filmmaker who doesn't feel it necessary to pander to his audience. The Hollywood film community could use more like him.

Too low rent to care

[Leofwine_draca · 3/10 · 17 July 2020]

BOOGIE BOY is a very low rent thriller and another example of Mark Dacascos and his lack of discernment when it comes to choosing the right material. It's a film that never really gets off the ground despite the violence inherent in the premise and the regular scenes of brutality and conflict that make up the narrative. Dacascos plays a guy fresh out of prison who falls in with some old gang members and a femme fatale, only for things to go very bad indeed. Dacascos himself is fine in the role and British actress Emily Lloyd isn't bad in an against-type part, but when the writing and direction are this poor you'll struggle to sit through it.

Too-familiar tale of low-life drug users and dealers

[moonspinner55 · 2/10 · 5 June 2017]

Craig Hamann wrote and directed this meandering, F-bomb-heavy low-budget action-drama involving a recently-paroled kid in Los Angeles who steps out of prison and immediately into trouble when a close buddy pulls him back into the drug-dealing life. The eclectic cast (including former porn-star Traci Lords, former 'serious actress' Emily Lloyd, rock star Joan Jett as a bar band singer and Frederic Forrest as a burnt-out desert hippie, the kind of role Dennis Hopper used to specialize in) give mostly amateurish performances, which is entirely the fault of Hamann the screenwriter, whose florid dialogue never contains the ring of truth. The scenario has been sexually neutered--reportedly at the request of the film's skittish distributors--though what's left is truly offensive, beginning with a collection of trash-talking junkie characters one would cross the street to avoid. Hamann's occasional artistic attributes behind the camera show a potentially intriguing new talent, but his own flimsy, derivative material ultimately defeats him. *1/2 from ****

Crap

[craigstinchcombe410 · 3/10 · 15 January 2021]

Well what can I say but give it a Miss if you know what is good for you

Mark Dacascos gives his strongest acting performance ever.

[Edsel-2 · 10/10 · 13 May 1999]

BOOGIE BOY is an engrossing character study that is gritty, realistic yet stylish, very well acted, written and directed. It's possible that some people will buy or rent this movie looking for non-stop action, and perhaps they will be disappointed. However, for those who simply are looking to watch a quality film with a good story and interesting characters, this film is a must see. Mark Dacascos gives his strongest acting performance ever.

Excellent character study from Craig Hamman

[cultcuts · 10/10 · 2 January 2002]

Jesse is starting a new leaf. Fresh from prison and a lifestyle of drugs and crime, Jesse is drifting and searching for any meaning of existence for the straight and narrow life, anything to cling to even if it is meager in order to put his past behind him. Unfortunately for him, the bonds of loyalty, friendship and morals just won't let him. This driving force is the basic premise that ties the lives of several people during a decisive 24-hour period in Craig Hamann's excellent and well-executed character study.

PLOT Within a few months of his release, Jesse (Mark Dacascos) travels to L.A. to hook up a visit with his old cellmate and friend Larry (Jaimz Woolvett). Larry, simply, doesn't really have his life together, but his addiction tells him otherwise. It doesn't take long before Jesse realizes the potential of being in a bad situation as he meets the rest of Larry's crew and makes it clear to his friend that this is only a visit and will be on his way. Larry takes advantage of their friendship that night by setting up a drug deal with some young yuppie kids and having Jesse, while on a natural high from getting an offer to play drums in a band (Joan Jett as JERK), to back him and his pals up during the tradeoff. The deal goes bad and Jesse ends up killing the yuppies in self-defense when he discovers the whole deal is a setup. Everyone is soon on the run, as the yuppies happen to have older brothers who run a real underground organization. From here on out Jesse and Larry take to the road where they run into some extremely eccentric characters and the truth behind their own lives and motivations.

While the framework of this story works well to lead to a violent, tense and well-executed solution, the real core of the story is with the dramatic elements of the characters. Writer and Director Craig Hamann successfully manages to pull off intricate and interesting characters within a very bleak and dirty foray of drug use rather than resorting to one dimensional cardboard characters. Acting wise, the real winner here is Mark Dacascos, who manages to prove that he has more behind his expressive eyes than just a violent action hero machine ala Van Damme or Steve Segall. Dacascos is a truly talented actor that is usually wasted within the horrible straight to video action genre. A role such as this is truly a showcase of his talents. Everyone else does an excellent job as well with standouts by Jaimz Woolvett as Larry, Traci Lords as a drug addicted Scream Queen, Joan Jett doing what she does best screaming into the mike with an attitude and a star turning performance by Frederic Forrest (Chef from Apocalypse Now) as a very strange loner with his own secrets to hide. In fact the performances and written characters played by Forrest and his "wife" Emily Lloyd (turning in a very sexy yet bizarre act) have enough depth to carry off their own whole feature.

For all you homophobes, yes, there is a homosexual subtext to the film between Jesse and Larry but it is only implied not shown and if you find that offensive then most likely you would be happier watching a brain-dead action film. In fact the subtext, while daring, is an excellent voice behind the two characters as one desperately tries to hold onto the past while the other seeks for some sort of normal existence. There is an honesty here within the characters that will leave you thinking well after the movie ends.

Overall, within the frames of the violence, action, road film attitude, eccentric characters, drug use and other aspects of the film, is a witty and realistic study of human nature. It counts. It is dramatic. Powerful

A pleasant surprise.

[bayou52 · 9/10 · 22 December 2000]

I gave this movie a 9 relative to the genre into which it falls rather than in comparisons to movies in general. I am a writer and currently viewing "gay themed" movies as research for a novel I'm working on. I have to disagree with "Moviemkr" on all counts. As a "storymkr" it was the tale itself that appealed to me the most. As far as story and plot (writer's vernacular much misused and misunderstood) I thought it had plenty of both. It was a neat little story of two men attempting to recapture love which started under artificial circumstances (prison) each having undergone changes since separating, that make an already improbable reunion impossible. It was well paced and without unnecessary artifact (even the violent scenes were muted with most of the gore off camera) and came to a satisfying climax and resolution. Nothing profound here but good tight story telling with few goofs. There is even a smattering of redemption and the gay twist makes this story stand out among others of it's kind. I thought the acting was right on. Dracascos and Wolvett portrayed well the hopeless, violent, volatile and desperate nature of life drenched in illegal drug dealing and addiction. Wolvett was particularly convincing as the drug addicted Larry going through bouts of withdrawal when a fix wasn't apparent. That the two men loved each other was obvious (their downplayed but touchingly familiar displays of physical affection true to character) but, sadly, so was the unlikelihood of the reunion each had hoped for--and no doubt dreamed of.

A cool film:

[Rick-135 · 31 December 1998]

I liked Boogie boy a lot. I think it was a good film. It did have a plot. It was about friendship and loyalty as well as drugs. Mark Dacascos was pretty good but I think Jaimz Woolvett was even better,but Joan Jett was by far the one who was really doing the best acting. She was very good with her small little part and I think many who see this film will remember her more then they will remember the two leads. I also really enjoyed the movie's soundtrack.

A intense, often unpredictable thriller.

[carlmckie · 8/10 · 30 March 2005]

Being an old movie, you could get this title for quite cheap. I recommend you go out and buy it, if you are into thrillers. The plot is very well written, with lots of twists and strange happenings throughout the movie. Some of the camera pans can seem to be a bit below par at times, but other than this, the movie deserves a thumbs up.

Mid way through the movie, you will not know what is going on with some of the characters, but all is revealed at the end. The ending to the film is quite good, but it leaves you wanting more. I think this is what the director wanted people to think.

Without a doubt, in my opinion Boogie Boy deserves a well earned 8/10.

Intriguing

[Detas · 9/10 · 19 December 1998]

Dacascos is one of my favorite actors, and he did a great job as a reformed drug dealer. Boogie Boy was an interesting movie that delved into the world of drug dealing and the horrible reality that it is. It had interesting characters, intense fight scenes and a couple of cool plot twists.

Requires more than one sitting to get through this ?!?!

[Moviemkr · 7 December 1998]

No plot. No story. And not much acting. Pointless scenes of drug use, band concerts, motorcycle riding, and a lot of worthless dialogue made me wanna dive head first off my balcony. Thank goodness my friend wanted to check in on the football game that was on TV, so we could stop this movie, often, very often and watch some of the game. As a HUGE Mark Dacascas fan.. this is very disappointing. Much like the Crow TV series.

Average Film, a little Confused?

[Kitty Grrrowl · 20 March 2000]

Boogie Boy begins with the kind of idea that could either descend into mindless violence or squishy feel-good moralising. Instead, it does neither, prefering to sit on the fence the entire duration. It's a shame that someone along the line didn't take a chance and make a film that might have been *shock, horror* CONTROVERSIAL. The relationship between the two main characters is never more than hinted at, they always introduce each other as "friends" and as they progress along the path to "Clean Living", "A Fresh Start" etc etc they encounter similarly confused characters. View Hester, Emily Llyod's ditzy hair-twirling rip-off of Juliette Lewis in Kalifornia. When Hesters true colours show, and she turns into the hard, greedy bitch trying to run out with her nondescript husbands' winnings from a bet, she doesn't quite manage to give it the manipulativeness that I feel is trying to come across. She isn't quite nasty enough to have you believe in the change. But which one's the real her!? Actually, returning to Kalifornia, the fine road-movie serial killer tale of David Duchovny and his snobby girlfriend, the whole idea of the motel seems to have been lifted wholesale. A few tweaks here and there, but nonetheless the feeling is that empty wasteland, no way back kind of vibe that was one of the strongest atmospheres in Kalifornia. Maybe it's unfair to compare the two, but Boogie Boy seems to be all frills and no substance... something under the surface isn't quite sincere enough, not quite substantial enough to ring true. Unconvincing, Bland, the worst flaw is the characterisation. A fair enough film with some good ideas, nothing stunning. Watch it if there's nothing else

I'm all for gay subtext, but...

[Tulse-2 · 12 November 1999]

...this movie is so confused it goes from good-bad to bad-bad quite early on. The sexual relationship between the two male leads would have been interesting if explored. Am I the only one who thought the lead (Mark Decascos?) was gay and struggling with his sexuality???