Reviewed by Shane Roberts

Screening in the 2007 New Zealand International Film Festival
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Genres
Crime
Drama

2006
Written and Directed by
Dito Montiel 
Cast
Robert Downey Jr. - Dito
Shia LeBouf - Young Dito
Dianne Wiest -  Flori
Chazz Palminteri - Monty
Rosario Dawson - Laurie
Eric Roberts - Antonio

Written and directed by Dito Montiel and adapted from his novel, this semi-autobiographical story follows both the grown up Dito (Robert Downey Jr), now living in LA, as he hears his estranged father is ill, and his younger self (Shia LaBeouf) growing up in Queens, New York in the 80s and fighting to escape the dead end existence of violence and resistance to change that infects his working class neighbourhood.

A sense of tragedy hangs over the story from the beginning as the younger Dito tells us he will leave everyone in it and the older informs us that three boys will die, but a lot will happen in between.  Although some of the events are a little predictable Montiel presents such an absorbing group of characters that you’ll be totally drawn into their lives.  The cast deservedly won Best Ensemble at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival with a mixture of seasoned pros (Downey Jr, Diane Weist and Chazz Palminteri) up and comers (Shia LaBeouf, Channing Tatum, Rosario Dawson and Melonie Diaz) and first timers picked from casting calls they are, with the exception of one or two of the smaller roles, all excellent.  The stand outs are LaBeouf and Tatum.  Up until now both have been known more for lighter weight roles in more commercial films, LaBeouf for I-Robot, Constantine and this year’s Transformers, and Tatum for Coach Carter, She’s the Man and Step Up.  Both are fantastic here as respectively the disillusioned and desperate to escape younger Dito, and his best friend the frustrated and violent product of abuse Antonio.

At first I found the directing style quite jarring.  The use of different shooting styles and techniques as well as the seemingly fractured editing was hard to watch but then it becomes evident that it’s done deliberately to illustrate the hazy nature of childhood memories.  This turned out to be the main difference that separates this film from similar ones like Mean Streets or Kids.

This film will screen in Wellington at The Penthouse on July 28 at 1:30pm and at The Embassy Theatre on July 29 at 9:15pm and August 1 at 1:45pm.

Please refer to the Film Fest homepage for more information on screenings in other parts of the country

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