The Low Life
"...Wryly humorous as well as
compassionate....Hickenlooper evokes eternal truths about human emotions and
responsibilities..."
- Los Angeles Times 07/11/1996
Directed by: George Hickenlooper
Written by: John Enbom and George Hickenlooper
Cast: Sean Astin, Rory Cochrane, James LeGros, Ron Livingston, Jefferson Mays, Sara Melson, Christin Meoli, Kyra Sedgwick, Shawnee Smith, J.T Walsh, Renee Zellweger
Rory's Character: John
Synopsis:
A bitter college graduate dreams of becoming a Hollywood script writer,
while he struggles with poverty, menial temp jobs, an obsequious roommate and
awkward romantic relationships. Acerbic comedy in the "Gen-X" style.
John, a recent Yale graduate, moves to Los Angeles to begin a life on his own
and pursue a writing career. John's credo, learned from his Uncle Darr,
"Don't feel anything for anyone." Floating from job to job and
attempting to live a life of detachment, John is forced to share his apartment
with geeky Andrew, who only annoys as he struggles to ingratiate himself with
John and his buddies. These three work a temp job together, pulling and sorting
carbon credit card slips. One day, fed up with the current situation, John flies
off the handle and quits. John is soon working for a sleazy father and son
slumlord team, and meets Bevan, an oversexed, alcoholic vixen in distress. He
spends his days fixing plumbing and evicting tenants and his nights drinking at
the local bar. But when unexpected tragedy intervenes, John is finally forced to
confront what makes an artist and a man.
Own Review:
I love this Movie. It's my favorite Movie of all times. I don't know why, but I just simply think it's brilliant. It's depressing, but funny. Sometimes even hilarious, especially the scenes with Rory and Sean. This film actually showed me how talented Rory really is. Even though he isn't really saying much, you can always see how fantastic he is acting with just an expression on his face. The long walk at the beginning, shared with a wonderful song is giving you an exact Idea of the whole movie. It gives you an Idea of the struggles in Hollywood and the way how people trying to distance themselves from all emotions. It seems John is stuck and is unable to move in any direction, until he is faces with a new roommate (astin) who is trying so desperately to be his friend. Even though John is not treating him good. Since this person doesn't give up, and he is also confronted with his attraction to a woman he just met, it get's difficult for John to keep his distance. The character has to deal with so many events, incl. the loss of a close person that he finds himself having a "controlled mental breakdown", which is such an interesting expression, especially when you look on the times now. George Hickenlooper created a well-casted wonderful movie which is cleary not appreciated enough. With a touching ending, that is just perfectly for this film.
Outside Reviews:
John Quotes:
__How does a single crappy novel, by some Jackie Collins type, outsell all the books ever written by Hemingway, Faulkner, Salinger combined?__
__Bevan: "You should see me when I'm not on Prozac." John: "You're on Prozac?" Bevan: "Isn't everyone?__
__What kind of person would you be if you spent $857 at Basket World?"__