DVD Spotlight

By Joe Galm

21

Based on the true-to-life novel “Bringing Down the House” by Ben Mezrich, 21 offers a sleek, stylistic look into the lives of M.I.T. math whizzes as they use their predisposed abilities to strike it rich at blackjack. On paper alone this film must have had commercial success written all over it and it certainly delivered for its producers. By wagering on the recent heightened gambling hysteria and mixing in young and appealing stars such as Jim Sturgess and Kate Bosworth with the perennially entertaining Kevin Spacey, the film was able to rake in over $81 million domestically while continuing its luck abroad.

While teen and college-aged demographics will certainly be taken in by the glitz and glamour of sweeping cameras, bright lights, and fast action, both the serious cinephile and gambler will spot flaws along the way. Despite playing to the premise that this contemporary adaptation is “based on a true story,” the plot is suspiciously formulaic at times and is not without a familiar Hollywood glossing. Still, for being a principally entertaining romp through gambling’s inner circles, it’s at least worth taking a chance on a rental.

Distributor: Sony
Cast: Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth and Laurence Fishburne
Director: Robert Luketic
Screenwriters: Peter Steinfeld and Allan Loeb
Producers: Kevin Spacey, Dana Brunetti and Michael De Luca
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Rating: PG-13 for some violence, and sexual content including partial nudity
Running Time: 123 min.
Release Date: March 28

Duck

There must be a certain level of satisfaction felt by director director Nicole Bettauer that her third effort Duck, which was shot in November of 2003, is finally getting a proper DVD release. After years of sparse festival showings and minor theatrical runs, the public can now experience and share in her jubilation. Pardon me for not joining in.

Duck tells the story of Arthur (Philip Baker Hall), an elderly man who has just lost his wife and, aside from coping with her death, is forced to battle a cruel, delusional vision of modern society as seen by Miss Bettauer. To combat his loneliness and the inexplicable evil in the world surrounding him he begins raising a duckling he finds, or that finds him, moments before he plans to take his own life. The mallard in question, named Joe, gives Arthur a new lease on life and the fortitude to press on. Arthur needs Joe in order to survive his journey in confronting a modern world where garbage men, city workers, recovering addicts, landlords, hip twentysomethings, and bus drivers all are out to berate and destroy him emotionally. Can this really be how our director sees the world and, more importantly, is it worth listening to? I’d venture to say both yes and no respectively.

Baker Hall’s performance is the only aspect that gains this film any points. On top of being charmless and without an ounce of subtlety, the overall product is poorly shot, written, and, aside from Baker Hall, acted.

Distributor: Westlake Entertainment Group
Cast: Philip Baker Hall, Amy Hill, Bill Brochtrup, Noel Gugliemi, French Stewart, Bill Cobbs
Director/Screenwriter: Nicole Bettauer
Producers: Domini Hoffmann
Genre: Drama
Rating: PG-13 for brief strong language
Running Time: 98 min.