Angie X

This movie is very very bad. And not bad like the "so bad it's good", it's beyond that point. It is laughably simplistic and absurdly boring. A mash up of what someone obviously thinks being a drug dealer is like from watching the discovery channel. This is not due to the main character being an Asian woman. That's actually why I watched it. I would love to watch a good movie breaking stereotypes with an Asian female lead. But this is NOT that movie. From the start, stuff just.... happens. Dramatic subplots pop up now and then, and they seem inserted just to fill in plot holes and backstory. It takes a certain lack of talent to put so many things in a blender and end up with something so painfully boring. There's no rhythm, and the community-access-TV-grade direction helps nothing. It also doesn't help that what passes for acting here seems more like reading. I can't believe someone would fund this project after reading the screen play. It is a work completely devoid of wit, style, intelligence or even basic entertainment. I found it my civic duty to create an IMDB account just to warn any potential viewers.

Ok, I managed to watch the whole movie, I was in a party mood so I started laying a bottom with some beers before going out. So I tought, WTF, it's a dope movie with 80's music, parties and all, even a true story also...

Of course I knew I was in for a low budget movie, written, directed and produced by Angie herself. But the first half was bearable, sometimes funny even, but the second half OMG. The girls started crying, mumbling and crying some more till the end of the movie. And that's where I knew the writer wasn't honest: or she covered things up in her own life and only shows the regret (the legal issues of cooking & selling drugs, murder, embezzling,... aren't even touched), or she exaggerated her own youth but didn't have the money to pay for those consequences in terms of a solid script, with of course the necessary settings, additional actors,... I dont know, but when this movie hits the point of crisis, it stays there till the end.

I see people from the crew are talking about the 80's feel & setting. Except for a few songs, I never had an 80's vibe. And the sets, as cheap as possible, as less as background possible. A club is one long sofa with people sitting next to each other haha.

And for someone who took and selled XTC, she knows not very much about the product. Nobody takes some pills and starts dancing right away, first you have to get through that nauseating feeling for half an hour and only then (if you are not sticked to your chair high on serotonine) the party's on for 2 hours.

I find it kind of a pity this movie spiraled down that hard in the second half. 'Cause despite the low budget I tought the first 40 min. seemed promising, but she couldn't keep it up. My advice: don't watch it.

Biographies are usually whitewashed to make the subject look like a decent person or a scumbag, rarely do they show both.

The acting, writing, direction for a first time director were better than one could expect, especially when you realize this is her life story so it is a truly from the heart movie, where she opens herself up to honest ridicule and judgement during the bad times.

However, we see her redeem herself and become a productive person who, due to her past, shows hope and shares her lessons of pain and strength to overcome even the worst of times.

Some people don't like honesty.

One of the more narrow minded reviewers challenged others to make it through 10 minutes of this movie. well i watched the whole thing and was pleasantly surprised, maybe if they had the patience they would have realized this this movie was actually quite good. they told the story of Angie very well and made the viewer feel for her. the acting was mostly good and the story had its ups and downs to keep you glued.

6.5

My wife and I started watching this at home on DVD from our public library. After 11 minutes she said "I'm not really enjoying this" so we switched to a lightweight rom-com.

The next day I finished watching it myself. Many of the "reviews" here are unfair, the movie actually has a lot of positive things to offer. The problem is, the movie is about mostly despicable people exhibiting despicable behavior in 1984. Lots of drugs, sex, and booze. Instead of focusing on college studies. But apparently it is a fairly faithful telling of the writer/director's own experiences.

The movie has no value if there is no redemption and it appears there is. Angie is a Chinese American who grew up in a bad neighborhood, apparently experienced some sex abuse growing up, had been raped by local young men, and her father didn't have the ability to tell her he loved her. As a result of all those factors she was a hardened young lady who found it difficult to form relationships. When her college money ran dry she hit upon the idea to sneak into the chemistry lab and synthesize MDMA, the drug ecstasy.

Is the movie worth viewing? Not for those who like a rather clean, sanitary story. While this will not be a favorite of mine, and I would never want to rewatch it, I am glad I was able to see it once. It shows a slice of life that I am otherwise unfamiliar with.