Another Day in Paradise

1st watched 12/26/2009 – 8 out of 10(Dir-Larry Clark): Extremely well executed drama about a couple of older drug-using thieves who take a younger couple under their wings as they survive in this rough un-forgiving chaotic world. The movie begins as the younger couple is introduced and the male character(played by Vincent Kartheiser) robs a community college's snack room of it's vending machine change and gets ferociously beat up by a security guard but then kills him. Uncle Mel(played by James Woods) then invites the kids to tag along with him and his girl and they graduate to bigger thefts with bigger consequences. The older couple(who can't have kids) kind of take on a tutoring and parenting role to the younger couple and they start developing a good friendship as well. It's obvious there are needs being fulfilled both ways in a companionship perspective as they both have many losses in their personal lives. Mistakes start being made after it's determined the younger girl is pregnant and the younger couple start evaluating whether this life is for them. This causes friction in the characters in this no-holds barred insane lifestyle movie where the characters just want to make good for themselves and this vulnerability brings the audience to like the characters. Melanie Griffith is un-expectedly excellent as the older woman and the overall acting and direction is very well done. You believe this story and that keeps you interested and involved until the end. The movie itself is not for the faint-at-heart but it is a definite un-heralded gem in the independent film-making world and should be viewed.

This one worked for me. The superb acting and fine camera work made this very believable. The scenes are some of the most realistic I've seen. Particularly noteworthy are the scenes involving extreme tension.

Throughout the picture I felt an urging to like these characters, sensing that they were, deep down, decent people who somehow got wrapped up in this type of life.

I'm not generally a fan of Griffith, but this role suits her well and her acting is top-notch. Woods is almost always exceptional, and his work here is no exception. The younger stars also perform quite well with this challenging, emotional material. And I thought the acting of the minor characters was excellent, suggesting the director had his act together on this one.

You have to acclimate to the language and level of tension early on or the movie will drive you nuts. But if you do, it begins to involve you deeply in the characters' situations and lives.

Larry Clark's (KIDS) second film, ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE features an explosive performance by James Woods as a "professional" thief/junkie, who along with his girlfriend (a well cast Melanie Griffith) adopt two young lovers (Vincent Kartheiser and Natasha Gregson Wagner) and hit the road in search of drugs and money. Mel (Woods) and Sid (Griffith), who see Rosie (Wagner) and Bobbie (Kartheiser) as younger versions of themselves, teach them the ropes of criminal life.

It is a familiar story, and there is no doubt the characters' vision of paradise shown in the beginning of the film, with its endless supply of drugs and feeling of family, is quickly going to deteriorate into violence and death. I am reminded of the superior DRUGSTORE COWBOY, which also follows a "family" of junkies who rob to pay for their habits, but fine performances by the four leads, especially Woods, make PARADISE worth a look.

Clark's cinema vérité style of direction (a la KIDS) supplies the feeling of uneasiness throughout the film and heightens the impact of the jarring violence. The soundtrack of great soul tunes effectively mirrors the contradictory feelings of despair and hope that plague the characters. The film is not without flaws but recommended to fans of the road/lovers on the lam movies like BADLANDS, TRUE ROMANCE etc.

While vastly superior to Larry Clark's other films, "Another Day in Paradise" shares with them a brazen directness which makes it uneasy viewing, particular the many scenes picturing graphic violence. However it's a powerful and moving film with some exceptional acting talent on display.

Clark's obsession with teenagers of the wilder variety is prevalent as always but is balanced by the older surrogate parent couple played by James Woods and Melanie Griffith. Woods once again brings his famed intensity in a well rounded portrayal in which he's not only called upon to play a hardened, ruthless criminal, but also to reveal the more human qualities albeit buried very deep within.

Melanie Griffith is surprisingly effective as Wood's partner in crime. Clark's interest in them as people first and then as criminals, places this movie in a category well above the usual criminals on the run fare.

The younger criminal counterparts are played excellently by Natasha Gregson Wagner and Vincent Kartheiser. There is an almost documentary sense of authenticity to their acting. Oddly enough neither seemed to have as yet progressed to roles of much importance. Kartheiser in particular is an actor to watch out for. (He was superb in the somewhat flawed "The Unsaid").

The complexity of the relationship between the older childless couple and the teenage couple, while not overtly examined, is explored with subtlety which allows the viewer to make his own evaluation.

With large doses of drugs and violence this is clearly not a movie for all tastes. It is however a work of distinction.

I started watching this film rather late at night thinking I would unwind for a few minutes and then retire for the day. As I sat watching this film it's intensity began to build and draw me in. The story itself is nothing new. It was the performers that kept me involved. It was no surprise to me that James Woods would be his excellent self. The pleasant surprise was Melanie Griffith. She displayed some range I had'nt witnessed from her before. As the young street couple Vincent Kartheiser and Natasha Gregson Wagner show great promise as young actors.Kartheiser in particular. Execution is raw and at times it's hard to witness whats going on. Recommended. Give it a shot.