If you're looking for something different and like 90's shows and movies like MIAMI VICE and GOODFELLAS and have an open mind, I think you'll really enjoy this movie. Keep in mind, it's very low budget and was independently made back in the 1990's, and is one of those rare Shot On Video Movies that wasn't "horror". Most SOV movies of the past and present, made regionally, are definitely horror-exploitation variants, and this is one of the more rare movies that is a very personal and different type of project made by passionate writer/producer and star Vincent LaRusso.
This is actually a sequel to a shorter movie called JUST A CHANCE, featuring the same character played by LaRusso, which was very big in the video scene in the 1990's. JUST A CHANCE is included on the recent Blu Ray release by SRS Cinema and is also available on various Streaming sites, so it's always a good idea to watch that one first for an intro. It was in every Blockbuster Video store in the 90's, and a rental statement, and ran on the Christian Broadcasting Station. Larusso plays Danny in JUST A CHANCE, and it's based on a true story, as his character tries to not get sucked into the gang world but ultimately fails and ends up in jail. This is his story. We see tense family relationships, arguments with his father, trying to manage a girlfriend, dealing with drug overdoses and doublecrosses, and finally, becoming a murderer or not...It's directed with flair by movie director legend William Grefe, by the way, and the ending features such an intense performance by LaRusso that you can't help but be moved. He was obviously on the road to becoming the new Al Pacino in this little film, and he was absolutely the one who made it so watchable and dramatic, worlds above all the other actors. The intense ending still gives a chill down the spine to this viewer!
In STREETS OF DARKNESS, Danny is back, getting out of jail, and much like SCARFACE, trying to make his way in the world with newfound freedom. Will he choose good, or will he choose bad? This movie was made in the mid 1990's and definitely has a MIAMI VICE, SCARFACE, and Scorsese flair to it, despite its low budget. Again, don't expect HOLLYWOOD SLICK with this one but the production values are worlds better than most small video productions of that era, giving it an above average soap operatic look.
Also, I must point out, the recent re-leases of this lost gem were sourced from the best material possible- not the original Beta master tapes, but simply from one of the few available VHS tapes! So keep this in mind. It's been upscaled and fixed as best as possible for the times, short of A. I. enhanced, which is now the new thing... The audio, lighting, and editing are all spot on. Also standout is the excellent score by R. M. Hoopes with brooding synths and piano themes of the era, and even some new cues by moviemaker/composer Tim Ritter, of SHARKS OF THE CORN fame.
James Ingrassia directs STREETS OF DARKNESS with confidence, and the movie has good pacing. Once again, the star and reason to watch is writer/producer/STAR Vincent LaRusso, who commands the screen as Danny. Here he gets out of jail and deals with his newfound life and that thing God gives us all: FREE CHOICE. Will he choose to live a normal life and stay away from gangs and the mafia,or will he be sucked back into that world like Al Pacino in GODFATHER III?
Danny is in turmoil, trying to do right, but the mob wants his services and his mother has been attacked by a different faction of the mob, so slowly but surely, for personal reasons, revenge, and the lure of beautiful women...he joins up with the group that is against the ones that hurt his mom.
STREETS OF DARKNESS is a movie about family, loyalty, choices, dedication, women, and dealing with the consequences of good and bad choices, and that fine gray line between black and white, right and wrong. Sometimes it's different for every person and every situation.
There's great scenery, as this movie was shot in Miami, FL back in the day, chalk full of mansions, palm trees, and South Florida flair. There's beautiful women, plenty of nudity and action/shooting sequences, and lots of intense dialogue throughout. Again, Vincent LaRusso as Danny carries the intensity as Danny in young Al Pacino mode. One has to wonder if had he continued making movies in 1995 and beyond, and perhaps had gone to Hollywood, if he would have been the new Al Pacino NOW if he had continued on his acting path. Sadly, he did not, as told in the extras on the DVD and Blu Ray- he pursued other things as the video business proved to be shady, elusive, and not profitable.
STREETS OF DARKNESS has great scenes and my favorite is one where Danny, once he becomes a killer, shoots a large dude in a Hotel bathroom and casually laughs about it and another where he saves a gal from certain death in yes, another hotel room!
The ending is not quite as emotional and moving as JUST A CHANCE but that was a tough act to follow. Still, it's more than satisfying. So if you're a fan of intense mafia conversations, beautiful South Florida scenery, and beautiful naked babes displayed in a tasteful, artistic manner, I think you will enjoy this movie. And again, LaRusso is a powerhouse actor to watch, commanding the screen with with a presence intensity that is all too rare. You can see and feel it in every frame. Definitely worth the view for that alone, and it would be very interesting to see Mr. Larusso in new material of all sorts today, sharpening his acting chops in today's movie world as a middle aged actor! Let's hope he heeds the call.
