Hard Choices

Many movies are typical story's we've all seen. That's what I was watching until one person came along and changed everything. The story now is in a place you have no idea where it's going or how it will end. The drug dealer is like no one you have seen before and given that this review is in 2015 and the film was 1985 his talent is now known for you can witness his beginnings. The film also has another star actor in his early work to look out for as he became an A rated star. If you're like me and like a low budget movie that goes way beyond it's limits, brings you actors making a name for themselves and no other film to compare it to you won't be disappointed.

I couldn't believe my professor assigned this movie for a class. Ugh.

The production values are not too great, and the score is AWFUL!

In general, it feels like a corny 80s sex fantasy drawn out for 90 minutes.

But without a lot of sex.

Some of the nature scenes are very pretty, and it's almost in the so-bad-it's-fun category.

But not quite.

Definitely not recommended, unless you're having a bad-obscure-80s movie film fest.

And maybe not even then.

HARD CHOICES begins with a young boy in a small town who dreams about flying planes. One day his brother and another guy take him on a joyride, which culminates in the murder of a store clerk in a botched robbery. That's the end of the kid. The kid is a victim of circumstance but not to the law who put him in a cell with the hard criminals.

HARD CHOICES begins in almost documentary fashion. We observe the Tennessee backwoods where Bobby lives. Up until the crime the movie seems painfully routine - I guess that's the idea - and then the murder. The middle text of the movie is with Bobby in prison, and he's a hearbreaker. A female social worker(Margaret Klennck) comes to visit him. Bobby's attracted to her and she to him and then the unpredictable happens.

HARD CHOICES, gritty and rough, contains moments of pure revelation. The sad course of Bobby's life and the shocking but touching affair with the woman whch is both senstive as it is hot and forbidden.. That's unpredictable enough but things escalate, the movie becomes a sombre thriller and anything's possible.

I didn't recognize any of the actors in this movie, although John Sayles plays a kind hearted drug dealer with a crush on the woman. This movie come to think of it is full of hard choices and Rick King the director never makes the material predictable or soapy. In the end, all we can hope is for Bobby to have some kind of life., maybe flying a plane. This is a great film, the kind of film that cries out to be discovered on video and cable.

DG

STAR STAR STAR STAR (out of four)

I saw this when it opened in NYC by mistake. I thought I was going to see another movie in the same theater. I stayed and in fact came back to see it again. It had some very good scenes, especially the early prison scene, and you really hope they do get away. I even made contact with the producer and thought I could do something on his next movie, but it was called rollerboys and the script was terrible so I didn't even bother to see it. From what I hear it is one of the all time bombs. But see Hard Choices if you can.

Fifteen-year-old Gary McCleery (as Bobby Lipscomb) skips school, hangs around with his older brothers, and dreams of flying airplanes. One evening, he makes the "Hard Choice" and joins drug-addicted Martin Donovan (as Josh Lipscomb) and trigger happy John Snyder (as Ben Lipscomb) in a "Food Market" robbery. Unfortunately, Mr. Snyder kills a police officer, who happens upon the scene. The three brothers are quickly apprehended. Mr. McCleery hopes to be tried as a juvenile; but, Tennessee judges rule he is to be tried as an adult. When things look bleakest for young McCleery, social worker Margaret Klenck (as Laura Stephens) steps in to improve his treatment in prison and the courts; she is only partially successful. Then, Ms. Klenck makes a "Hard Choice" of her own…

According to the sleeve, this film got excellent reviews; and, the quotes are from reliable sources. Perhaps some of these reviewers will consider re-evaluation "Hard Choices"? It really isn't all that believable a story. McCleery doesn't seem much like a 15-year-old, and Klenck's character development is disappointing (to say the least). However, they, and the other performers, do as well as they can (with the story). It's great to see Mr. Donovan in an early role; strangely, he and Snyder are abandoned during the running time. Writer-director John Sayles is good, also, as Klenck's coke companion. The photography, by Tom Hurwitz, is a major strength.

**** Hard Choices (1985) Rick King ~ Gary McCleery, Margaret Klenck, John Sayles, Martin Donovan