Time Served

I do like them in general but if you think Blake Picket was bad as an anguished stripper in "Confessions of a Lap dancer," check out Catherine Oxenberg in this low budget semi soft core pic. Some of the other dancing is pretty good though. The plot is ludicrous and there is one really distasteful scene where Catherine gets beat up by a sadistic guard.

I liked the movie for light watching. Although I thought C. Oxenberg was very stiff and not very believable. I thought the other stars did a good job. I especially like Lourdes Colon who I believe is doing her first film. She seemed to me to be playing herself in this movie, and her acting seemed very natural. I found I watched her when she was on screen mor than the other actors/actresses. I wonder how the movie would have looked if Lourdes Colon and C. Oxenberg switched roles.... I will watch for other movies she appears in and will rent or purchase them.

The best thing I can say about this film is that the production values (cinematography, lighting, and sound) are respectable. A not too original variation on the old women-in-prison formula: Woman shoots man, goes to jail, forced to strip, is freed by forgettable hero; this film manages to fail as either sleazy exploitation or tolerable story. The acting is flat, Catherine Oxenburg (the heroine) never really believable in her reluctance, humiliation, or any other emotion for that fact. It's hard to blame her, though, as this movie is clearly nothing more then window dressing for the extended strip preformances by the several dancers, only one of whom is memorable. In fact, this feels more like an audition tape for these dancers, with a plot slapped on at the last minute. All in all, if you're looking for a story or a guilty pleasure, this film is neither.

The bottom line is that this movie could have been something good if it weren't for the poor acting of the two main stars, Catherine Oxenberg and Jeff Fahey. The movie also could have used a better script, and better motivations for its characters. I would just completely write the movie off as craptacular if it wasn't for the character Rosie Lopez. (played by Lourdes Colon) I was watching this trash on cable late at night out of boredom, when suddenly I grew interested in Lourdes Colon and Rosie Lopez. I would dare say that the only good acting in the movie came out of Lourdes Colon's performance. I thought she was real, believeable, and I found myself caring about her character. That is what I mean about lack of motivation in this movie. Rosie kills a seamstress and that's the last you see of her? I fealt a little ripped off despite the fact that I watched it on Showtime. You never do find out what happens to her character, although I wish you did. Who is this Lourdes? Has she done anything else? If not then Hollywood needs to hurry up and discover her, because here is a great talent in this movie with dried up hacks. I am an instant fan of lourdes' and I hope someone else can tell me of some of the other movies I might see her in. people, mark my words, you will be watching the Oscars soon and this unknown talent will be giving her acceptance speech. I find her acting convincing, and I'm not even going to discuss how beautiful she is. I think that J-Lo has competition now. I hope that Lourdes is still acting, and that this bad movie hasn't deterred her from it. Over all the movie isn't even worth watching, save this one talented actress.

Admittedly, my boyfriend and I did not rent this movie because we thought it would be oscar material. However, this movie is flawed because the director or screenwriter tried to combine a legitimate drama (inspired by a true story) with a T&A movie. This formula does not work because there is too much nudity for it to be taken seriously, but too many disturbing events (Like Sarah's rape, and her crying while dancing on the pole) for it to be an enjoyable T&A film. I would consider this movie a "Showgirls- Lite" --and that's not a good thing.