No Way Home

Tim Roth (Hoodlum, Reservoir Dogs) stars as a recently paroled prisoner who goes home to his older brother who has gotten married when he was in prison. His brother, played by James Russo (Donnie Brasco, Panther) lets him live with them which doesn't please his wife, very well-played by Deborah Kara Unger (The Game, The Hurricane). Soon Unger discovers that Roth is actually a pretty nice guy who is slow in the head, but wants to go legit. His brother continues to sell drugs and may bring Roth back into trouble. The film's main story is the relationships among these three people with the most focus on the brother's relationship. This relationship is especially compelling as you see the love, but also much strain and pain between these two that is revealed later. James Russo creates a very interesting character in the older brother. He isn't a standard bad brother, he obviously cares for Roth, but also will do whatever it takes to make his own life better. Russo is great from start to finish in the role. The always-reliable Tim Roth gives a powerful lead performance as the slow-minded and easily influenced, but nice younger brother. Roth very quickly gains sympathy while creating a compelling character. Highly recommended, but not a feel-good movie.

With the exception of "The Unscarred", this is Buddy Giovinazzo's most technically accomplished piece. It does share thematic similarities with "Combat Shock", but it is a solid character drama that would not be out of place on a double bill with the Australian "The Boys". Being a Giovinazzo flick, it's about deeply flawed characters living in a personal hell. They see no way out of their situation and are too emotionally paralyzed to act, anyway.

Deborah Kara Unger, who is a dynamite actress (and seriously sensual), is terrific as Lorraine, the girlfriend of James Russo's Tommy. Tim Roth plays Joey, who has just been released from jail and relies on his brother gratitude to give him a roof and bed until he gets his act together. Complications arise when local criminal elements encroach on Joey's rehabilitation.

The plot is nothing new and hardly worth a mention. The drama's the thing here and it burns like a bolt of lightning once the the film's niceties are out of the way. Russo, who was also in "The Unscarred", is hard as nails and scarily convincing as Tommy. Roth never disappoints, unless the script's not there, and in this venture he makes us feel his pain.

Another vacation in hell, with a great score, from one of cinema's darkest contemporary directors who is as seriously underrated as Ferrarra is seriously overrated.

Joey gets out of prison after six years. What crime he has served we don't know yet. He goes to his parental home and rings on the door. A blonde opens. Joey asks for his brother Tommy, troubled the blonde goes to get him. A surprised Tommy invites his younger brother. Against his wife's (the blonde, Lorraine) wish Tommy and Joey agree that Joey should live at their home a while, until he gets a job and can get a place of his own.

Tommy sells grass and Lorraine works as stripper at private parties. Joey is determined to not get in to jail again and begins to work as a window cleaner. Something that Tommy think is stupid, because there's more money to earn on drugs.

Joey - who according to himself, is a bit 'slow' since an incident in childhood - develops with time a special relationship with Lorraine, who's at first is skeptical to Joey's stay in the house. Tommy appear the longer the film goes as a real asshole - he doesn't to anything home, is unfaithful and lies to his wife. When Joey asks Lorraine is happy with her situation he explain, in the key scene of the film, that marriage doesn't have any benefits; "You get marry when you're in love, then you get tired with each other". Lorraine is in any case grateful of that Tommy haven't during their more than four years together never have beaten her once. Something that her former husband did.

No Way Home (the title unfortunately sounds like an inferior action flick.) is a traditional film, without too many clichés. The director manages to work up scenes and solutions we recognize to something natural. Powerful, with an everyday tone (e.g. when Joey visits his former girlfriend).

The actors in the three leading roles are exquisite: Tim Roth as Joey does a typical Tim Roth role without because of that it would be too much Tim Roth of the role. James Russo (Tommy) makes a role portrait who resembles that kind of things he done before, but I want to rank this performance as the best I've seen from him. Deborah (Kara) Unger as Lorraine, who placed the centre of gravity on the acting and not to look sexy, convinces with her restrained acting style in her study of a woman who's become tired.

Joey gets out of prison after six years. What crime he has served we don't know yet. He goes to his parental home and rings on the door. A blonde opens. Joey asks for his brother Tommy, troubled the blonde goes to get him. A surprised Tommy invites his younger brother. Against his wife's (the blonde) wish Tommy and Joey agree that Joey should live at their home a while, until he get a job and can get a place of his own.

Tommy sells grass and Lorrain works as stripper at private parties. Joey is determined to not get in to jail again and begins to work as a window cleaner. Something that Tommy think is stupid, because there's more money to earn on drugs.

Joey - who according to himself, is a bit 'slow' since a incident in childhood - develops with time a special relationship with Lorrain, who's at first is skeptical to Joey's stay in the house. Tommy appears the longer the film goes as a real a**hole - he doesn't do anything home, is unfaithful and lies to his wife. When Joey asks Lorrain is happy with her situation he explain, in the key scene of the film, that marriage doesn't have any benefits; "You get marry when you're in love, then you get tired with each other". Lorrain is in any case grateful of that Tommy haven't during their more than four years together never have beaten her once. Something that her former husband did.

No Way Back (the title unfortunately sounds like an inferior action flick.) is a traditional film, without too many clichés. The director manages to work up scenes and solutions we recognize to something natural. Powerful, with an every day tone (e.g. when Joey visits his former girlfriend).

The actors in the three leading roles are exquisite: Tim Roth as Joey does a typical Tim Roth role without because of that it would be too much Tim Roth of the role. James Russo (Tommy) makes a role portrait who resembles that kind of things he done before, but I want to rank this performance as the best I've seen from him. Deborah (Kara) Unger as Lorrain, who placed the centre of gravity on the acting and not to look sexy, convinces with her restrained acting style in her study of a woman who's become tired.

An ex-con is released from the pen and returns home determined to go straight. He moves in with his brother and sister-in-law and learns of his brother's troubles with a local crime organization. The brother's problems excalate to the breaking point when the thugs demand more money than he has. This was a good show, however it had several flaws; namely the gunfire sounded like underpowered fireworks, and some of the kicks and punches were obviously not connecting. Extremely violent, with buckets of blood.