El Cortez

Greetings again from the darkness. Very interesting screenplay from Chris Haddock suffers a bit from the over-direction of Stephen Purvis. The best parts of this noir sting flick include Lou Diamond Phillips evolving from the drug-neutered autistic hotel clerk (with a violent past) to a much different man by film end. The weakest segments involve heavy-handed over-dramatic moments with much hysteria and theatrics.

While James McDaniel (Lt. Fancy from "NYPD Blue) gets coached into an over-the-top performance as the bad cop, Bruce Weitz (excellent in "Hill Street Blues") joins him chewing the scenes as the paraplegic owner of a supposed fertile gold mine. Strangely Glenn Plummer is much milder in his portrayal of a drug dealer that probably should have been jazzed up a bit. Next to Mr. Phillips, the best performance in the film belongs to Tracy Middendorf as the beautiful, yet not so trustworthy object of multiple affections.

According to director Purvis, filming in Reno was quite painful, but it works very well as the setting. The hotel El Cortez is perfect with its old timey look and feel and, in the end, the Cortez name has a dual role. Definitely worth seeing for the story and Phillips' performance, but disappointing in that it could have been much more.

Pretty good actors; pretty good acting; TERRIBLE writing, and a story that is incredibly improbable (make that ludicrously impossible).

What? We were supposed to believe that all these characters just HAPPENED to be in the same place at the same time, and acted so implausibly? There's more logic in a David Lynch movie! And what's with the moral values? It's OK to kill people serially (multiple bodies in the mine, not to mention the cop and the drug dealer) to perpetrate a scam repeatedly -- because the dead people may be crooks, too? "Oh well, as long as EVERYBODY gets hurt." This was a truly bad movie (even though with actors I like -- shame on you Bruce and Lou or Diamond, or Lou Diamond, or whatever you go by!).

Better than 70% of Diamond's work over the past 10 years. The story is plenty nifty, but is lost in a sea averageness. The pacing of this movie I found to be horrendous. The plot twists were slightly contrived and, while not bad, a little tedious. I could have done without that BS ending, as well. Was not satisfying.

I think Lou gave a good performance, as did the young blond. In fact, the cast, along with the seedy lighting and atmosphere of the film, were its only real saving graces. Some of the dialog was rather solid, as well. Wish the script would have been up to snuff.

But since I am a Diamond fan from back in the day, I will take it easy on the film. It is a tolerable film, and could have been worse. I hope Lou keeps striving to choose better roles.

If it's free, check it out.

El Cortez is a film that presents Lou Diamond Phillips in an unusual character, an autistic soul who as most of them has an inability to relate to his surroundings. He reacted violently to one such situation and spent some time in a mental institution. Since his release he now has a menial job as a desk clerk in a fleabag hotel in Reno, Nevada named the El Cortez.

Being he's Lou Diamond Phillips he arouses the interest in Tracy Middendorf who is the girl friend of drug dealer Glenn Plummer. Plummer is the jealous type and only through some murky flashbacks do we get a hint that maybe the Lou we see is someone who can handle the situation if the need arises. Lou also has his arresting officer James McDaniel interested as well. McDaniel never believed in that 'not guilty by reason of insanity or mental defect' crap that got Phillips off. If he can't get him behind bars then he'll harass him so that Phillips will be his snitch.

But the worst of it for him might just be Bruce Weitz who is a paraplegic staying at the hotel whom Lou saves from some muggers. Turns out that Weitz is a con man and he's got some kind of gold mine scheme working on a mark played by Peter Onorati.

All these plot elements come together and it's interesting to see how it all works out.

El Cortez is a kind of poor man's Forrest Gump where Lou Diamond Phillips is hardly a fringe player in great events of our time the way Tom Hanks was. The film itself is a minor effort, but what Lou Diamond Phillips does with the character is fascinating. El Cortez is definitely for his legion of fans of which I am one.

I saw this film while on vacation this summer. It was late at night and I didn't feel like sleeping, so I tuned on. To my surprise, there was Lou Diamond Phillips, an actor I always liked, playing a very uncharacteristic part of a hotel clerk who had psychological issues. There were quite a few hot scenes involving Lou and his smoking hot partner. The "love triangle" was also interesting, but Glenn Plummer's character was so loathsome that I couldn't wait for him to be whacked.

I think this was a rather enjoyable film, there was lots of suspense and acting was solid. Phillips has never given a bad performance, despite not being fully appreciated as a drama actor. Here he is very solid and proves his range as actor. There was some violence here as well, but none of it is overwhelming. The plot kinda pulls you in and makes you follow it to the end. Not a great film, but a rather good one. 7 stars.