Local Filmmaker Premieres 'Jersey Justice'
By: LIndsay Warner, The Evening Bulletin
07/25/2007
Currently in limited pre-release screenings to garner interest for a wider release, "Jersey Justice" is a small-budget film created by a movie buff on his first venture behind the camera. But "Jersey Justice" doesn't feel like a low-budget, first-time film, and it seems likely Hunt will get his funding. Revolving around a 24-hour period in which Polly O'Bannon's (Baker) husband is shot and killed in a mix-up between several Philadelphia thugs, the shocked housewife turns to violence to avenge her husband's undeserved death. Collecting weapons and supplies in record time, O'Bannon hits the road looking for her husband's killer, attracting a variety of colorful characters similarly thirsting for revenge - or a good road trip - along the way.
Felix Romeo, played by Maria Soccor, New York model and actress, a rough & ready biker with her own incentive for revenge, strongly flavors the script with her defiant independence, while Irish drunkard Finney (Ed McCool) lends a car and a touch of humor to the mix. John Williams (Johnny Roastbeef in "Goodfellas") also crops up as Big Bill Romeo, the bartender at "Mrs. Jay's," a shady biker bar where the first part of the revenge plan is enacted. Although O'Bannon is on a vengeful killing spree, Baker's portrayal of the character lends a sympathetic tinge to her portrayal - though it seems unlikely that O'Bannon would be able to proceed as far with her plans as she does without police intervention.
Still, the story is entertaining, fast moving and a nice twist on the often-used male revenge thriller. The shady dealings of the gang at the scene of the murder confuse the plot slightly, but Hunt retains a strong connection to O'Bannon throughout, using her humanity to maintain empathy.
By: LIndsay Warner, The Evening Bulletin
07/25/2007
Currently in limited pre-release screenings to garner interest for a wider release, "Jersey Justice" is a small-budget film created by a movie buff on his first venture behind the camera. But "Jersey Justice" doesn't feel like a low-budget, first-time film, and it seems likely Hunt will get his funding. Revolving around a 24-hour period in which Polly O'Bannon's (Baker) husband is shot and killed in a mix-up between several Philadelphia thugs, the shocked housewife turns to violence to avenge her husband's undeserved death. Collecting weapons and supplies in record time, O'Bannon hits the road looking for her husband's killer, attracting a variety of colorful characters similarly thirsting for revenge - or a good road trip - along the way.
Felix Romeo, played by Maria Soccor, New York model and actress, a rough & ready biker with her own incentive for revenge, strongly flavors the script with her defiant independence, while Irish drunkard Finney (Ed McCool) lends a car and a touch of humor to the mix. John Williams (Johnny Roastbeef in "Goodfellas") also crops up as Big Bill Romeo, the bartender at "Mrs. Jay's," a shady biker bar where the first part of the revenge plan is enacted. Although O'Bannon is on a vengeful killing spree, Baker's portrayal of the character lends a sympathetic tinge to her portrayal - though it seems unlikely that O'Bannon would be able to proceed as far with her plans as she does without police intervention.
Still, the story is entertaining, fast moving and a nice twist on the often-used male revenge thriller. The shady dealings of the gang at the scene of the murder confuse the plot slightly, but Hunt retains a strong connection to O'Bannon throughout, using her humanity to maintain empathy.