No Way Home (1996)

An ex-cons future is threatened by his brother's involvement with drugs.

Director:

Buddy Giovinazzo

Writer:

Buddy Giovinazzo

Stars:

Tim Roth, James Russo, Deborah Kara Unger

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tim Roth	...	Joey
James Russo	...	Tommy
Deborah Kara Unger	...	Lorraine
Joseph Ragno	...	Ralphie
Catherine Kellner	...	Denise
Saul Stein	...	Brick
Bernadette Penotti	...	Ronnie
Gareth Williams	...	Ken Tierno
Jerry Dean	...	Jackie
Larry Romano	...	Carter
Mike Grief	...	Gastank
Brian Burke	...	Jason
James Starace	...	Jeremy
James Shue	...	Louie
Heather Gottlieb	...	Candy

Storyline

Six years ago Joey's life changed totally. A shop owner who lay in a pool of blood claimed that Joey was the perpetrator. Now the time is served and Joey has scars on both his body and his soul. He is determined to never go back to prison. He seeks his elder brother Tommy who has begun dealing drugs and is now married to a beautiful blonde named Lorraine. She is at first sceptical about Joey staying there, but soon they develop a special relationship.

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Plot Keywords:

strip club | stripper | barroom brawl | quickie | independent film

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Taglines:

Blood ties can be murder.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, sexuality and language

Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

September 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Gasoline Alley

Filming Locations:

Staten Island, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Orenda Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Towards the end when Tommy is trying to persuade the other two to leave with him, there are three points in which Tommy's lips move out of time with what he is saying.

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Quotes

Lorraine: You shouldn't have taken him there in the first place, it's sleazy and dangerous.
Tommy: So are you.

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Connections

Referenced in Independents' days (1997)

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Soundtracks

"I Want You To Move"
Written by Jamie Carter, Luis Ruiz, J. Angel & A. Scott
Performed by Jamie Carter
Produced by Michael J. Clouse
Courtesy of MJC3 Music/GinStar Ent.

User Reviews

Another vacation in hell from Giovinazzo.

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.