Lowball (1996)

Director:

Demian Lichtenstein

Writer:

Demian Lichtenstein (writer)

Genre:

Drama | Action | Crime

Tagline:

It's A Deadly Game... But They're Paid To Play It.

Plot:

Two undercover cops blow their cover while investigating a heroin ring.

Plot Keywords:

Vendetta | Drug Lord | Heroin | Undercover Cop | Maverick Cop

Cast

Peter Greene	...	John
Erik Schrody	...	Eddie
Luis Moro	...	Slick
Jack Mulcahy	...	Bryce
Miklos Wright	...	Klos
Vinny Russo	...	Vincenzo
Anthony Catenzero	...	Antonio (as Anthony Catanzaro)
Charles Alaimo	...	Card Player #1
Billy Alaimo	...	Card Player #2
Terrence Borg	...	Card Player #3
Cinqué Lee	...	Doo-Rag
Robert Maris	...	Saul (as Robert Manus)
Caprice Benedetti	...	Bridgette
Frank Toscano	...	Frank
Erika Chahoy	...	Kate

MPAA:

Rated R for strong brutal violence, drug use, sexuality/nudity and language.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

New Zealand:R18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Lightstone Entertainment

Trivia:

The characters of Nicky G. and Tony G. are actually the real names of the producers of the film, Nicholas Guccione and Anthony Guccione.

There's just something about LOWBALL...

LOWBALL isn't exactly a success as a complete movie experience, but it's peppered with so many tense and exciting moments that it deserves to be seen. This isn't to say that it's a movie for everyone. It's very low budget (and it shows in the aesthetics), which actually lends to the movie's charm for me personally, but that alone will turn most viewers off, I suspect. Also, it's doggedly unpleasant. In fact, it's one of the ugliest movies - both visually and thematically - of the late 1990s.

Peter Greene is the glue that holds LOWBALL together. His performance is so strong and so tension-inducing that he commanded my attention. When he's not on screen, the movie falls apart, especially in the scenes involving Greene's sister and her abductor. They were meant to be creepy and claustrophobic, but they're just lame. However, Greene saves the movie by delivering some of the most intense street-level acting I've ever seen. He plays a drug-addled cop with a vendetta, and it looks like he's really causing physical harm to the characters he interrogates on the street. In fact, there's no doubt that those poor actors were put through hell by Mr. Greene, and much of what transpires looks like it was unscripted, lending even more unpredictability and suspense to his actions. He may be a loose cannon, but he's a brilliant actor.

The photography is jarring and non-glamorous, which only serves to aid the feeling of being on the mean streets of New York. It's not a pretty movie, to put it mildly, and when I sat down to watch LOWBALL that's exactly what I was in the mood for. It reminded me of LAWS OF GRAVITY, a great indie drama with Greene in the lead, but it wasn't just Greene's presence in LOWBALL that reminded me of that film, it was the atmosphere and the tangible sense of dread.

If you decide to watch LOWBALL, don't expect greatness. You won't get it, aside from Greene's performance (which many will undoubtedly find unpleasant). However, if you tend to enjoy harsh little New York crime movies populated by characters you wouldn't want to hang out with, this flick just might fit the bill.