El Cortez (2006)

Director:

Stephen Purvis

Writer (WGA):

Chris Haddock (written by)

Release Date:

27 January 2007 (Hungary)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Come to a place where secrets lie.

Plot:

A man just released from a mental institution gets involved in a gold mine scheme while trying to avoid the cops, a wrathful drug dealer, and a sultry femme fatale. |

Plot Keywords:

Gold Mine | Male Full Frontal Nudity | Neo Noir | Independent Film

Cast

Lou Diamond Phillips	...	Manny DeSilva
Bruce Weitz	...	Popcorn
Glenn Plummer	...	Jack Clay
Tracy Middendorf	...	Theda
James McDaniel	...	Arnie
Peter Onorati	...	Carlo Russo
Shelley Malil	...	Prison Doctor
David Johann	...	Prison Guard
Robin Adair	...	Cecile
Kathleen LaGue	...	Waitress
Joseph Griffin	...	Frank
Deborah Cresswell	...	Hotel Clerk
Edoardo Ballerini	...	Roy Morrison
Josh Estrada	...	Sam
Pat Crawford Brown	...	Helena

Also Known As:

Three for the Devil (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, sexuality, some violence and drug content.

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

Australia:MA (2006) | Australia:MA | USA:R | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Three-Four Productions LLC

Quotes:

Manny: What goes around, comes around. I believe in that.

What goes around, comes around. I believe in that.

To like a film like this, you have to like two things: Lou Diamond Phillips, and noir. This interesting piece of neo noir is very satisfying for those who like to watch something unfold slowly and try to figure out who is conning who.

Manny (Lou Diamond Phillips, whom I have liked since La Bamba), is a slow, maybe Autistic, desk clerk in a sleazy hotel. He has just been released from an institution for the criminally insane for a murder he committed. He seems to be getting along well on his medication and appears to be a happy joe.

Then all kinds of people start coming into his life: Popcorn (Bruce Weitz) with his gold mine, Jack (Glenn Plummer) the junkie with a hot girlfriend (Tracy Middendorf), and a cop (James McDaniel) who is making life tough for him.

Who among this strange collection is conning whom. What is everyone's motivation? Who is aligned with whom? These are questions that get answered slowly as Manny is drawn into this nightmare.

You have to figure that Manny will manage to come out OK, he just has to. But, will he? And, who will be there with him? Ah, it was satisfying unraveling this puzzle, which kept you guessing until the end.