Hard Luck (2006) (V)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Mario Van Peebles

Writers (WGA):

Larry Brand (screenplay) and
Mario Van Peebles (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

22 August 2007 (Japan)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

If it wasn't for bad luck, there would be no luck...

Plot:

Three converging story lines involving bootleggers, a serial killer and drug dealers are followed. A former drug dealer (Snipes) tries to go straight...

Plot Keywords:

Serial Killer | Stolen Money | Split Screen | Directed By Co Star

Cast

Wesley Snipes	...	Lucky
Jackie Quinones	...	Angela (as Jacquelyn Quinones)
Cybill Shepherd	...	Cass
James Hiroyuki Liao	...	Chang (as James Liao)
Aubrey Dollar	...	Rainn
Kevin Thoms	...	Roland
Adrian Washington	...	Lucky
Noah Fleiss	...	Sol Rosenbaum
Bill Cobbs	...	Cobb
Kevin Chapman	...	Franklin
Tom Kemp	...	Gino Gambetta
Mike Messier	...	Eugene
Mario Van Peebles	...	Captain Davis
Tony Hua	...	Detective Lee
Luis Guzmán	...	Million Dollar Mendez

MPAA:

Rated R for violence including some aberrant situations, sexual content/nudity and language.

Runtime:

USA:101 min | Argentina:101 min | Australia:97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:MA | Argentina:16 | Singapore:M18 (cut) | USA:R (certificate #42717) | New Zealand:R18 | South Korea:18 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Providence, Rhode Island, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Movie Connections:

References "Dr. Phil" (2002)

"Hard Luck" has a "Pulp Fiction" narrative

This Mario Van Peebles and Larry Brand penned movie is a unique blend of two genre films, the "gangsta" and "psycho-on-the-loose."

There is also a wink that the director (Peebles) takes at the old 'screwball comedies' where a couple usually gets involved in a situation that neither wanted to be in from the beginning. And of course part of that scenario has a 'Bonnie and Clyde' overtone as the couple (Snipes and Jackie Quinones) try and stay one step ahead of both the law and gangsters that were 'short changed' by Snipes in the beginning of the film.

There is a little bit of 'political statement' at the very beginning of the movie that doesn't take away from the crux of 'Hard Luck.' For some reason Peebles wanted a 'current event' added to a film that did not warrant it. Over time the scene in question will only date the film.

Not wanting to spoil it for anybody, but lets just say Peebles has assembled a great cast -- some known faces and some relatively new ones -- and puts them to good use. While the material is sort of a 'walk in the park' for Snipes, you will be surprised by some of Peebles' unique choices at casting. Hint: be prepared to see Cybil Shepard in a new light! ;-D