Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
David Arquette | ... | John | |
Lukas Haas | ... | Donner | |
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Tony Epper | ... | Santa Claus |
John C. McGinley | ... | Danny Cohen | |
Keith David | ... | Homeless John | |
Wilson Cruz | ... | Mikey | |
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Joshua Schaefer | ... | David (as Josh Schaefer) |
Sydney Lassick | ... | Al | |
Chris Gartin | ... | Eli | |
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Ruth Silver | ... | Tourist Mom |
Alanna Ubach | ... | Nikki | |
N'Bushe Wright | ... | X-Mas Junkie | |
Richard T. Jones | ... | Mr. Popper (as Richard Timothy Jones) | |
Richard Kind | ... | Paul Truman | |
Elliott Gould | ... | Manny Gould |
It's the day before Christmas, the day before John's 21st birthday. He's a prostitute on Santa Monica Blvd in L.A., and he wants to spend that night and the next day at the posh Park Plaza Hotel. He's ripped off a local drug dealer to pay the bill, but as he's sleeping that morning, someone steals his shoes right off his feet, with the money in them. Meanwhile, Donner, a lad new to the streets, wants John to leave the city with him for Camelot, a theme park in Branson, MO, where they'll work as lifeguards. John spends the day trying to hustle the money for the hotel, avoid Jimmy the Warlock, keep his girl friend placated, and figure out how to deal with Donner's friendship. Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
For a film with such a controversial subject, Silver handles it with supreme maturity. Although twinges of sentimentality do exist (the brilliantly played 'angel') this adds to, rather than subtracts from, the powerful nature of the drama. And it is powerful. The characters, although some only ever reach the cardboard, two dimensional stage, are enjoyably refreshing - both Arquette and Haas give very good performances. My only real criticsm is the tension of the pick ups is overplayed - too many are either dangerous or violent (although I am unable to comment on the normal state of people in pick-up districts) and as such, by the end of the film a feeling of over tension seems to have been reached.
Apart from this, a well rounded and genuinely enjoyable film. Recommended.