Buffalo '66 (1998)

After being released from prison, Billy is set to visit his parents with his wife, whom he does not actually have. This provokes Billy to act out, as he kidnaps a girl and forces her to act as his wife for the visit.

Director:

Vincent Gallo

Writers:

Vincent Gallo (original story), Vincent Gallo (screenplay)

Stars:

Vincent Gallo, Christina Ricci, Ben Gazzara

6 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Vincent Gallo	...	Billy Brown
Christina Ricci	...	Layla
Ben Gazzara	...	Jimmy Brown
Mickey Rourke	...	The Bookie
Rosanna Arquette	...	Wendy Balsam
Jan-Michael Vincent	...	Sonny
Anjelica Huston	...	Jan Brown
Kevin Pollak	...	TV Sportscaster
Alex Karras	...	TV Sportscaster
John Sansone	...	Little Billy
Manny Fried	...	The Donut Clerk
John Rummel	...	Don Shanks
Bob Wahl	...	Scott Woods
Penny Wolfgang	...	The Judge
Anthony Mydcarz	...	The Motel Clerk

Storyline

Billy is released after five years in prison. In the next moment, he kidnaps teenage student Layla and visits his parents with her, pretending she is his girlfriend and they will soon marry (and forcing her to say the same).

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Plot Keywords:

dysfunctional family | posing as someone's girlfriend | prison | written and directed by cast member | tap dancing | 

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Taglines:

Billy Brown just got out of jail. Now he's going to serve some real time. He's going home.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, strong violent images and scenes involving nudity

Details

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 June 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Buffalo 66

Filming Locations:

Buffalo, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$39,555, 28 June 1998, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,375,097

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinépix Film Properties (CFP), Lions Gate Films, Muse Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The dinner scene with Billy's parents pays homage to the static visual style of Japanese director Yasujirô Ozu, who is referred to by the OZU on the license plate of Layla's car.

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Goofs

When Billy and Layla check into the motel, the clerk tells them check-out time is eleven o'clock, but a sign on the left wall states the time as noon.

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Quotes

Billy Brown: We are a couple that doesn't touch.

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Crazy Credits

Rachel Kregal credited as working as "The Best Set Costumer".

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Connections

References Edward Scissorhands (1990)

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Soundtracks

A Somewhere Place
Written & Performed by Vincent Gallo

User Reviews

Review: Touching and Brilliant

Vincent Gallo's directorial debut is a powerhouse of fine acting, writing, and direction, not to mention a showcase for some truly jaw-dropping cinematography. Buffalo 66 is one of the finest independent films that I have ever seen, and perhaps the most fascinating character study I have yet to see on film.

Christina Ricci provides one of the year's best performances as Layla, the odd but tenderhearted tap dancer who provides Gallo's Billy Brown with the only true love he has ever received. Ricci's performance is brilliantly understated, and she relays just as much heartfelt meaning in one glance of her beautiful, dark eyes as Gallo does in his barrage of rapid-fire monologues.

There are also fine supporting performances from Ben Gazzara and Angjelica Huston, as Billy's utterly dysfunctional parents, Mickey Rourke, as a sleezy bookie, Jan-Michael Vincent, as Billy's touchingly loyal friend and owner of a bowling alley, and Kevin Corrigan, as Billy's slow but well-meaning best friend.

Buffalo 66 is an incredibly moving and beautiful film. It provides some of the starkest movie images of blue-collar society to come along since the '70s. The on-location Buffalo, New York sites are haunting in their bleakness, and the filtered photography emphasizes this all the more.

On top of all of this, Gallo provides a mesmerizing performance as Billy Brown-a man who has spent so much of his life pining for love and tenderness that he doesn't know how to deal with it once it is staring him in the face.

Simply put, Buffalo 66 is a staggering achievement. Vincent Gallo is a fiercely talented filmmaker and a force to be reckoned with in the future.