Havoc (2005)

Two affluent suburban girls clash with the Latino gang culture of East Los Angeles.

Director:

Barbara Kopple

Writers:

Stephen Gaghan (story), Jessica Kaplan (story)

Stars:

Anne Hathaway, Bijou Phillips, Shiri Appleby

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anne Hathaway	...	Allison Lang
Bijou Phillips	...	Emily
Shiri Appleby	...	Amanda
Michael Biehn	...	Stuart Lang
Joseph Gordon-Levitt	...	Sam
Matt O'Leary	...	Eric
Freddy Rodríguez	...	Hector
Laura San Giacomo	...	Joanna Lang
Mike Vogel	...	Toby
Raymond Cruz	...	Chino
Alexis Dziena	...	Sasha
Channing Tatum	...	Nick
Jose Vasquez	...	Manuel (as Johnny Vasquez)
Luis Robledo	...	Ace
Sam Hennings	...	Mr. Rubin

Storyline

A pair of naive young girls learn that even the most insignificant actions can have lasting consequences. Influenced by the hip-hop thug lifestyle and seeking to explore life outside of their insulated, culturally homogenized suburb, pretty young teenagers Allison and Emily set their sights on East L.A. to experience the "gangsta" lifestyle firsthand. By the time the pair meet a ruthless Mexican drug dealer named Hector, some true-life Latino gang-bangers, and realize just how far out of their element they really are, it may already be too late to turn back.

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Plot Keywords:

nudity | gang banger | gang culture | sex scene | threesome | 

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Taglines:

Sex! Crime! Drugs! We are Kids in America! (German 2011 DVD re-release)

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexual content, nudity, pervasive language, violence, drug and alcohol use - all involving teens

Did You Know?

Trivia

During an interview for Brokeback Mountain, Anne Hathaway denied that her roles in Havoc and then Brokeback, both of which involved her being nude, was an attempt to be seen as a more mature actress after starring in several kid-friendly films, citing her belief that doing nudity in certain films is merely a part of what her chosen form of art demands of her; and because of that belief she does not consider appearing nude in appropriate films to be morally objectionable.

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Goofs

When Allison is talking to her dad at work, he has a water bottle in his hands when the camera is on him the lid is on, but when it turns to Allison the lid is off. It does this for a couple times.

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Quotes

Hector: What you doin' around here? Looking all homegirl and shit?
Allison: I always dress like this!
Hector: Oh, yeah? Wow! Here I am, trying to look like I got the money, and you're trying to look like ME! Fuckin' white people.

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Alternate Versions

"R" rated theatrical and international version running time is 86 minutes. Unrated and extended DVD version running time is 93 minutes. The unrated and extended DVD version was edited by New Line Home Entertainment.

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Connections

References Punk'd (2003)

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Soundtracks

Russ Mon
Written by Russell Howard
Performed by RusHour

User Reviews

A Nutshell Review: Havoc

I could start off this review in Singlish by saying "This movie damn havoc", and it just about sums it up accurately and nicely. Sex, drugs and gangsterism from the hop is hip culture, this movie attempts to provide a social commentary about the lives of super rich teenagers in the Palasades, wasting their bored lives away by trying to emulate another culture they think is cool, the wannabes who chose not to conform to the norms, but try their darndest best to be one in the 'hood.

Anne Hathaway assumes the lead role as Allison Lang, a wide-eyed teenager whose language is as beautiful as her appearance. Having her material needs satisfied by her ultra rich parents, but living in essentially an empty home, her friends and her seek out the alternative lifestyle which promises loads of fun and excitement - drugs, drink and fights. Being associated with a gang brings about some perceived self esteem and self worth. But where do you draw the line when you're always seeking another high moment? A journey to "downtown" - the areas of the have-nots, where seedy bogeymen reside in, areas where parents warn their children to stay away from, sparks a discovery of a wonderland for Allison and her best friend Emily (Bijou Phillips), as they make repeated trips to be amongst the real boys in the 'hood, to hang out, chill, and do whatever them wannabes have done at a magnitude of 10. It's a primal attraction and sexual tension between the girls and the men (not the boys they hang out with, who pee in their pants when faced with real danger - acting cool is not cool), and between Allison and Hector (Freddy Rodriguez).

But like all revelations, sometimes it takes the hard way to learn a lesson, and the movie picked up on this rather rapidly in the last third, once they got enticed into playing a game of dice (with sexual connotations) in order to be initiated into Hector's gang. Basically, the audience observes the attraction of an alternative lifestyle, of wannabes thinking they can handle it all, and of redemption and change.

While it was a surprise to see Michael Biehn in the movie, the movie clearly belonged to Anne Hathaway in her very first attempt to break away from her goody-two-shoes roles like in the Princess Diaries and Ella Enchanted. However, with the M18 rating here, this movie suffered cuts where it really mattered, and a poor edit too at one of the more pivotal scenes which literally screwed up the understanding of what actually happened, only to be told at face value, suggesting the "truth" of the matter, at a later stage. Sometimes I wonder why not release it as R21, and keep the film intact. Surely Hathaway has fans, but to mutilate the movie to let them in, is a bad decision.

It's peculiar to have the movie released this week, up against Singer's SUperman. Maybe some rebellious bored teenagers happen to be the answer to balance the truth and justice that the last son of Krypton embodies?

Details

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

16 October 2005 (Armenia)

Also Known As:

The Powers That Be

Filming Locations:

MacArthur Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$9,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$371,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Media 8 Entertainment, Stuhall Productions, S.R.O. Entertainment AG

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min 93 min (unrated)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1