I recently saw Stevie D with a friend at the Laemmle theater on Wilshire in LA. Going in with little knowledge – beyond the title and poster – I kind of had reservations about sitting through a movie I hadn't had time to vet.
In short, I absolutely loved it. Stevie D is an homage to a number of films, film genres (and sub-genres) – Film Noir / LA Noir, Dead Ringer, Sisters, A Stolen Life, Scorsese, references to Cassavetes, old movie posters on the walls of the agent's office, etc. etc. There was even a little Rock Hudson (in his duel role) / Doris Day in Pillow Talk. For this reason, it would be easy to say the film was at times "derivative" – but that's the point, and all involved are obviously in on the joke.
The main reason I enjoyed the film so much is because it's effortlessly charming in a way I rarely see anymore. Also, every actor is strong – there's no weak link. The male lead (Chris Cordone) is terrific and extremely charismatic. He has a Cary Grant quality, which he utilizes wisely switching roles from suave to insane. The female lead (Torrey DeVitto) is stunning to look at and an overwhelmingly captivating presence. Other notables include Hal Linden, John Aprea (who appeared in four of my favorite films of all time - Bullitt, Caged Heat, The Godfather: Part II, and The Stepford Wives), and Kevin Chapman (from The Boondock Saints).
My only criticism would be that the last third of the film needed to be tightened up a little. The pacing is generally rapid and then at the end it seems to take longer than it should to reach its conclusion.
Overall, this is a real gem – and I'm giving it 9 stars because I'm so sick of going to the movies and having mega-budget junk constantly rammed down my throat. Filmmakers need to get back to basics, take a look at classic movies and learn how to craft a good story – and these guys obviously did.
