Another Day in Paradise (1998)

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

brilliant actors, brilliant editing

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

This film was a rather dark portrayal of young run always that fall into drugs and crime. The film was edgy, but so very well acted that it deserves a viewing by those that appreciate good character portrayal. Vincent Kartheiser debuted in his first film as an adult (although playing a 16 year old), showing that he truly has talent and can dig deep for such a complex character in this part. James Woods was part of the production team of the film and while this is not a movie that I expect did well at the box office, it certainly is another one of Wood's demonstrations of excellent character acting.All the actors did the movie for scale and from what I understand Woods even ended up funding most of the movie when the production ran out of money at one point. Lots of good black humor, and Woods is always great in everything, but best when cast in really nasty roles like this, which was probably written for him. As usual in this type of part, he's completely disgusting, but still somehow likable (at least for the first 2/3 of this movie), and always hilarious. Some of the clothes that Griffith and Wagner wear are to die for (though they look more late 60's than 70's if you wanna get picky, but who cares?) And of course the soundtrack is amazing and sets the mood in every aspect.Overall rating: 8 out of 10.

Read it here: http://squeerelist.blogspot.com/2013/06/another-day-in- paradise-1998.htmlThis Larry Clark drama dives you into the miserable life of junkie Bobbie. After a minor vending-machine robbery gone bad, Bobbie gets fixed up by the infamous thief Mel. The latter decides to hire the kid to nail one last deal that should set them up for life. Mel and his girlfriend Sid become the mentors of Bobbie and his girlfriend Rosie. Neither the characters nor the audience escape unhurt from this funky adventure. Another Day In Paradise is an ironic title for a movie fueled with violence, abuse, and misery. The frantic angles and camera movements used by Clark perfectly depict this atmosphere. The somewhat cheerful R'n'B soundtrack sweetens the painful road trip of our 'heroes' and contrasts with the pitiful path they've chosen. I follow those basket cases taking desperate measures with a certain sorrow but never do I root for them as they've buried themselves in this mess of a situation. This film is an efficient tale on how drugs can make you reach a point of no return and how everything from there is a downhill race to a filthy abyss. Another Day in Paradise seems so real, it makes me feel uneasy and almost sick. I would not recommend it if you don't feel alright because it will mess you up. Vincent Kartheiser in the lead role faultlessly pierces the screen with such a seedy and sore character. The sordid sexuality of our teenagers is only matched by the destructive relationship between James Woods (Mel) and Melanie Griffith (Sid). Woods as the manifest unstable and alcoholic crime king delivers an irreproachable interpretation. Another Day In Paradise is one of these movies that makes you feel glad your only drug consumption is your daily 3-cup-o'-joe intake and your occasional carbs overload.1 reason to watch: it makes you feel good about yourself . It also makes you want to never do drugs. And never have sex again (this one might not be a valuable reason).

From the name of the movie to the not too ambiguous ending, we're in Hollywood. The premise is pretty familiar if you've ever seen more than 5 movies that are rated 'R'. It's a shoot-em-up (lots of heroin and guns) with the familiar sexy antihero couple roaming around the American southwest playing a high stakes game and dealing with character issues (though in this movie we get a new twist because there are two couples instead of one and one of them is old, so you can watch it with your parents).That said, the cinematography is really easy on the eye and the acting is excellent. James Woods gives a great performance even though he plays the same character he plays in other movies he's been in (casino, once upon a time in America, the onion field). Many of the reviews of this film include some comparison to Lary Clark's other big film, "kids". To me, it's hard to compare these movies because the intentions are so different. Which one you like better depends upon, well, what kind of movies you like (you probably would't like them both equally). I'm more of a 'kids' type of guy.Over all, a pretty decent flick. There's a lot of art and subtlety to the acting and there are some pretty powerful scenes. It could have used to loose some of the stanky Hollywood chiche's (how many brains have you seen get blown out in the movies in your lifetime?), but they can be fun I suppose. Maybe VH1 should have a 'top 100 brains getting blown out scenes' show.

It wasn't until quite awhile after I read the novel by Eddie Little that I realized there was a film adaptation. I'm usually skeptical of adaptations, but I'm glad I saw this movie. It takes an unflinching look at the lives of lowlife criminals, living only for the next big score. James Woods and Melanie Griffith are great as Mel and Sid, the unconventional and unintentional parent figures to lovers Bobbie and Rosie (played by Vincent Kartheiser and Natasha Gregson Wagner), and all of them are junkies. These four people come together to form a strange kind of family, but a family that is doomed to fall apart. A great film with an ending that is both hopeful and sad.