Buffalo '66

Circa 1998, Buffalo '66 is a seriously interesting and entertaining flick. Billy Brown, played by the psycho Vincent Gallo, is released from prison and he needs to go home and get on with his sorry excuse for a life. Let the entertainment begin...

Oh wait, there isn't a trailer in site for this movie! Probably because Vincent Gallo is a nut job self indulgent maniac that nobody can stand. But I digress.

Okay, seriously, this is a pretty good movie. Written and directed by Gallo, the movie takes place in Buffalo on the day he is released from jail. Gallo claims this is based on events from his life but I seriously doubt the integrity of that claim. Upon his release he needs to go home and face his parents, and then take care of some unfinished business.

To accomplish this, he needs to enlist the help of an 18 year old Christina Ricci, pre-purged. Perhaps that was mean so let me just say that I totally dig Christina. Both then and now, I find her to be amazingly talented and attractive. I wish she worked more but she is also know as somewhat "different" or enigmatic. Andy Konikowski was different, and I dug him, so I can empathize.

So, on to my point about Christina. This video is from Buffalo 66:




And now...















I can't tell the difference. Again, love you both ways Christina. Whatever works for you I am cool with. Just please do more movies.

I have rambled entirely too much so let me wrap this up. This is a good movie. Very well done and obviously on a limited budget. Vincent Gallo does an amazing job and sells his part fabulously. Ricci is probably as good as she has ever been here. They are both totally believable. It's heavy on the dialogue and there were parts that dragged but it does a good job of keeping you engaged.

Mickey Rourke, Anjelica Houston, Ben Gazzara, and Rosanna Arquette all get their turns and each add something strong to the picture.

It's a film with a cult following and one of those "get it or you don't" type films. I got it and I liked it.

4 stars.

Oh, and for the record Vincent...Christina Ricci was not great because of you, she was great because she is great. The Brown Bunny is trash and it was your fault. You can do wrong. Whew...I feel better. I "spanned time" with this one. :-)