This is the most horrible movie I've ever seen, and I've sat through both Ishtar and all three of the Dead Gentleman films. I had to watch this movie for a research project and got it for free through an interlibrary loan program, but this movie wasn't worth the five seconds it took me to track it down in WorldCat, let alone the four hours (I had to watch Ian Somerhalder's commentary track as well) I spent watching it. The visuals are impressive, I'll admit that, but the lack of any kind of redeeming story quality killed it for me.
The voiceovers and even much of the dialogue (what little there is once the lines containing only expletives are discounted) is stilted and unrealistic and does not flow nearly as well as a writer like Kevin Smith's or even Kevin Williamson's. Not to mention that anyone who's seen both Less Than Zero and American Psycho has already seen this entire movie, only with different set pieces. James Van Der Beek is no Christian Bale or Robert Downey Jr., and only the cameo characters (Fred Savage, Jay Baruchel, Faye Dunaway, Eric Stoltz) are even remotely entertaining. The rest of the characters I just wanted to punch repeatedly every time they appeared on screen.
Everything is overdone to the point of exhaustion, from the backwards-running film to the maniacal laughter of Sean as he finally falls over the edge after the "battle" at Rupert's house. Of the principal actors, Shannon Sossamyn is dishrag-bland; Van Der Beek is trying so hard to be "edgy" that you can see his neck veins bulging; Jessica Biel actually does a good job with her character,it's just too bad her character is despicably irredeemable; and Ian Somerhalder is great--until you realize he's just ripping off Tom Cruise in Risky Business. Somerhalder also needs to just shut his @#$%^& mouth already about the gay thing. It's not like it's hurt Ewan McGregor or Jonathan Rhys Meyers any.
I'm not totally made of stone--I did laugh at Van Der Beek wanking off to "Afternoon Delight" and Somerhalder humping his reflection in the mirror. I also fell off the bed laughing at Van Der Beek's "suicide" (insert eye-roll here) attempt. What a loser.
Avoid this movie like the plague. If you want a stylized movie about sex, drugs, and rock and roll, watch Velvet Goldmine or The Pillow Book.
The voiceovers and even much of the dialogue (what little there is once the lines containing only expletives are discounted) is stilted and unrealistic and does not flow nearly as well as a writer like Kevin Smith's or even Kevin Williamson's. Not to mention that anyone who's seen both Less Than Zero and American Psycho has already seen this entire movie, only with different set pieces. James Van Der Beek is no Christian Bale or Robert Downey Jr., and only the cameo characters (Fred Savage, Jay Baruchel, Faye Dunaway, Eric Stoltz) are even remotely entertaining. The rest of the characters I just wanted to punch repeatedly every time they appeared on screen.
Everything is overdone to the point of exhaustion, from the backwards-running film to the maniacal laughter of Sean as he finally falls over the edge after the "battle" at Rupert's house. Of the principal actors, Shannon Sossamyn is dishrag-bland; Van Der Beek is trying so hard to be "edgy" that you can see his neck veins bulging; Jessica Biel actually does a good job with her character,it's just too bad her character is despicably irredeemable; and Ian Somerhalder is great--until you realize he's just ripping off Tom Cruise in Risky Business. Somerhalder also needs to just shut his @#$%^& mouth already about the gay thing. It's not like it's hurt Ewan McGregor or Jonathan Rhys Meyers any.
I'm not totally made of stone--I did laugh at Van Der Beek wanking off to "Afternoon Delight" and Somerhalder humping his reflection in the mirror. I also fell off the bed laughing at Van Der Beek's "suicide" (insert eye-roll here) attempt. What a loser.
Avoid this movie like the plague. If you want a stylized movie about sex, drugs, and rock and roll, watch Velvet Goldmine or The Pillow Book.