"Lookin' To Get Out" was a bit of an ego project for actor Jon Voight, who wrote, starred and partially financed the film. Voight, unable to get a director to shoot his script, hired Hal Ashby, who at the time was stuck in an existential rut, smoking cocaine and drinking booze.
The film, a 17 million dollar flop, stars Voight and Burt Young as a couple of New York losers who lose $10,00 in a poker game. They thus go to Las Vegas hoping to win back some big bucks. In Vegas the two hook up with former call girl Ann-Margret, set up headquarters in the MGM Grand Hotel, and break the bank in the casino.
Reportedly, director Hal Ashby's cut of the film was heavily chopped by both Paramount and Voight. The result is a mess, as much of the film's dialogue seems badly improvised, and the entire film consists of Voight showing off, each scene crafted simply to prove how great and gritty an actor he is. It's all very vain.
7/10 - This review was based on a very poor, damaged copy of the film. For Ashby completists only.
The film, a 17 million dollar flop, stars Voight and Burt Young as a couple of New York losers who lose $10,00 in a poker game. They thus go to Las Vegas hoping to win back some big bucks. In Vegas the two hook up with former call girl Ann-Margret, set up headquarters in the MGM Grand Hotel, and break the bank in the casino.
Reportedly, director Hal Ashby's cut of the film was heavily chopped by both Paramount and Voight. The result is a mess, as much of the film's dialogue seems badly improvised, and the entire film consists of Voight showing off, each scene crafted simply to prove how great and gritty an actor he is. It's all very vain.
7/10 - This review was based on a very poor, damaged copy of the film. For Ashby completists only.