1 Buck (2017) Poster

(2017)

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5/10
Neither Prince Nor Pauper
syedfakbar17 November 2017
Okay, so maybe the rating is too generous/exaggerated, it is still a good movie to watch. Not amazing, not unique, but definitely watchable.

My only objection would be the name ... 1 Buck. It may be catchy but the movie is not about that one dollar bill. How it changes hands is also completely irrelevant to the 'actual' story. Almost as an after thought did the movie makers try to add a good-luck-charm twist to it, and of course that did not work either.

The movie is still worth watching.
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5/10
meh...
brotherbrando7 April 2019
It's okay. I was excited because it's a neat concept about following a dollar. But, it is a very dark and dramatic film. Now I gotta watch something to flush the depression out.
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6/10
Not so bad movie with a perhaps exaggerated rate
zhuzhu-2324617 November 2017
Warning: Spoilers
It's not really my type of thing as lots of crime and sex occupies the screen. But apart from the 1 buck actually has little to do with the actual story, the form of tracing a 1 buck from beginning to end does feel something new. The ending's got an interesting little twist though. Interestingly as Harry has killed the serial killer, he gets killed by the drug dealer as well, simultaneously when the police came, and they don't seem surprised at all to him being killed. So it's very likely that the police has ordered the drug dealer to kill Harry. Please let me know if I'm wrong. Altogether, it's really not so bad a movie to see but the rate is exaggerated. 7 to 7.5 would be neutral.
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3/10
Great idea but hard to watch
arthurw4218 December 2017
This film has a great idea: following a dollar bill as it changes hands, through a cast of mostly dysfunctional gritty characters, through a tale of murder, alcohol, sex, redneck racism, and drugs in Louisiana. What's not to like?

Only a few things:

1. The script

2. The acting

3. Wiggle-cam (not enough to induce nausea, but definitely enough to be annoying, intrusive, and an affectation).

This is one of those films where it's hard to tell what's worse, the acting or the script.

I think it's a tie.

The cinematography is well crafted at times, if you can see through the wiggle-cam, but not enough to redeem the rest.

I sat through the whole thing, but it was difficult.
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2/10
Follow the money
nogodnomasters11 January 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Harry (John Freeman) sometimes called Larry, sometimes called Eric, is an investigator. There has been a series of murders in the Black Bayou among which was his wife. Harry has a number of issues which include his love of drinking, drugs, and prostitutes. He is under federal investigation. His nephew gives him a marked "lucky" one dollar bill, which Harry immediately spends. The film follows the travels of the dollar bill to connect the story.

Harry was a pathetic protagonist. The film was dreary and lacked memorable dialogue or scenes.

Guide: F-word, sex, nudity
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1/10
Waste of my time
ChrisJeanes20 July 2020
Horrible, disjointed, basically garbage. If I could rate with a minus I would
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2/10
Shambles
pennypacker513 November 2018
Bad script, bad Directing, no story just a film built around a concept which wasn't strong enough to build around. Jesus this was hard to watch!!!
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9/10
dark and honest
p-taisne14 December 2017
The first thing that surprised me about the film was the number of awards received in the American but also European festivals for this independent movie. The second thing is the story and the movie poster. drama thriller around a $ 1 bill that goes from hand to hand telling the stories of each owner of this ticket.

The film is dark and is not within the reach of all. you feel a certain dampness to the vision of this film. The characters are not there to be endearing, just bits of life that bring together deep America.

This independent movie has the merit to exist in the middle of the big machineries of the studios accustoming us to calibrated films. I was surprised by the esthetics and the technical mastery. Sometimes independent films are really hard to watch as it sounds amateur, but here it is absolutely not the case. We do not like the rhythm of this kind of film, we can only recognize the honesty of the people who worked on it.

I loved the music and the sound design. I noticed that there was no synthesized instrument but real voices and instruments. Which in the end did not surprise me. This film is honest from the beginning. A hard movie sometimes but in any case that has been noted in many festivals.

Apparently the first movie of a promising real. Curious to see the second film of this one anyway
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9/10
Raw and real
skid1013 December 2017
What I loved about this film was the rawness and real feel it brought. The actors delivered superb performances, no glamour just raw, gritty and real. You follow a group of small town residents in Louisiana and the hardships they face individually. I truly enjoyed the cinematography as well, so beautifully shot. It's dark, suspense filled ride from start to finish.
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10/10
Good Concept... Wish It Was Longer
wtg30529 November 2017
I like films with different moods and to give you an open mind. 1 Buck displays no filters to create a mood for each character's circumstances. Great direction and cinematography and the actors made characters their own. I only wish that this type of movie was a little longer than 88 minutes. Looking forward to future work from this team.
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10/10
Solid Cinematography Solid Performances
juaquinkaisan13 December 2017
Very Dark subjects and intense driven moments by the characters were delivered very well. Do not attention to the unnecessary negative reviews. This is one of the best indie films that I've seen with great execution over some of the larger budget Hollywood films.
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Great movie
hichamhfilms27 December 2017
Loved the filming, the story and the characters. You'll never guess it's a first low budget movie. Well done
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10/10
Beautifully Shot and Well Acted.
RetroScene28 November 2017
First off, let me just say don't buy into the negative reviews. Some of them are from untrustworthy hack-like individuals with no constructive reasoning behind their rating. 1 Buck is a different tale about locals in the south with a marked dollar bill making the rounds only to expose behaviors and outcomes. Actors played their roles with excellence. Definitely recommended if you're not sensitive to the subjects and the dark and gritty tones that sets a mood that some would call depressing but most would call unfortunate events that happens in real life.
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9/10
A MUST SEE!
aps-3443914 December 2017
This is a wonderful crime thriller that has been winning awards in film festivals all over the world. The story is intense, dark, and unfolds with the right amount of suspense. The cinematography is absolutely beautiful. The actors, both lead and supporting, portray characters that are very true to life and emotionally connected. Put this film on your list of things to see.
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9/10
Dark, Gritty, Enjoyable
kalibavitaj19 December 2017
This film has won over 30 awards and from what I've seen, it is very well deserved. 1 Buck gives you a taste of unfortunate reality. All of the actor's performances were very well delivered. The cinematography is raw and beautiful which matches execution of the gritty tone. Director Fabien Dufils did an amazing job of capturing the unfiltered essence of the story in his first feature film.
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10/10
Less Is More Which Works For This Film
TrueIndie17 November 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Very solid independent film exploring the gritty behaviors of Louisiana characters. Some people are only use to one way drama stories which is why they don't give this a chance. 1 Buck attempts to put you in the character's position without doing too much in the same vein as what some people would do in real life behind closed doors. It's a little dose of reality which some people can't handle at times. Lead character Harry played by John Freeman establishes the character behavior very well. Also, strong gripping highlights from actress Katie Ryan as Amara and a wonderfully fierce performance by Will Green as Jordan in addition to the other excellent ensemble completes director Fabien Dufils intense visual efforts. Definitely recommend for open minded audiences.
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10/10
great
flatdream114 December 2017
Moody and well done. It s dark and dicey as thriller should be. good job
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8/10
A great 1st film with good acting !
alexandrenguyen-fr14 December 2017
1 buck is a great 1st feature film with a very good cast. The movie doesn't pretend to be perfect or tend to go on this direction.

It's very rare to have a low budget indi movie with this quality (frames, shots, the light and the acting). Some big studios should take example.

Those bunch of idiots who wrote awful and stupid critics are just haters, they doesn't even know what is a good or bad movie.

Anyway, 1 buck is a good thriller to watch and the 28 awards won are well deserved !
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8/10
Impressively Good
maykelaras21 December 2017
This film should get a lot more recognition for it's efforts. I always like to go into films wanting to know how it's gonna be shot. Visuals and cinematography were great. The group of unknown actors really established their roles with timing and choices. The concept has some originality to it. I would've like to see more of the exploration for a few plot points. Overall... good job. Definitely recommended.
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8/10
Awesome
nnennadufils20 December 2017
Full of surprises, suspenses, tension darkness and great actors. Excellent!
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10/10
Beautiful and Dark
melissaschumacher14 January 2018
Captivatingly told story of pain, deception, and the struggle for life. Makes you take a hard look at the darkness within your own humanity. Beautifully shot with actors who bring truth (flaws and all) to their stories.
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8/10
Risky and mysterious !
contact-4848020 December 2017
It is captivating and inspiring story. It is also very realistic. So much talent in one movie! I recommend.
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8/10
A solid work with the actors
hlc-cicff22 February 2017
'One Buck' is the title of a disturbing plot that shares equal parts with the thriller and the sordid but deeply moral drama of a modern society broken in many pieces. It looks for desperate exits without finding them, except if they approach the hell, which is nothing other than the salvation of the soul.

Although 'One Buck' does not have an absolute artistic originality; that is to say: a full author has not yet been defined and dedicated to a world of his own, he does have many virtues and certain formal findings regarding the treatment of violence and, above all, of sex. There is narrative economy, austerity, and commitment to the pursuit of a film ethic to be honest with the viewer.

There is a visual force that unites with a careful work of casting, and a solid work with the actors that contributes to painting the whole range of pale colors that 'One Buck' has from beginning to end.

Miguel Ángel Barroso/Cult Critic/CICFF
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Not good
MovieIQTest28 February 2018
This movie is terrible except the first scene when the small boat carrying the deadbeat detective to where the corpse dumped. After that, just a dreary, dragged pathetic process without any interesting thing worth your time and brain to hang on tight. It's like the script writer(s) didn't know how to move the story forward, didn't have anything worth saying. So what we got is a detective with broken heart, relied on drugs and drinking to kill his depression. A cop drinking on the job? This is a slow motion movie got nothing to tell but had to use one dollar to expand the nothingness. I have to give up this pathetic movie after wasted 25 minutes, man.
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