Buffalo '66
I really wanted to like this movie. Buffalo
'66 stars one of my favorite actresses, Christina Ricci. She plays
Layla, a young tap dancer in Buffalo, NY who is kidnapped by newly released
ex-con Billy (Vincent Gallo). Billy spent five years in prison for a crime
he did not commit and lied to his parents by telling them that he was working
for the government instead of being sent to jail. He even gets his friend
to mail packages and letters to his family to continue the charade.
When Billy is released, he wants to see his parents, but has told them that
he is married, so Billy kidnaps Layla and forces her to "make him look good."
Slowly, we learn about the sad life Billy has led. His parents are fanatical
followers of the Buffalo Bills and the only game they ever missed was
a championship game on December 26, 1966, the day Billy was born. Instead
of celebrating the blessed day, his parents hold a grudge.
His mother (Anjelica Huston) has no recollection of her child's medical
conditions, interests or life in general. His father (Ben Gazzara) barely
speaks to him, and Billy stills holds a torch for neighborhood girl Wendy
Balsam (Rosanna Arquette) who doesn't even remember him. The only happiness
Billy has in life is bowling.
He turns to gambling and loses $10,000 when Buffalo Bills place-kicker Scott
Wood misses a key field goal in the Super Bowl. Billy can't pay the debt
to his bookie (Mickey Rourke), so he is forced to take the fall for a crime
the bookie's friend committed. For ruining his life, Billy pledges to kill
Scott Wood and begins to hatch his plan upon discharge from prison.
All in all, that sounds like a good movie. Unfortunately, the movie suffers
from bad structure. The plot to kill Wood doesn't appear until half way through
the movie. The audience would have benefited from a prologue in the opening
scenes explaining Billy's gambling debt and why he went to jail. Then, the
movie could have moved five years in the future to his release.
Billy lacks sympathy because we do not know about his supposed crime until
late in the movie. The character comes off as a raging lunatic hell-bent
on no particular goal. The audience is left to wonder why he wants to impress
his family after the horrible way he has been treated. It takes too long
for us to learn that he is saying good-bye for the final time.
The other major problem with the movie is the tone. It starts on a very somber
and dramatic tone. The movie then becomes a comedy when Layla and Billy visit
his parents. It then, once again, becomes a drama when we learn about Billy's
plan. The movie even becomes a love story as Layla falls for this lunatic
who never shows any emotional attachment to her until the movie's final scenes.
The movie would have worked well as a farce or a serious drama, but it can't
be both.
Buffalo '66 has some good elements.
Writer/Director/Star Vincent Gallo performs well as Billy. He commendably
handles comedy when he is supposed to be funny, and solidly portrays the
desperation his character feels. Christina Ricci is very good, but also suffers
from the movie's inability to be a comedy or a drama. Anjelica Huston is
fabulous as the absent-minded Bills fanatic. She and Gazarra provide hearty
comic performances.
Gallo also makes some very good choices as director and writer. We learn
about Billy's past through flashback sequences that zoom out from the screen
and superimpose over the action to give us the necessary background. There
are some very good shots such as an early scene where Gallo does an extreme
close-up of his character's eyes when he calls his mother to continue the
lie about his job and family.
Another good choice is a scene where Billy's father sings for Layla. Gallo
shines a spotlight on Gazarra as if he was singing in the concert theater
he envisions in his own mind. The movie also has a gritty, edgy look and
feel that is very much like Buffalo. If you have ever been there, you know
what I mean.
Often, movies written by the star tend to lack sufficient development for
other characters. However, Gallo creates several meaty parts for his
ensemble.
I wish Gallo could go back and fix the movie's shortcomings, but there are
no do-overs in the movie business. If you are a fan of Ricci or Gallo, you
might enjoy the movie, but I can't recommend running out and renting it.
I would suggest future WaffleMovies.com selection
The Opposite of Sex for Ricci fans.
Buffalo '66: C-
Director: Vincent Gallo
Writers: Vincent Gallo and Alison Gasnall
Cast
Billy Burns
. Vincent Gallo
Layla
.
Christina Ricci
Jan Burns
... Anjelica Huston
Jimmy Burns
.. Ben Gazzara
The Bookie
.Mickey Rourke
Wendy Balsam
Rosanna Arquette
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