Illtown

A few young drug dealers in Miami have gotten used to a relaxed life with a steady income, when a former partner of their gets out of prison and plans to take revenge on those he thinks betrayed him.
For anyone who has seen Gomez's ”Laws of Gravity” and ”New Jersey Drive”, ”Illtown” will come as something of a surprise. The earthy realism in those films has been replaced by a more dream-like and non-realistic film imagery, which allows the director to ponder religious and philosophical questions. He is particularly involved in studying the impossibility of fleeing fate, our past always catches up to us.
The film is actually a little reminiscent of Werner Herzog's films. Gomez has tried to promote a hypnotic mood - his characters often speak as if in a trance, and move as if they were under water (Gomez has a lot to thank his cinematographer for). ”Illtown” is an intentionally a heavily stylised film, which will undoubtedly arouse as much discussion in Sweden as it has at other festivals where it has been shown. Gomez even leaves open the possibility that much of what we see is actually a dream.
The film is also very violent. The violence is abundant, especially in the second half, and is also raw and bloody which can certainly be seen as repulsive.
But large doses of violence are unavoidable in a film that is about with drug dealers in Miami. The main characters live a comfortable life and have, in spite of their ''trade'', virtually become yuppies. But the ease comes to an abrupt end when their former pal Gabriel gets put of prison. Gabriel gathers together a group of very young but also very bloodthirsty petty criminals - they are the ones he then sends out with orders to kill, and kill again.
Michael Rappaport is the most well known of the actors. He got his big breakthrough in Woody Allen's ”Mighty Aphrodite” and has also been in films such as Barbet Schroder's ”Kiss of Death.” He also plays in James Mangold's ”Cop Land”, which is also being shown during the festival. Lili Taylor is one of the best known actresses of American independent film, having played in films by Abel Ferrara and ”I Shot Andy Warhol”, among others.
Gunnar Rehlin

Premiärstatus
Europeisk premiär: Medverkande
Michael Rapaport, Lili Taylor, Kevin Corrigan, Isaac Hayes: Producent
David J Bushell: Manus
Nick Gomez: Foto
Jim Denault: Musik
Brian Keane: Talat språk
English