The Real Thing

Rupert's little brother is gunned down after revealing the brilliant robbery plans he overheard while under arrest. Rupert can find no other way to raise the money for his brother's operation, than carrying out the plan himself, unaware that the original gangsters are also planning to pull the heist.
The target is an exclusive nightclub that also deals in drugs. Every New Year's Eve the owner - played by last year's Stockholm Film Festival guest of honour, Rod Steiger - collects the holiday profits and takes them out of the country to es-cape taxes. The New Year's take is the coveted booty.
Director James Merendino obviously feels at home with this genre. His prev-ious work consists largely of thrillers and horror films, often with 'erotic' elements. He's come out with six films in a short period of time, each with a bigger budget than the last. The Real Thing is his most ambitious project to date. The brothers problematic relationship allows for a certain amount of sentimentality and political correctness in the film, but it would be misleading to suggest that these qualities define the film. Merendino's treatment of sensitive situations may be a little awkward or rough, but it's inherent simplicity makes it work. Instead, he concentrates on the action scenes.
By using simple but well composed images and realistic dialogue he avoids some of the pitfalls of the genre. We are spared the ''smart'' dialogue, as well as the one-liners, normally the hallmark of the American action film. The atmosphere is a drab everyday grey, and though the robbery scene is shot in slow motion, it's still a long way off from John Woo's well-choreographed, aesthetic shoot-outs - Merendino brings out the dirt in the violence, which together with his use of the wide screen format places him closer to Sam Peckinpah. The world he portrays is neither glamorous nor aesthetic.
James Merendino seems to appreciate both the history of the crime thriller, and the genre that American independent film has become. With a cast that includes Gary Busey (”Lethal Weapon”) and Emily Lloyd (”Wish You Were Here”), the cult potential of this film has been secured, which seems to have become the prerequisite for a successful American independent film. We even get to see the old Paul Morrissey actor Joe Dallesandro.
Jakob Abrahamsson

Premiärstatus
Nordisk premiär: Medverkande
James Russo, Emily Lloyd, Rod Steiger, Gary Busey: Producent
Kürt MacCarley: Manus
James Merendino from a story by Rustam Branaman: Foto
Gregg Littlewood: Musik
Peter Leinheiser: Talat språk
English