Lowlife (2017) Reviews

• PULP FRICTION

  js-661302018-05-04

  Life is tough for a down on his luck Mexican wrestling masked hero. Crime fighting doesn't really pay, so El Monstruo is relegated to thug duty. The conflicted good guy is a complex character, eager to carry on his family tradition (daddy was a famous luchador), but with a baby on the way, he stoops to henchman duties for local crime boss Teddy to pay the bills, usually with uncontrollably violent results. That's plenty for plot, but this film throws in a heaping helping of parallel story lines for a rather convoluted viewing experience. Major events are replayed through different characters, and alternate angles, resulting in some much needed clarity, as everything comes together nicely, and not so nicely in the end. The very seedy side of L.A. is the backdrop here, where illegals are funnelled towards horrific futures as prostitutes, or donors for a lucrative organ harvesting operation, or both. Grisly, old school gore movies are referenced as is some of Tarantino's spicier moments, but "Lowlife" works best on it's own originality: tackling very big global topics with local struggles. "Lowlife" struggles from the usual low budget issues, mainly uneven performances - Teddy is too wooden - but the clever, spiderweb tale, wild sequences, and quirky characters make up for it: here's a newly released convict with a full face Swastika tattoo, who is refreshingly likeable. No, really.

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• Loved it

  octomancer2018-10-01

  Brutal, visceral, well acted, funny, poignant ... what's not to like. I understand that this film is Marmite, you either love it or you hate it. I thought of Machete while watching it, but I like this more. This is a graphic novel compared with Machete's cartooning. I was surprised by a lot of things here. The quality of the acting, details of the characterisation, unexpected story arcs. Unexpected humour! There was some great situational comedy. The sheer WTF at times made me laugh out loud. I think you'll know pretty quickly whether you're going to like this. If you're undecided, please wait until you see the scene at Crystal's motel from Keith and Randy's POV. If it hasn't grabbed you by then, it won't. If you can see it, there's a great film here. PS I gave it 8 stars, which it might not quite be worth, but it's definitely worth more than the 6.4 it's got as I write this review. F'in Blade Cash-in 2049 has 8.1 and this has twice the heart.

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• A Larger-Than-Life Tale Of Smaller-Than-Life People

  mart-452018-04-26

  Having seen this film at the WhatTheFest? in NY in April, I would like to warn the potential spectator not to fall into the trap of sales pitch, marketing this film as an organ harvesting horror flick, a drug-filled roller-coaster ride or something along these lines. This is a serious, solid, multifaceted drama that Chekhov would be proud to sign with his name. Indeed, not a film for everyone, because of it's unorthodox style and bizarre, yet logical, structure. An absolutely stellar cast gives an electrified performance; cinematography is fresh and innovative and the direction shows signs of ingenious insight into our psyche. The film - part grotesque black comedy, part melodrama - is a story of very different individuals, who overcome every kind of social/racial barriers and unite, when threatened by universal evil. It gives us hope and credit as human race, and that's what great film-making is all about.

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• Masterclass in Storytelling

  robinrezende2018-04-09

  Ryan Prows' thrill ride of a movie "Lowlife" is an absolute mind-bender, so hold on to your seat and save your judgements till the ride is over... and maybe even then, take some more time to consider the judgements you've had all your life about that person on the street or that person struggling with addiction or just that general oddball family member. We're all human after all and Prows weaves a magical tale that recounts the hero's journey through the common man (or common woman in this case). It's a story as old as time of the human experience, but told with genuine heart... and lots of bloody organs to boot. But Prows has used blood and guts to good effect, and any 1 star reviews of this film clearly didn't take time to look deeper under the gritty surface to understand the truth of what it means to be human and disenfranchised in Trump's "Make America White Again" world. Prows makes us look, and laugh, and cry, and then think, which is unusual in a thrill ride coming out of Hollywood these days.

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• Highly entertaining

  jonathan-a-chapman2017-08-29

  Lowlife is full of fun ideas and great performances of some really compelling odd-ball characters, maintaining a heavy sense of drama throughout yet frequently delivering comedic riffs. It's a wild and thrilling story from start to finish. My movie of 2017 so far, and I expect to see it many times again once it becomes available.

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