09/04/06 Last Goodbye

Last Goodbye (2004), directed by Jacob Gentry

watched solo; DVD rental (North American Video) @ home

Here's why the old adage "you can't judge a book by its cover" remains so true today in our over-packaged consumer world. The video store got me "hook, line and sinker" on this edgy DVD cover scheme...you tricksters! With the MTV-generation severely planted into our subconscious brain, this film showed promise as a visually stunning array somber music, trippy light shows, and bad judgement characters. However, I tried in vain to extract some deeper meaning or even enjoyment our of this chaotic film...I really tried. With Hot-lanta as the backdrop, the tale is one of misguided youth and unfulfilled promise in the face of hard partying and drug addiction. There is a small-time band who has a cult following, and they're on the verge of making it big...but their minor inner-squabbles keep them from reaching their goal. Told in intertwining stories of drug use, fist fights, broken homes, random sexual encounters, tortured artistic souls, and car accidents...it leaves you spinning around after watching it. It tries to cram way too many ideas, and way too many from other films, into one compact tragedy...but with a hip indie soundtrack. It was an interesting first attempt for director Gentry, who shows promise and heart, but eventually falls flat on its face much like the drunk lead singer of the band in question. It looks like the boys sing their own music at least...and one funny segment on the DVD's special features shows some deadpan dialogue between Gentry and his special effects guy in the production room. Movie geek stuff, but funny...just don't expect this film to be "Crash" (which the DVD cover looks an awful lot like).

2 out of 5 stars