The Worst Film Ever

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

First let me state that I love James Franco. I loved him in Freaks and Geeks and most of his roles ever since....but this movie was just silly. The actress that plays the main character Sonny's mother became so annoying and her phony accent is so grating you are tempted to turn off the movie half way through. James Franco seriously tries his best with a badly written script and not so qualified director. Nicolas directed this film in such an odd way. I don't think actors should assume they can be directors based solely on being in films. There is a little thing called education and experience and just because you have starred in 30+ movies doesn't mean you have the skills to direct a movie. Three quarters of the way into the film you can tell the actors have given up and just want to finish. I believe that James Franco only starred in this movie for experience. To push himself in ways his other roles didn't but that doesn't make it a good movie. It is almost painful to watch. I am from Mississippi, I have been all over the South and the North and I have NEVER heard accents like the ones these actors were using.

Even a well-known cast of respected actors can't bring this ill-conceived project by actor turned director Nicolas Cage ("Adaptation") to either a dramatic or sexual 'climax' for that matter.It's a shame that a major actor like Cage who's had the opportunity to work with almost every great director in Hollywood could have gleaned so little info about the craft of film-making.The only thing I can say in Cage's defense is that he did hire a competent crew and he shot on film and not digital video (as opposed to real worst movie of 2002 - "Chelsea Walls" - the digital disaster by fellow first-time actor-director Ethan Hawke).Therefore, Cage's film really isn't the worst of the year since it is at the very least - 'technically' competent, but all other creative aspects are amateurish at best. This forces an above-average cast of actors to overcompensate with mawkish, over-the-top performances - leaving the audience with no one to root for or care about.Only Cage's marquee value (as an actor) could have gotten this soon-to-be video release a limited run in theaters (for the moment), but it won't be too long into 2003 before it hits video shelves.Possible rental for curiosity-seekers only! You've been warned!

This isn't a bad looking film and the performances are all fairly effective but once the first 30 or so minutes have passed you've pretty much seen what this has to offer. Story takes place in New Orleans in 1981 where Sonny Phillips (James Franco) has just been discharged from the Army with the hopes of finding a job someplace but his mother wants him to come back to what she taught him. Jewel (Brenda Blethyn) is an ex-prostitute who taught her son the same thing and he was very popular for the wealthy older ladies in the area. Jewel has a young girl named Carol (Mena Suvari) working for her and even though she has a number of tricks every day she still talks about getting out of the business and living a normal life. Also living with Jewel but just as a renter is long time friend Henry (Harry Dean Stanton) who has lent a helping hand for the both of them.*****SPOILER ALERT*****Sonny doesn't want to go back to being a prostitute but when he is unable to get a job he seems to have no other resources in life and at times gets very angry after finishing with a customer. He becomes very jaded and remorseful and when Carol suggests that they go off together and start a new life he can't even bring himself to admit that it's possible for such a thing to happen.This film marks the directorial debut of actor Nicolas Cage and while he does show that he can tell a story at a good pace the main flaw comes from the script itself. This story is very reminiscent of the ambiguous neo-realism films from Italy and France of the 50's and 60's in which the script just allows us to watch Sonny slowly become angry and bitter and to allow prostitution to inevitably become his unfortunate life. Critics point out that the film doesn't offer any insight to Sonny and instead we see the usual clichés and one can't deny that those flaws are evident but there are some good things that should be noticed in Cage's direction. One is the solid performances he gets by all of his actors and I think Blethyn's Southern accent isn't to bad but I think Suvari gives arguably the most effective performance in the film. There is some of the usual prostitute with a heart of gold in the script but when she begs for Sonny to say something positive about their future while it's pouring rain it reminded me that she is indeed one of the more talented young actresses out there. Cage also gives the film a more sordid look at what was going on around Bourbon St. during the early 80's and I found the mood to be pretty effective. But the script doesn't give you anything fresh to view and for the most part the characters just seem to be going through the motions of the films actions. This isn't a bad film and Cage seems to have some talent as a director but this is still a script that fails to be revealing.

Maybe Nic Cage conducted a seance and summoned up the ghost of Mr. Williams, cause this stinks like one of his lesser efforts, all the way.I believe James Franco has something good to offer the world of cinema but half the time you cannot hear a word he's saying. Most likely to overcompensate, Brenda Blethyn overplays her role as his Mother/pimp, and while she has her moments, they are few and far between.Mena Suvari gives the best performance, though I didn't really understand any of the relationships in the movie. Harry Dean Stanton just hangs around...why? Not that he bothers me, but what's your part? Suvari and Franco get too dramatic too quickly and have some puerile dialogue, some of it in the rain..its too much to bear.It was nice to see Brenda Vaccaro as one of Sonny's 'customers' but it hardly was enough to save the movie. Cage himself is seen briefly at the end. I hope when he directs a real movie that I'll be interested enough to see it, although that's doubtful since this was such an ordeal. 3/10.