Gimme the Loot (2012) Reviews

• A Very Foreign Film... Set in New York!

  soncoman2012-04-24

  When most people think of foreign film, they think of films in a language they don't understand, locations they've never been to, actors they've never heard of, and stories unique to a specific culture. We often fail to acknowledge that there are places and cultures within our own borders that can be just as foreign to us as any Asian or European community. "Gimme the Loot," which is playing at the San Francisco International Film Festival, is just such a film. Set in New York City's Borough of the Bronx (talk about a foreign land!) the film tells the story of Malcolm and Sofia, a "tagging team" that set their sights on the greatest "bombing" target in the history of New York graffiti. All they need is $500 to get access to the sight. And so the adventure begins… And that is just what this film really is – an urban adventure story. The story of two young people who set out on a trek and what happens to them along the way. If you're put off by the setting, or the language (which seems to have been scripted by David Mamet in the opening scene,) or the "Maguffin" of the graffiti bomb, please don't be. All those things are ancillary in this tale of the challenges in navigating the foreign land of inner city New York and what happens along the way. It's a funny, harsh, sweet, heartbreaking and oddly (though not unexpectedly) optimistic movie. For all the wrongdoing the couple perpetrate in their attempt to achieve their goal, you end up really liking the characters and kind of wishing they succeed. The two lead actors, Ty Hickson and Tashiana Washington, are terrific in their roles. While their inexperience shows through at times, for the most part they ARE Malcolm and Sophia. The director, Adam Leon, assured the Festival audience that they are both nothing like their characters ("Ty actually wears bow ties all the time.") Leon also had the advantage of having a former NYC tour guide work as his location scout, so the film transports you into parts of New York that you'd never get to see get to see on your standard city excursion. Shot on location over 21 days, every setting seems just right for this story. Special note should also be given to the soundtrack, which is absolutely what you would NOT expect for a story with characters of their age and environment. One would expect a plethora of hip hop or rap pulsing throughout the film, but be prepared for something just a little different. This is writer/director Leon's first feature and he's manages to deliver a film that, while small in budget, is big in heart. Well worth seeking out… www.worstshowontheweb.com

• Good Slice of Life

  Dfree522012-03-26

  I just saw this yesterday in NYC at MOMA, invited by a friend. This is a good effort by first time director (and screen writer) Adam Leon. (The Following Contains Spoilers) It follows a young (late teen age to early twenties) pair of graffiti artists efforts to make the big time by 'bombing' the NY Mets Big Apple Homerun attraction at Citifield. Bombing means to graffiti it. The problem is they need to raise $500 to bribe a security guard. Their efforts are further complicated by a lack of planning and a mixture of dumb/bad luck. The young duo are Malcolm (Tysheeb Hickson) and the tomboyish, street tough Sofia (Tashiana R. Washington). We follow them throughout the hot summer days of the Bronx, downtown Manhattan and Queens as they try to reach their goal. This is told in a straightforward, stripped down style by director Leon. It's refreshing in it's not hokey or trying to make a statement. It's done so with a great deal of humor as both leads are endearing. It's also not a coming of age tale. The characters act and react within their world and since they know little else the time we spend with them is their norm. Also of note is Zoe Lescaze as Ginnie; the fleeting object of Malcolm's desire. All of them, Leon, Hickson, Washington and Lescaze are very talented and it's hoped that this is a fine jump off to successful careers.

• Don't buy the shiny apples at the supermarket. The non-waxed versions have more flavor

  rooprect2014-05-14

  A Jewish kid from trendy Greenwich Village embarks on making a film that shows the gritty underbelly of the Bronx, assisted by his high school chum, a NYC tour guide. One of the film's producers suggests using 2 white actors "to increase marketability", but the filmmakers resist, enlisting 2 mostly unknown African-American talents as well as an ex-con with no acting experience, all the while shooting covertly in many locations because they didn't have a film permit. If that sounds like a wacky plot, it's not. That's the true backstory of "Gimmie the Loot" which, as a film, is no less quirky than the odd circumstances that spawned it. Shot on a micro budget of $65,000, the cinematography and authentic feel put it squarely in league with the big boys, if not a cut above, due to the filmmakers' intimacy with the city. Some shots were done with zoom lenses at a great distance so that the actors could seamlessly blend with the urban reality. Thus by removing the Hollywood polish from the apple, we get a true taste of what lies under the surface of New York City. The plot, while quite original, isn't the focus of the film, but I'll tell it to you anyway. In the 20 years since a gang of graffiti artists attempted unsuccessfully to spray paint the Shea Stadium apple (an enormous prop that pops up whenever the Mets hit a home run), nobody has succeeded. Thus, to graffiti artists, or at least to our 2 main characters Malcom & Sophia, this caper is the urban equivalent of stealing the Hope Diamond. The movie follows 3 days in the lives of these 2 teenagers as they cook up their half-baked plan and set it in motion. But the movie itself is far more than this. It gives us one of the most entertaining & charming views of the 'hood, yes, with its moments of menace & violence, but mostly in a light-hearted, enchanting way. This is a story of innocence in a not-so-innocent world, and it succeeds brilliantly. For example, Meeko the "ex-con" I mentioned in the 1st paragraph may frighten you at first with his imposing stature, forceful speaking and many tattoos, but he soon becomes one of the most entertaining, childlike criminal misfits you've ever seen. Watch the DVD bonus feature which features Meeko on a public access show "All City Hour" alongside Sam Soghor (the "tour guide" I mentioned above) being their hilarious selves. Yes, the film has some great comedy, but it's not a laugh riot with punchlines galore. Instead the humor is low key like in "Pulp Fiction" with strange, almost surreal banter between the actors during tense situations. I absolutely loved the scene with Meeko & lead actor Ty Hickson pulling off a heist and suddenly stopping to argue about whether stairs begin at floor 1 or floor 2. So even though the film has frequent references to drug use, drug dealing, robbery, gang violence, and oh yeah the F word used in practically every sentence, "Gimmie the Loot" is very much a sort of urban fairytale, full of innocence and naïve idealism, all encompassed by the gritty streets of the Bronx. This film is a fantastic experience for anyone who likes watching interesting characters, impressive urban scenery, and exotic cultures... even if those exotic cultures are in your own back yard. I feel comfortable mentioning "Gimmie the Loot" in the same breath as the foreign masterpieces "Bicycle Thieves" (1948), "Alice in the Cities" (1974), and "The Summer of Kikujiro" (1999).

• An unexpected little gem

  cinematic_aficionado2013-05-10

  Although by no means expected, the main heroes of this fab little indie are amongst my all time favourite small time crooks. We follow the trials of two young misfits whose plans seem to go from bad to worse where instead of giving up they keep coming up with more scams or more plans for further scams. An interesting without a doubt portrayal of certain elements within metropolitan societies where by influence, neglect and lack of alternatives are pushed into this sort of perpetual circle. Their personalities are so delightful, that the audience will bypass the fact that they are in fact miniature criminals or accomplishes. Simplicity in filmmaking creates a documentary type experience with substance. It deserves to be seen, talked about, even studied.

• Not bad. Imperfect but charming.

  jbar192013-05-29

  The best thing about this flick is the real people. Almost all of these actors seemed like regular folks. The accents were 100% genuine. I especially liked how everyone was very opinionated about the Yankees vs. Mets thing. I loved how the movie gave you the feeling of what it's like to be in NYC and go from one adventure to another. The 2 leads were fantastic; interesting, funny, and easy to relate to. They stole the movie. The only thing wrong with the movie was it's lack of ending. Plus, the introduction of romance seemed like an attempt to show some sort of resolution. It came off as cute but a little hackneyed. Well made, well acted, keeps you interested then... it's over and you're like, "So are they dating? Are they gonna get into Shea stadium? Was the blonde chick cool or an a jerk?" etc This is a surprisingly charming movie. You end up rooting for the characters even though there isn't too much to the story.