Road Dogz (2002) Reviews

• Better than expected

  jdb-42003-02-08

  I read some other comments and can't understand why some people didn't like this film. The problem is someone who's never made a film doesn't know what it takes to make a film for very little money. I've done it twice. I thought this film was very good. It made me laugh, cry and think, which is what every film is supposed to do. Great job directing and well acted. Some of the comments said the film had bad acting. Those people obviously don't know what good acting is.

  More

• Didnt expect it to be that good. But it was.

  j_gilmour2002-06-14

  This is similar to a lot of the other movies out there, yet i still found it enjoyable. Its about 3 young men dealing with their lives in the ghetto. One a sex-craving addict deals with relationships when he meets a certain female character. The other, a wise talking kid who falls into the wrong hands when he starts doing drug deals. Then the main character who tries to make a decent living, in a dump of a neighborhood. The movie had all around good scenes, and some very good words of wisdom. Although, i feel the ending was similar to a lot of the "gangster" type movies. Other than that, i felt it was a good movie to watch on a Friday night when you have nothing better to do. I gave it an 8/10.

  More

• More than I expected

  Supersymmetry2004-09-01

  This movie is an either or deal, you like it or you don't. Most people will agree that this movie is clichéd, but one when this situations stop happening over and over then people will stop making movies about them. I have to admit that even though the characters are stereotypes Jacob Vargas did a good job portraying the emotional parts. The director did a very nice job, taking in consideration that this is his first time directing a "real" film, and of course, keeping in mind the $250,000 budget they counted on. As for as independent films go this one really got to me because it accurately depicts a big part of the harshness I saw everyday when I lived in the barrio. Overall this is not the best barrio movie, but if you have the chance to see it don't hesitate, you might find more than you expected.

  More

• It was okay for an assemblage of other plotlines

  soutexmex2002-11-28

  I could hear the pitch: "It's Boyz 'N The Hood meets Blood In, Blood Out, with a sprinkle of Saturday Night Fever thrown in for good measure with a vision by Spike Lee if he was Mexican-American instead of an African-American." But despite my cynicism, of the three Hispanic-themed in-the-hood movies I have seen in the last two weeks, this is the most professional production with a nice 35mm print and director of photography who knew what he was doing behind the camera. This was not an amateurish, half-ass attempt as I have seen till now that plagues this genre. But what I do agree with the reviews here is that this is not really an original screenplay. Yes, we have seen this storyline in many other movies such as those that I have cited earlier, but for some reason, I liked it more than I thought I would. I felt ALL the actors did a good and believable job. The three main characters are likeable in their confused, on-the-cusp of adulthood identities, though some of the scenes were repetitive between them. What I felt lacking though were the depth of the female characters. They had a breezy presence which could have added to the story if used correctly. (General question here: In movies, why can't Hispanic males wanna go to college and better themselves? Why is it that only Latinas have this ambition?) I did notice something which I felt added to the overall story arch sublimally: everyone seen onscreen was a Mexican or Mexican-American. I hope film producers will make more of this homogenous society in East L.A. I imagine there are so many stories out there as long as they do not fall into the trap of ethnic stereotyping or cliches, even if the makers are Hispanic themselves.

  More

• A Worthwhile Film

  jrsefton2000-03-16

  A good story and fine direction combine to make for a very worthwhile indie that should make it to wide distribution. Powerful performances by Jacob Vargas and Emilio Rivera, as well as other notably strong roles, bring the audience into the film with the characters to intimately feel their experiences. Deep insight into the plight of young adults trying to develop themselves in the midst of negative influences and vivid depiction of the fragility of their life styles.

  More