A no-budget, no-brains indie, debut writer-director David Schrader's "NoHo" stars himself and the dreary environs of North Hollywood. Playing at Laemmle's Sunset 5 in weekend midnight shows, this exercise in self-indulgent nattering about the emptiness of modern life is a major chore to sit through and unlikely to win many fans.
Writer-director Schrader, a standup comic and short-film maker ("Memorexx"), goes for the most inane visual and conceptual jokes imaginable. The ragtag group of characters is so relentlessly stupid they quickly become charmless twits of no interest whatsoever.
"NoHo" derides the titular locale, but with no style or worthwhile agenda. The banter between the characters consists mostly of lame jokes about slacking off as a way of life. The film's idea of a big comic scene is having one character eat 50 slices of pizza while his mates make bets on whether he'll succeed or throw up.
Other episodes include a visit to a depression treatment facility and a bogus drug deal, but nothing really works. There's an occasional performer with talent, such as Elisa Beth Garver ("Babylon 5"), but Schrader and co-star Steve Marca suck up all the film's energy as two all-but-lobotomized roommates with unfunny agendas.
NOHO
Snau Baby Prods.
Writer-director David Schrader
Producers Tony Summers, Pete Harris
Executive producer Joe Brown
Director of photographer Matthew Braun
Music Damon Stout
Editor Jessica Landaw
Color/stereo
Cast:
Quinn Whiteman David Schrader
Harvey Davenport Steve Marca
Tamara Elisa Beth Garver
Deveraux Spencer Lee
Running time -- 88 minutes
No MPAA rating...
Writer-director Schrader, a standup comic and short-film maker ("Memorexx"), goes for the most inane visual and conceptual jokes imaginable. The ragtag group of characters is so relentlessly stupid they quickly become charmless twits of no interest whatsoever.
"NoHo" derides the titular locale, but with no style or worthwhile agenda. The banter between the characters consists mostly of lame jokes about slacking off as a way of life. The film's idea of a big comic scene is having one character eat 50 slices of pizza while his mates make bets on whether he'll succeed or throw up.
Other episodes include a visit to a depression treatment facility and a bogus drug deal, but nothing really works. There's an occasional performer with talent, such as Elisa Beth Garver ("Babylon 5"), but Schrader and co-star Steve Marca suck up all the film's energy as two all-but-lobotomized roommates with unfunny agendas.
NOHO
Snau Baby Prods.
Writer-director David Schrader
Producers Tony Summers, Pete Harris
Executive producer Joe Brown
Director of photographer Matthew Braun
Music Damon Stout
Editor Jessica Landaw
Color/stereo
Cast:
Quinn Whiteman David Schrader
Harvey Davenport Steve Marca
Tamara Elisa Beth Garver
Deveraux Spencer Lee
Running time -- 88 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 12/12/1996
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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