In the early festival reviews for "Stuck," many critics drew parallels between the film's themes and the winding down of the Bush II Regime--that, as American citizens, we were all kind of caught under the umbrella of dangerous domestic/foreign policies that had earned near-global scorn, but would ultimately (after getting sufficiently bruised and bloodied) rise above the (largely self-inflicted) damage. Now, in the initial months of the Obama Administration and a life-draining recession, Stuart Gordon's parable of an America that is paradoxically apathetic, hopeful, angry, determined and irresponsible seems an even more potent comment on the times. Thomas Bardo (Stephen Rea) is having one of those Bad Days we can all relate to: he's kicked out of a sleazy downtown hotel with little more than the clothing on his back, is left stranded at an employment center that has somehow lost his application, and is reduced to sleeping on a park bench by nightfall. Enter Brandi (Mena Suvari), a worker at an assisted-living facility who's just been offered a promotion; after an Ecstasy-fueled night of celebration, she accidentally slams into the downtrodden Tom, leaving him lodged in her windshield in a fit of panic. Gordon, most renowned for his H.P. Lovecraft adaptations, has broadened his range in recent years (his acerbic adaptation of David Mamet's "Edmond" a prime example), injecting reality-based dramas with elements both grisly and horrific: while gory, "Stuck" contains moments of wonderfully nuanced dark humor and subtle social commentary; combined with offbeat (yet never less than realistic) performances, "Stuck" is a modest gem of genre film-making.
Review of Stuck
