American Strays

Starring:Scott Plank, Melora Walters, John Savage, Brion James, Joe Viterelli, James Russo, Luke Perry, Will Rothhaar, Jessica Perelman, Toni Kalem, Eric Roberts, Vonte Sweet, Anthony Lee, Stephanie Cushna, Sam J. Jones, Stace Williamson, Carol Kane, Luana Anders, Jack Kehler, Robert Fields
Director: Michael Covert (III)
Studio: Ardustry Home Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

DEADLY DESERT
Nothing to see here folks...
Memorably funny movie
Unpublicised Pulp Fiction
One of best jokes ever...

American Strays
Starring: Scott Plank , Melora Walters , John Savage , Brion James , and Joe Viterelli
Director: Michael Covert (III)
Manufacturer: Simitar
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Edie & Pen
BitterSweet
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ASIN: 630473784X
Release Date: 1998-01-06

Customer Reviews:

DEADLY DESERT.......2005-04-01

AMERICAN STRAYS is a disjointed, sometimes frustrating movie, but it is outrageously funny at times, and the cast is superb. Sure, there are a lot of unanswered questions as to how these guys all end up in the same cafe; why and when did they do their respective crimes, etc., etc., and ultimately, why the suicide storyline is needed at all, since it doesn't tie in with the remaining storylines. But it has some unusual storylines, and as they all kind of mesh toward the end, we can see writer/director Michael Covert's assessment of violence and how easily it has become such a "normal" thing in our society. Luke Perry is the suicidal young man who hires the Exterminator (Flash Gordon's Sam Jones, still a strong force in this film) to help him commit suicide. Vaccum cleaner salesman John Savage (in one of his best performances) is scouring the desert looking for "lonely" people he can bump off under the pretense of selling his wares. He meets his match in the seductively flaky Jennifer Tilly (superb) as a lonely woman who bumps off traveling salesmen; James Russo and the late Joe Viterelli play a couple of hitmen who have a cop in their trunk and who argue about Viterelli's family lineage; Carol Kane plays the accented owner of the cafe who has little to do but as always does it well; Scott Plank and Melora Walters are bank robbers who are planning to get married since she is pregnant with his child; Anthony Lee and Vondo Sweet as two "bruthas" whose past we don't know a whole lot about, but it is Lee whose assessment of the Star Spangled Banner resonates in the final shootout; and finally, we have Eric Roberts and Toni Kalem as a married couple with two obnoxious children who are obviously moving to a new home since he has somehow lost his job and has no money. His attempts to feed his family are tragically noble and hilarious when the shootout begins.
AMERICAN STRAYS is not your average movie, but it kept me highly entertained and that's what I look for in any kind of movie.

Nothing to see here folks..........2004-09-23

Using elements from several other more popular films, American Strays brings together six different stories with the meeting room being a cafe in the desert. In one story we have Luke Perry as a man who cannot cope with his life and hires an "Exterminator" to help him end his existence. The second story is about two hit men who are driving through the desert. One is cut up really bad and is wearing band-aids, the other is an overweight gentlemen with stomach problems. They really don't have much plot other than they provide the ending with some more bodies. The third story is about two people who are driving through the desert. They have a moment in their car where you question their friendship. Nothing becomes of this moment, and eventually they make it to the cafe. The fourth story is about a vacuum salesman. For more than half the film, we follow the path of Dwayne, a salesman who is willing to try any pitch to try to get his vacuum sold. Interestingly played by John Savage, this is the best story of the film. He travels from door to door in the desert demonstrating to potential buyers the effectiveness of his vacuum at a "killer" price. The fifth story is about two lovers on the run from the law. Constantly in some sort of sexual embrace, these two have just robbed something, and are driving around and having sex whenever they want. The sixth and final story has to do with just a random family. Eric Roberts plays a man who is lost in the desert with his family in a minivan. All of these stories interweave together when they should all be going in separate directions.

What happened in 1996? This film made no sense at all. I felt like I began the film in the middle of the actual movie. There is no discussion at all, there is not even a hint, as to how all these characters happened to be in the same desert. All this film is meant to show is violence can happen to anybody.

While other are happy with comedic lines, I actually needed some pre-story to bring this film together. Literally, we jump right into the middle of the robber's story. We have no clue how he got the cash, or how long him and his lady friend have been together. We have no history of Roberts family. No clue what happened to him prior to entering the desert, or where they are headed to. All that we know is that they are as lost as I was in this film. What was the point of the train that Luke Perry kept seeing? Was it to symbolize that his life was about ready to arrive? How did the hit men get the cop in the back of their car, and why were they still carrying it? Who were the gangsta's and what was their part in this film?

QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS......I NEED ANSWERS ANSWERS ANSWERS!!!

There were some decent ideas in this film, but without building a story it is hard to develop these ideas. My feeling is that perhaps the director made this film, and found that he only had the budget to release the second half. If that was the case, here is my advise to the director...scrap the project...there is no reason to beat a dead horse. A self-conscious, contrived gallery of oddball characters are simply derived from parts of David Lynch, and the Coen brothers, with some sub-Tarantinoesque dialogue thrown in.

Unless you, as a viewer, enjoy picking out odd character actors, then I suggest slowly backing away from this film because "there is nothing to see here folks...."

Grade: * out of *****

Memorably funny movie.......2004-02-27

I thought this movie was hilarious. I love the guy w/ the dolls: "Hey girls, brought you a new little sister. She's a little different, let's try to get along." Of course, offbeat dark humor is my thing.

Unpublicised Pulp Fiction.......2003-01-24

I read the reviews on [this site] and was surprised they were mixed. "American Strays" is only for offbeat viewers who have experienced the wierd side of life along with David Lynch and Robert Rodriguez. Don't take it serious but as an everyday dry humor flick. The bungling frustration of Eric Roberts and pseudo naievity of Jennifer Tilly make this a GREAT film for those who take life very lightly. I liked it enough to make the purchase.

One of best jokes ever..........2002-04-06

The vacuum cleaner storyline in this movie is worth the watch (five star)-- the rest is filler (one star) for an over all great late night three star cult movie look-see. In the "weird people in the desert movie" category Jennifer Tilly deserved an Oscar for her performance. And with respect to the vacuum cleaner story don't doze off toward the end-- you'll miss one of the best cinematographic punchlines I've ever seen in a movie. If only Harry Dean Stanton, or Dennis Hopper had had roles then this movie would have been perfect. The violence is not for the weak of heart, or for kids.

Average customer rating:

Not Bad for an Indie Film
Great film,intelligent triptych through absurd L.A.
Absurdly Funny
Better than its reputation
One of my personal favorities.

American Strays/Floundering
Starring: Scott Plank , Melora Walters , John Savage , Brion James , and Joe Viterelli
Director: Michael Covert (III) , and Peter McCarthy
Manufacturer: Simitar Ent.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305253463
Release Date: 1998-12-14

Customer Reviews:

Not Bad for an Indie Film.......2006-10-05

It's important to understand right up front that Floundering is a small budget film, and while it tries to promote its "big names", these actors only had cameo roles. So you get short little clips of Viggo Mortensen, Steve Buscemi, John Cusack, Ethan Hawke, Billy Bob Thornton, and others. This means the acting, like the dialogue, is a bit roller-coastery. Sometimes it really is awesome, but other times you wince at acting that just never would have made it on screen in any other regular film.

Still, you accept that for what it is. Not all movies are made by the big houses, nor should they be. When you watch the credits roll and see the entire cast singing a song together about peace and love, you realize what this really was. It was a gut reaction by many actors to the LA riots. It was a way for them to express their anger and outrage and confusion about everything that went on. For example, Viggo had starred in a movie a few years before this, and the next movie he did was one of my favorites - American Yakuza. And yet in this film he has maybe 3 lines, all of them mumbled. He's the homeless man that the lead character gives his apartment away to in the last 30 seconds of the movie. You bet Viggo didn't do this movie for that screentime or paycheck. He did it - like many of the other actors - as a way to get this message out there.

The premise is pretty simple. A confused 30-something guy is meandering his way through life. He doesn't have a job, he owes back taxes. He has pet goldfish which he feeds to his pet predator fish. He's the "nice guy" who won't date the girl who is smart and likes him, but is in love with a girl who doesn't respect him and sleeps around. He keeps giving money to a drug addict and lets people walk on him. He becomes obsessed with the LA riots - why were all those people so upset? Why did the police "do nothing"? Why don't all the rich people just give up 90% of their income and "solve the problems"?

I can see why many people felt that the discussions were simplistic and stereotypical. Many if not most of the characters themselves here were stereotypical. The downtrodden poor woman supporting a child. The rich egomaniac who hates poor people. The police chief out solely for personal power.

It's easy to say "the movie should have had more depth, addressed the issues with more complexity." However, in life there are audiences of different levels. It's like the Matrix. A portion of viewers saw that and said "That's basic philosophy, about how you sense your world. I knew about that." Then another big portion of the viewers saw that and said "WOAH! That's a cool idea, I never heard about that before!" That second portion wouldn't have gone to see an in depth, complex movie about the topic. They would see this simple version involving fun sci-fi themes. So you start somewhere, to get the discussion going. Then people can understand the more complex versions.

Even understanding that dynamic, I'm not sure I liked the way the movie ended. The lead guy finally realizes that he should do something, get his life into gear, and that a woman he's met is actually right for him. She's off in Vegas for the weekend. He's just gotten a block of money from an old friend. So he portions part off to help his druggie friend in rehab. That's great. Then he spends the rest on *loaves of bread* to give out to people. Ever hear that story about "feed a man for a day"? There are soup kitchens already feeding people. There was a whole storyline about a recycling woman who could have her own business - and also complaints about rich people not funding inner city business. Why didn't *he* set up this money as a micro-loan program? That's be pretty easy, and it is *hugely* helpful in many poor areas, to help small businesses get the small but vital start-up funds they need. Or heck, a scholarship fund? Something other than the "throw bread out for a day" solution. Then he runs away to Vegas. Which again seems quite the opposite of what people should do. Why not end with him calling his lady love, asking her to come back to him, to LA? Heck, he abandons his only pet! It just left me with a "this is the moral?" feeling, after the movie had been relatively heavy-handed in its simplistic good-evil statements.

Still, it's worth a watch, if only to remind us just what the LA riots were like and how it affected many people in this area.

Great film,intelligent triptych through absurd L.A........2006-04-15

Wow, people gave this gem one star? They must be looking for some Bruce Willis film, which this is not. If you've ever "floundered" or if you want to see how society has floundered at even the best of times, then this thought-provoking film may be for you. Intermixing the personal and the political in the wake of the Rodney King riots, "Floundering" shows a fascinating mix of LA-ians trying to make sense of it all. Their lives are a mix of boredom and shock at what has just occured, and the film follows the central character as he careens through his increasingly desparate search for meaning. With a huge roster of great cameos, its indie roots are at times maybe too exposed, but its breathless pace is such fun that you can't help but get pulled in (if, that is, you have the patience and mindset for films off the beaten track). So, buckle up for a great ride of a film. I watch this once a year, and am fully entertained and even a bit enlightened by the experience.

Absurdly Funny.......2005-01-13

This movie is absurd -- few would debate that. But wicked funny and inspiring in its holistic approach. It's hard to describe in a way, like what Louis Armstrong said about Jazz: "If you have to ask, you'll never know."

James LeGros plays John, whose life can't get any worse. He decides he's getting tired of it and pulls a final coup à la "Falling Down" (only with hilarious results and endearingly surprising fulfillment). His (mis)adventures are a slow-burn treat and the cameos (John Cusack/Ethan Hawkwe) are sublime.

Better than its reputation.......2002-02-12

This sixties time-warped retro kind of "power to the people" nineties flick is mostly a procession of set pieces, some of which are not bad. The bit at the gun store with Billy Bob Thornton was superb. The crack philosophers scene was also very good. And the way "What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love and Understanding?" was sung so badly was just perfectola. (Actually that's "What's So Bad about Peace, Love and Understanding?" but whatever...) And the way that big silver fish popped those gold fish...gulp!

I think some of the negative comments about this movie ought to be greeted with a "Whoa, dudes--get a sense of humor." Or, "Don't be offended, man, it's only a movie." Or maybe, "Uh, the soundtrack is awesome, dude." (Oh, god, people really did talk like that!) The dream sequences fooled me at least twice. They were funny. Funniest line: when the trash lady pulls her rifle out of her cart and says "Vive la Revolution!" Second funniest line: "What kind of music do you want to hear?" "The farm report."

Okay, this was no masterpiece, and any episodic movie sans plot is not going to rival The Godfather at IMDb. And James LeGros ain't no Marlon Brando. And if you've ever been to Venice Beach...well, you know it's a freak show. But I think director and screen writer Peter McCarthy did a nice job of bringing that slacker street scene to life. I think the big mistake was to headline actors like Steve Buscemi, John Cusack, Ethan Hawke, and Billy Bob Thornton when they only had cameos. That should have been made clear up front. And there was more than a touch of the kind of sixties moral pretension that we've all grown a little tired of. But bottom line for me, this was a funny movie.

One of my personal favorities........2000-08-02

This movie has everything: salient social commentary, great acting and character development, a captivating and touching story line, timely humor, cameos (Billy Bob Thornton, John Cusack, Kim Wayans, Steve Buschemi, Ethan Hawke, and others), and most importantly it deals with the human soul and the complexities of navigating your way through the hardships of the modern world in which we live. I stumbled across this flick while watching the IFC back in 97'. Since then, I've seen this film at least 10 times, and each time its has helped me to clear my head and put things in perspective. Everyone I've ever shared this brilliant picture with has been truly touched by it. If your in search of meaning in the world, yourself, or truth, this movie is for you. "What's so funny bout Peace, Love, and Understanding"

Average customer rating:

DEADLY DESERT
Nothing to see here folks...
Memorably funny movie
Unpublicised Pulp Fiction
One of best jokes ever...

American Strays
Starring: Scott Plank , Melora Walters , John Savage , Brion James , and Joe Viterelli
Director: Michael Covert (III)
Manufacturer: Ardustry Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Edie & Pen
BitterSweet
Stiletto Dance
Hollywood North
Desert Saints

ASIN: B00004ZBHA
Release Date: 2004-10-19

Customer Reviews:

DEADLY DESERT.......2005-04-01

Nothing to see here folks..........2004-09-23

Memorably funny movie.......2004-02-27

Unpublicised Pulp Fiction.......2003-01-24

One of best jokes ever..........2002-04-06

Average customer rating:

DEADLY DESERT
Nothing to see here folks...
Memorably funny movie
Unpublicised Pulp Fiction
One of best jokes ever...

American Strays
Starring: Scott Plank , Melora Walters , John Savage , Brion James , and Joe Viterelli
Director: Michael Covert (III)
Manufacturer: Simitar Ent.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Comic Action | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Comic Criminals | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video