Although I am a fan of Peter Facinelli his film Loosies now available on DVD just doesn’t do it for me. The slow moving storyline and uninteresting characters are at the top of the NOT list. If you do like character driven crime films mixed with a lot of personal problems and angst, then you may find a gem in Loosies.
The story centers on Bobby (Peter Facinelli) a pickpocket who actually has a fine knack for it. Watching him on his daily run is like watching a fine tuned ballet as he zips along the New York City streets bumping, groping and slithering past people. Taking only what may be valuable like a wallet, jewelry or a fine watch; Bobby can almost be called an artist. But the score he’s most proud of is the badge of a high-ranking officer.
Taking his booty to Jax (Vincent Gallo) a local fence, we find Bobby has been paying off a large debt to the man. With this on his shoulders and his living situation in jeopardy he runs into Lucy (Jamie Alexander) who informs him that she’s pregnant. When he starts getting heat for the badge theft, Bobby has to sort out all of his problems while on the run.
The film has a pretty good cast including Michael Madsen (Kill Bill) and Vincent Gallo (Buffalo 66) who are at their best here. Gallo does his usual brilliant job of the tough shark who wants his money but at the same time knows he wont get it unless he allows Bobby to work the streets. His acting shines in the film and actually almost saves the movie, but no other support characters can help Facinelli through the clichéd script. Although Madsen’s on the roster as Lt. Sullivan a hard-nosed cop, he seems like he’s taking a walk with his dull character and under used for his star power.
Billed as a dark romantic comedy, director Michael Correnti tries to induce a little humor into his film, but to no avail. Most of the quips are lost in the languid plot that steers more toward action than romanticism. He only shines with a nice twist at the end that gets set up nicely in the second act.
With the absence of any bonus features, the film has to stand on its own. In this case, there isn’t much to stand on except a few fleeting good chase scenes and a harrowing confrontation between Bobby and Jax.
Specifications and Additional Film Information for DVD Format:
- Cast: Peter Facinelli, Jamie Alexander, Michael Madsen, and Vincent Gallo
- Language: English
- Audio: 5.1 Dolby Digital
- Video: Color, Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
- Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
- MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some violence, sexual content and language
- Run Time: 1 hr 29 min
- Genre: Crime, Comedy, and Romance
- Street Date: March 13, 2012
- Distributed by: IFC Films/MPI Home Video
- Number of Discs: 1
FINAL ANALYSIS: An average film with a good twist ending. [rating=2.5]
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
