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35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Original and Poignant, April 24, 2000
Vincent Gallo's directorial debut is a powerhouse of fine acting, writing, and direction, not to mention a showcase for some hilariously inventive cinematography. Buffalo 66 is one of the finest independent films that I have ever seen, and perhaps the most fascinating character study I have yet to see on film. Christina Ricci provides a quietly poignant performance as Layla, the odd but tenderhearted tap dancer who provides Gallo's Billy Brown with the only true love he has ever received. Ricci is brilliantly understated, and she relays just as much heartfelt meaning in one glance of her beautiful, dark eyes as Gallo does in his barrage of rapid-fire monologues. There are also fine supporting performances from Ben Gazzara and Anjelica Huston, as Billy's utterly dysfunctional parents, Mickey Rourke, as a sleazy bookie, Jan-Michael Vincent, as Billy's touchingly loyal crony and owner of a bowling alley, and Kevin Corrigan, as Billy's slow but well-meaning best friend. Buffalo 66 is an incredibly moving and beautiful film. It provides some of the starkest movie images of blue-collar society to come along since the '70s. The on-location Buffalo, New York sites are haunting in their bleakness, and the filtered photography emphasizes this all the more. On top of all of this, Gallo provides a mesmerizing performance as Billy Brown--a man who has spent so much of his life pining for love and tenderness that he doesn't know how to deal with it once it is staring him in the face.
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18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Haunting and Beautiful, January 24, 1999
By A Customer
Vincent Gallo's directorial debut is a powerhouse of fine acting, writing, and direction, not to mention a showcase for some truly jaw-dropping cinematography. Buffalo 66 is one of the finest independent films that I have ever seen, and perhaps the most fascinating character study I have yet to see on film. Christina Ricci provides one of the year's best performances as Layla, the odd but tenderhearted tap dancer who provides Gallo's Billy Brown with the only true love he has ever received. Ricci's performance is brilliantly understated, and she relays just as much heartfelt meaning in one glance of her beautiful, dark eyes as Gallo does in his barrage of rapid-fire monologues. There are also fine supporting performances from Ben Gazzara and Angjelica Huston, as Billy's utterly dysfunctional parents, Mickey Rourke, as a sleezy bookie, Jan-Michael Vincent, as Billy's touchingly loyal friend and owner of a bowling alley, and Kevin Corrigan, as Billy's slow but well-meaning best friend. Buffalo 66 is an incredibly moving and beautiful film. It provides some of the starkest movie images of blue-collar society to come along since the '70s. The on-location Buffalo, New York sites are haunting in their bleakness, and the filtered photography emphasizes this all the more. On top of all of this, Gallo provides a mesmerizing performance as Billy Brown-a man who has spent so much of his life pining for love and tenderness that he doesn't know how to deal with it once it is staring him in the face. Simply put, Buffalo 66 is a staggering achievement. Vincent Gallo is a fiercely talented filmmaker and a force to be reckoned with in the future.
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31 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Instant Classic, July 28, 2004
This is one of my favorite independent movies. Vincent Gallo writes, directs, and stars in this film. He plays Billy Brown, a young man recently released from prison who has a plan to get revenge on the kick of the the Buffalo Bills who lost the game on which he had bet a large sum of money. While in prison, he didn't tell his parents that he was in prison. Instead, he told them that he was married and working in another city far away. After being released from prison, he decides to visit his family. His mother insists that he bring his wife along. In desperation, Billy kidnaps Leila, a tap dance student played by Christina Ricci. Billy makes Leila play the part of his wife. The visit is a total disaster and we learn that Billy has the worst family in the world. Billy then focuses on his plan to get revenge.
This movie has a strong charcter driven plot. Even though Billy is a terribly unlikable in the beginning, you grow to pity him as secrets about his childhood are revealed. He becomes a hurt child lashing out at everyone. Leila also has strong emotional needs, which in some strange way, Billy fulfills. She becomes a sort of mother figure which tries to bring Billy back from the brink of his abyss. This has to be the most unromantic love story, but in it's own way, it shows that even just a seed of love can grow on the most infertile soil. This movie is definitely worth checking out.
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