Customer Reviews

Who Shot Pat ?

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Prior to "Speed" and all of the other Hollywood blockbusters that she's since done, Sandra Bullock was a struggling actress who worked in independent films or had smaller roles in studio films (see the remake of "The Vanishing"). "Who Shot Patakango?" (a/k/a "Who Shot Pat?) is one of her earliest independent film appearances and here she begins to demonstrate the appeal that would later make her a box office success. She plays a Sarah Lawrence College student who becomes romantically involved with a high school senior from a Brooklyn vocational high school in 1957. Save Ms. Bullock and Allison Janney (in a small role), the cast is comprised of unknowns, but the acting, generally, is passable to good.

"Who Shot Patakango?" is a largely episodic film that follows the lives of a group of high school seniors who are on the threshold of graduation. What's interesting here is that it features a school where both blacks and whites attend, certainly unusual for a film set in the 1950s. That angle is not explored as well as it could have been, however. Instead, the film mostly follows the adventures and misadventures of the students.

Digital Multimedia Limited's DVD is a budget release through and through. The film looks great with vivid colors, but is presented full screen. There are no extras (not surprising for a low budget, independent film), save chapter breaks. The bottom line on "Who Shot Patakango?" is that it is a good nostalgic look on high school in the 1950s with a charming performance by a young Sandra Bullock.

And that's why I'm giving it one star, cos, believe me that is generous!!! It's not a great TV movie, it's not great anything. Even Sandra Bullock sucks, and that's saying something, coming from a fan. This is probably one movie she's filed under "forgettable" - along with Fire On The Amazon. It's no wonder I couldn't find out much information about this movie, as it's not even a proper movie, it's something that's shown on lowly TV channels during the day or late at night.

There's no storyline to this movie. Well, apart from the minor blurb on the back. Apparently, someone called Patangko (or some other nonsense) gets shot and everyone is out for revenge. And when exactly was all this supposed to happen?! I lasted 56 minutes into the movie, and gave up all hope on living. It's set in the fifties, so cue lots of cheesy music, which missed out appearing on the soundtrack to other great fifties movies like Grease.

And of course, all the guys look so alike, it's hard to tell them apart! Seriously, they've got the '50s style quiff, all gelled back, and I can't tell any of them apart. A big mistake either.

I knew instantly it was a TV, cos they all use the same sort of font etc for their credits and the cheesiest music they could possibly lay their hands on.

This is billed as a Sandra Bullock movie. She's the name under the title of the so called movie, her face is the main image on the front cover, and then on the back cover, you get a smaller image of her. So you'd start to think she was the main star in this? Well, you'd be seriously wrong. For starters, she's probably only got a small role. She'd only appeared twice before I switched it off, and that was 25 minutes into it - and then didn't appear again until 44 minutes! So don't kid yourself into thinking she's a big star in this - cos you will be like me and extremely disappointed. She's probably the only star from this who went onto become a major Hollywood star, and that's why it's been billed as a "Sandra Bullock" film - it's to get the cash out of your wallets and into their pockets.

If you're desperate to get this movie, go onto Ebay, where I will be soon selling it, and many others are selling it, really cheap too most of the time. That's the only way to get it, but believe me, I will tell you how bad it is! It's about as bad as you can get. It's in the same league as The Last Time I Committed Suicide, The Last Broadcast, Lost Highway - although Last Broadcast and Lost Highway, I managed to sit through!!!

I love Sandra Bullock, but this was a very boring movie and I cannot belive I paid good money for this. This a very bad movie and should not be sold anywhere. Don't wasre your money on this one.

Unbiassed review not possible as I am a fan of Sandra Bullock, It is interesting how much younger and virginal Sandra Bullock looked prior to "While You Were Sleeping". The movie itself isn't otherwise worth while remembering - even the title, GVP

Three stars is a bit generous for this film as far as any finer qualities go. It's low-budget, with second- and third-tier acting, writing and, well, pretty much everything. But it's well intentioned, sweet, and does have Bullock in a very early, pre-fame role. The first time I saw it I hated it, and wrote a harsh review of it here, but coming at it again (more or less accidentally) with very low expectations allowed its better points, such as they are, to come forward.

This is basically a coming-of-age nostalgia piece, predominantly comedic in tone. A group of guys at a late 1950s Brooklyn technical high school fight, talk about fighting, get into trouble, have some not-quite-Mr.-Chips moments, a talent show, and fight. There is some angst connected with the fighting, and a bit of race friction, though the only gang activity is among whites. There's also the mystery of who shot Pat, which is resolved before the last reel, and isn't central. The humor isn't brilliant, but it's less insulting to the mind than a good deal of movie humor.

The female roles are secondary. The main character has a rather implausible romance with Sandra Bullock's character, a Sarah Lawrence College student from the rich side of the tracks, who is oddly willing. Bullock has enough screen time, and brief romantic moments, to make this worth seeking out for big fans or the curious, but don't expect a major role, great acting, or a very full range of her trademark expressions.

The music is a weird mix of 50s songs and sparely used cheesy, cheap 70s-sounding film scoring, with a 70s-ish romantic duet. Odd, since the film came out in 1989. There's some swearing (including the f-word) and sexual humor. Bullock has a gratuitous, brief, and not very revealing nude scene that will add to the attraction for some.

The version I have is part of a double feature from Disc Plaza/Cascadia. The DVD transfer is OK for the price, which is to say a little soft, somewhat pixelly when the camera moves, good color, full screen. The Disk Plaza/Cascadia version is 105 minutes, not the 90 minutes reported for the CineVu release or the 102 listed for the Platinum Disc release. It cuts off the last few seconds of the song that runs over the credits. More reviews at the links. The US title varies: Who Shot Pat?, Who Shot Patakango?

Three stars is a bit generous for this film as far as any finer qualities go. It's low-budget, with second- and third-tier acting, writing and, well, pretty much everything. But it's well intentioned, sweet, and does have Bullock in a very early, pre-fame role. The first time I saw it I hated it, and wrote a harsh review of it here, but coming at it again (more or less accidentally) with very low expectations allowed its better points, such as they are, to come forward.

This is basically a coming-of-age nostalgia piece, predominantly comedic in tone. A group of guys at a late 1950s Brooklyn technical high school fight, talk about fighting, get into trouble, have some not-quite-Mr.-Chips moments, a talent show, and fight. There is some angst connected with the fighting, and a bit of race friction, though the only gang activity is among whites. There's also the mystery of who shot Pat, which is resolved before the last reel, and isn't central. The humor isn't brilliant, but it's less insulting to the mind than a good deal of movie humor.

The female roles are secondary. The main character has a rather implausible romance with Sandra Bullock's character, a Sarah Lawrence College student from the rich side of the tracks, who is oddly willing. Bullock has enough screen time, and brief romantic moments, to make this worth seeking out for big fans or the curious, but don't expect a major role, great acting, or a very full range of her trademark expressions.

The music is a weird mix of 50s songs and sparely used cheesy, cheap 70s-sounding film scoring, with a 70s-ish romantic duet. Odd, since the film came out in 1989. There's some swearing (including the f-word) and sexual humor. Bullock has a gratuitous, brief, and not very revealing nude scene that will add to the attraction for some.

The version I have is part of a double feature from Disc Plaza/Cascadia. The DVD transfer is OK for the price, which is to say a little soft, somewhat pixelly when the camera moves, good color, full screen. The Disk Plaza/Cascadia version was also available by itself. It's 105 minutes, not the 90 minutes reported for the CineVu release or the 102 listed for the Platinum Disc release. It cuts off the last few seconds of the song that runs over the credits. More reviews at the links. The US title varies: Who Shot Pat?, Who Shot Patakango?

Sandra Bullock is timeless in this classic, no one is getting oscars here but it's great just to see her before she got to be a superstar.

The title of this review pretty much sums it up. As a Sandra Bullock fan I bought this movie because she was in it. It was interesting to see her youthful performance. She was great. The movie itself is another story. It is utterly awful. The back cover said it was a "wistful" look back in time. Yuk! The movie paints pathetic pictures of meaningless lives and beatings by bullys. How can anyone view that trash wistfully?

In all I felt this is a good film. Plot wanders a little from time to time, but the actors do a good job. Direction is good. Good editing. I'd recomend the film.