I love low budget films that pay off and are very entertaining, especially Indie ones. Take Clerks as one example. Director Rifkin, is a very interesting movie maker. Just go back The Dark Backward- original genius, or Look, which had some very disturbing and realistic themes, like this one. At the end, of this 90 minute viewing, you feel like you've been slapped around the face a few times. Speaking of slapping: Vinnie Jones's performance here as a brutal and uncompromising pimp, who lures really young girls off the bus, with dreams of stardom, then turns them out on the street, is electric, playing one of the most scariest pimps I've seen, and I've seen a few. Another great pimp playing performance was that of Brian Tarantina in the little but potent straight to video drama, Runaway Dreams. Jones also plays the charm of the pimp, wonderfuly. ANATGE takes place in a run down, but kind of legendary old hotel, that caters for a lot of tricks, a few old people, ex cons, and we see at first sight, how pimps, pros work it, but too as people, we get underneath the characters, and see them as real people. Ann Marguson (Panic Room) is great as the worn hooker who really puts so much into her character, her and Jones really shine in this, while American Pie's Lyonne, really shows us, she can really act, and act up a storm she does. To say there's bad acting in this film, truly warrants 50 floggings. Newbie, Nicole Jacobs (what happened to her) with her fresh hot fifteen old looks, and fresh off the bus, completes the talent chain of great acting, for she really shines as Lorrianne, pimp Rodan's (Jones) newest profitable discovery, and he's a really smooth operator, where the little lass, busts her cherry the same night. Also exuding hotness, sexiness, Lyonne must be praised as the slightly older teen hooker, Amber, blowing us way with her presence. The performances are so believable, where a lot happens in one night, the plot involving two ex cons, one recently released, where they get involved in a real pickle, in an accidental manslaughter, and try to cover it up, which kind of backfires for one of them. The film has been shot in that grainy, brown swarthy color ala: 187 film, and it really works, especially for the atmosphere, where the nights are really hot and a lot indeed, happens over the night, in this low key movie, another gem that must be sought out. It's painfully evident, there was a lot of struggle to make this movie, whether production, or financial, but I'm glad the struggle was overcome. The movie though has more straight to video appeal. Not everyone will like this movie, but again, Rifkin, shows you don't need much moolah, to pull off something engaging or visually viable, and this movie really has moments that affect, with some real moments of unease, thanks to Jones. The outcome of the Lorianne character, coming to accept her life here as a popped virgin pro, is one of those affecting and sadly realistic moments.
