Havoc
2005
Anne Hathaway (THE PRINCESS DIARIES, THE DEVIL WEAR'S PRADA) gives a daring performance in this gritty expose of privileged youth, from the writer of TRAFFIC and SYRIANA. A group of wealthy Los Angeles teenagers try to become part of the 'gangsta' lifestyle but soon run into trouble when they come face to face with a real gang .. Read more
| Starring | Anne Hathaway, Bijou Phillips, Shiri Appleby, Michael Biehn |
|---|---|
| Director | Barbara Kopple |
| Genres | Drama |
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Havoc
Anne Hathaway (THE PRINCESS DIARIES, THE DEVIL WEAR'S PRADA) gives a daring performance in this gritty expose of privileged youth, from the writer of TRAFFIC and SYRIANA. A group of wealthy Los Angeles teenagers try to become part of the 'gangsta' lifestyle but soon run into trouble when they come face to face with a real gang of Latino drug dealers.
| Starring | Anne Hathaway, Bijou Phillips, Shiri Appleby, Michael Biehn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt |
|---|---|
| Director | Barbara Kopple |
| Studio | UNIVERSAL PICTURES UK VIDEO RENTAL |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 23 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Hearing-impaired | English |
| Released | DVD: 05 Feb 2007 Production year: 2005 |
| Format | DVD |
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Most helpful member's review
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16 out of 20 people found this review helpful
Quality film has an awful start
Although the film has simplistic plot-line about rich kids getting into trouble on the “wrong side of the tracks”, this is just the backbone upon which director Barbara Koppel hangs an astute study of false impressions. In some cases these false impressions are created deliberately as in rich soft white kids pretending to be hardened gangsta rappers. At other times they are born of prejudice and misunderstandings.
There is a wonderful scene early in the film when Allison (Anne Hathaway) walks around the kitchen of her home reading the post-its that her parents have left for each other. In those few brief moments we get a wonderful impression of her totally dysfunctional family while later on, when they bail her out of jail, they appear to be the perfect concerned parents.
Allison's sterile family background is in stark contrast to the rich, vibrant family lifethat we later glimpse of the Latino 'bad-boy' who she falls for and who's life she ultimately puts in jeopardy.
The film is very much a vehicle for Hathaway and she carries out her responsibilities with aplomb. Her performance is well worthy of the DVD “Best Actress” award that she received for it.
The much talked about nudity is neither excessive nor exploitative. What we do see is totally in keeping with the story and, if anything, the motel room scene involving Emily (Bijou Phillips) is rather tame by European standards.
The only major fault with the film is the director's brave (foolhardy?) decision to begin with a scene containing appallingly bad dialogue and wooden acting. This gives (ironically) the false impression that we are about to see a particularly bad hip-hop movie. This is a deliberate part of the story rather than a reflection of the script and the actors. The fact that the scene includes a student capturing these antics on video should be enough to alert the viewer to this fact but, judging from many comments and reviews, this seems to have passed many people by (including some so-called professional critics). Perhaps this is one case where non-linear storytelling would have helped the film. -
Most recent members' review
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
Anne have it away
Ok Iknow when a star of a big hit childrens film wants to show everyone shes grown up.Whats the best way to do it.Well if your Anne its find a film that involves dodgy script but means you get to see her naked not that im complaining about seeing her excellent assests why did it have to be the only high point and if its the only high point who needs low points this is one of them films that goes no where fast but trys to explore gang culture and show you how boring it is for rich kids having to grow up without worrying about money so they pretend to be like their heroes in gangster rap until the two females of the cast fancy a bit of rough then realise after they got those bad old poor folk with gangster tiesall worked up thats it not what they really want then cry about it ah well film over boring
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