Retro Film Review: The Blackout (1997)
Those viewers familiar to the works of Abel Ferrara probably know what to expect in his films - despicable things done by characters whom most people wouldn't like to meet in real life. Ferrara's 1997 drama The Blackout continues this tradition with the protagonist in the form of Matty (played by Matthew Modine), Hollywood star actor addicted to alcohol and drugs. He decides to leave Los Angeles for a while and go to Miami to party together with his girlfriend Annie (played by Beatrice Dalle). There Annie leaves him without explanation, or, to be more precise, explanation that Matty could actually remember - he had forced her to abort during one of his drug-induced blackouts. Depressed Matty continues to drink and abuse drugs and one night he picks up Annie (played by Sarah Lassez), young waitress that reminds him of his ex-girlfriend. Two of them go to night club owned by Mickey Wayne (played by Dennis Hopper), crazy music video director. What happens next is unclear because Matty passes out and later can't remember a thing. A year later Matty has apparently sobered up and lives some sort of normal life in New York with beautiful girlfriend Susan (played by Claudia Schiffer). The only trace of the old life are nightmares that ultimately force him to return to Miami and find out what really happened in Mickey's club.
Ferrara always invests a lot of energy in his film, but this can at times be fruitless. In case of The Blackout it was because of Ferrara's poor script (co-written by Marla Hanson and Christ Zoist) that didn't connect powerful scenes into coherent plot. While many scenes are impressive, others are repetitive, overlong and at times even pointless. Casting also leaves much to be desired -without help of dependable character actors like Christopher Walken, Harvey Keitel or James Russo, Ferrara had to settle with Matthew Modine who proved to be inadequate for the role of self-destructing Hollywood star. Dennis Hopper, on the other hand, turned into caricature of himself by playing just another over-the-top madman. The best surprise in the film comes in the form of Claudia Schiffer, supermodel who proved that she can act. Unfortunately, her talents seem to be wasted in the project which, although watchable, is below quality standards audience expects from someone like Abel Ferrara.
RATING: 4/10 (+)
(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.films.reviews on May 12th 2004)
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