- STARS: Stephen Lang, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Burt Young, Peter
Dobson, Jerry Orbach, Stephen Baldwin, Alexis Arquette, Ricki Lake.
- YEAR: 1989
- CATEGORY: Drama
- DIRECTOR: Uli Edel
Ann's Review:
‘Last Exit to Brooklyn’ is one of those movies like ‘Taxi Driver’ that leaves
you feeling all empty inside. The themes of meaninglessness, violence and
indifference make you feel bad because you can see the truth in the movie.
The characters are so real. Their pain is real and they have no hopes or
dreams. You can somehow sense that they are aware that they’re doomed. Some
of my favorites are Harry Black (Stephen Lang) a union organizer who is married
but prefers sexual relations with transvestites. Tralala (Jennifer Jason
Leigh). A prostitute who knows how to work it and can’t comprehend love and
kindness.
Alexis Arquette is brilliant as Georgette, a gay man. He has many startling
scenes. The most powerful is when he is lying on his bed crying and asks his
mother "Why me?". Stephen Baldwin plays Sal, a nasty street thug who, along
with his friends, mugs draftees that Tralala lures to a vacant lot. He and
his friends cause a lot of destruction throughout the film. He really fits
in well, I guess it’s because he is really from New York. The movie is very
powerful and it stays with you for days afterwards. It is quite graphic and
very bleak and definitely not suitable for the faint hearted. It has lots
of style and the performances are A1.
