| Ernie (John Borras) lives
in a small apartment with his younger brother, Chip (Seth Abrams), and
his father, Lucky (James Kissane). Both Ernie and Chip are loafers: Ernie
tries his luck as a pimp/hustler when he's not bumming around the house
with unemployed Chip. Their father, who at times wears a fur coat, runs
a local coffee shop. A parish priest (Bruce Barton) may look like your
typical priest, but he doesn't act like one when he goes on a murderous
rampage.
Pretty much all of the characters in Paradise East come across as unlikable, ugly lowlifes who behave in many self-destructing ways. Writer/director Nick Taylor makes every scene count with crisp cinematography, exquisite lighting and set design along with well-chosen music that makes for an enriching experience. When the characters talk to the camera, the film goes from color to black-and-white. Even when it's in color, though, the colors are more or less muted. The slightly slanted camera angles particularly during the scenes with Ernie and Chip sitting in their kitchen, reflect how the characters' lives are in disarray. Those beautiful elements of the production design counteract the film's ugly characters and dark premise. Other contradictions can also be found in details like a Catholic cross-placed in nearly every scene, even though the characters aren't exactly acting like good Catholics. Moreover, Taylor includes some ephemeral moments of dry, dark comic relief. James Kissane steals the show with some hilarious, outrageous one-liners.
The slow-building suspense derives from an overall atmosphere of dread and gloom that may or may not lead to something horrifying and grotesque at any minute. Will there be lots of bloodshed and mayhem? Why is the film called Paradise East to begin with? Those questions won't be answered here so as not to spoil any of the surprises in store for you. Ultimately, watching the characters in Paradise East going about their daily lives is equivalent to watching a train wreck because you know you shouldn't be watching them, yet you can't stop yourself from doing so. You might feel like taking a long shower after watching the film, but that doesn't stop Paradise East from being an outrageously entertaining guilty pleasure that takes more narrative and aesthetic risks than most films do nowadays. - Avi Offer, The NYC Movie Guru |
If the minds
behind South Park and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia had a baby, they'd
name it Paradise East. The film highlights a dysfunctional (and that's
putting it mildly) family whose behavior is nothing short of absurd. But
the writing, directing and ESPECIALLY the acting make this movie truly
something to behold. The dynamic between the two brothers, Chip and Ernie,
is so spectacular that there is a spin off web series on YouTube, The
Chip and Ernie Show. I had the pleasure of meeting some of the actors
and the director before seeing the movie, but had absolutely NO clue at
what they had put together. The actors played characters completely outside
of themselves, and had I not met the director beforehand, I would have
been convinced he was on crack. The story is 100% original, and the situations
the characters find themselves in are hilarious. Two acting honorable
mentions must also go out to Bruce Barton, who plays a droll and meticulous
Catholic priest, and James Kissane, who I would've sworn was Jack McGee's
mobster brother, had I not known otherwise. However you can get your hands
on this movie; festival viewing, rental, purchase, LEGAL download... do
so. This isn't one to miss. A perfect example of what the Hollywood system
is lacking.”
- Sean Buttimer, |
 |
