The Gentleman Bandit

Rating:
Summary: EMPHASIS UPON CAMERA TECHNIQUE OUTLINES PLOT WEAKNESSES
Review: When Nick Vincent (Charlie Mattera) returns to his former New York City haunts after serving an eight-year sentence at Riker's Island for robbery, he learns that regaining a place in society is not easy to accomplish and additionally discovers that his erstwhile girl friend Maria (Justine Miceli) has relocated to Los Angeles, so westward he goes to find her, however, when he does, he must face that she has married his crime partner Manny (Peter Greene) who had treacherously caused Nick's arrest but nonetheless has somehow become an officer of the Los Angeles Police Department. Scripted and produced by convicted ex-real life bank robber Mattera, this work is effective primarily when it is focussed upon the renewed relationship between Nick and Maria, with the latter's eight year old daughter Ally (Kristina Malota) as seasoning, but improbable ancillary activities of Manny, now a rogue cop who can apparently evade Departmental oversight, are so fraught with foolish fabrication that the film's main theme becomes diluted. Yet, believability of narrative unfortunately becomes moot because of director/cinematographer Jordan Alan's absorption with technical capabilities of his cameras, with a result that speed changes and a fetish for montage, when linked with a raucous sound track, causes a sensorially weary viewer to periodically forget about the primary storyline, erratic in quality as it may be. During the film's quieter moments, good playing may be enjoyed, with Ed Lauter noteworthy as a "retired" felon, and self-styled guardian of Maria and Ally, who transforms the shabby Nick into a sartorially splendid "Gentleman Bandit", while Miceli, Mattera, along with young Malota, all demonstrate solid skills, and Greene, as is customary, dominates his scenes; all minified by Alan's bias for camera pyrotechnics, and a grotesque climax.