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.45 (2006)

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47 comments in total

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49 out of 75 people found the following comment useful :-
Excellent!, 27 January 2007
Author: fnordfred from United States

Fantastic acting -- great plot twists. All the performances are outstanding, but Milla Jovanavich in particular should have been nominated for an Oscar. The fight in the apartment is unforgettable. This is a look at an underbelly of New York you don't often (if ever) see on screen. This is not a glamorized Hollywood look at crime. The characters seem disturbingly real, and the potential for violence to erupt at any moment keeps the movie feeling tense throughout. "Honest" might be the best word to describe the writing and the performances. Very raw and powerful. It will leave you thinking about it for a long time afterward. Highly recommended.

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33 out of 44 people found the following comment useful :-
A Raw, Powerful and Masterfully Crafted Debut, 8 March 2007

Author: crazymc from United States

Based on other user's comments, the raw emotion and grit present throughout this film might be too much for some, but for me it added an entirely new dimension to the story that really helped draw me into the harsh reality that these characters live in.

I was truly impressed with Milla's performance as "Kate" and I was pleasantly surprised to see her outside of a movie laden with kung-fu, guns and monsters and instead see her in a wonderfully directed and extremely well written film.

While I've only seen Angus Macfadyen on screen a handful of times, he completely blew me away as "Big Al". He plays one of the most powerful, controlling and abusive characters I've ever seen on screen, yet he's still very much human.

There's something about Gary Lennon's writing that really helps you understand these characters and the reality they live in, no matter how dysfunctional and messed up they may be.

Overall, .45 is an amazing debut for writer/director Gary Lennon, full of brilliant acting and an enthralling story. Highly recommended!

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30 out of 45 people found the following comment useful :-
terrific and courageous performance by milla j., 5 March 2007

Author: knezmihaila from United States

really good dialogue from Gary Lennon, the writer of DRUNKS (a good, little movie with a terrific cast that you might have overlooked).

like his first film, this movie has a lot of strong $50 moments spread throughout and a a few moments of real inspiration.

fantastic realism is combined with a terrific and courageous performance by the lovely milla j (showing some acting chops... who would'a thought?).

however, for me, the best part is the humor. especially in the beginning (taking your defenses away)... and then the next thing you realize -- BAM -- this is really serious subject matter.

Photography looks nice for a film of small budget (assuming it's small).

Fine performances by the supporting cast including Angus M, the always solid Stephen Dorff, and the divine Aisha Tyler.

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10 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
Great acting, 19 September 2007

Author: wodny from Poland

I've always thought about Mila as a good looking young woman whose talents are mainly: smiling and showing her sexy body.

But no! At last - I've seen Mila acting. Great creation. Simultaneously a victim and a strong female, who can use everyone just to reach the goal.

The scene when her guy bits her hard was well done - Mila as a little frightened creature. And then the revenge...

Don't be upset with the beginning, when Kat talks about the huge cock. The rest of the film explains the use of this primitive form and becomes better and better to the very end.

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10 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
Great character development, 7 May 2007

Author: downsized99 from United States

While I don't think this is anywhere near the best movie I have ever seen, I think that the character development in the roles played by Milla Jovovich, Angus MacFayden and Sarah Strange were outstanding. Without these performances, the movie would have been predictable and hum-drum. The ancillary commentaries from the two elderly women were also very humorous and added to the movie nicely. I have seen almost everything Milla Jovovich has done (shame on me), and besides "The Messenger", I would rate this as one of her better roles. In fairness, I must say that her role is only strong because of the development of the other main characters. Definitely worth the rental fee!

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20 out of 33 people found the following comment useful :-
I loved this movie!, 28 January 2007
Author: asteele773 from los angeles

Writer/Director Gary Lennon creates a gritty, almost surreal world, and captures visceral performances from a top-notch cast, including my favorite, Milla Jovavich (The Fifth Element). The writing is crisp, with a story that pushes forward like a freight train. Lennon, who I believe started as a playwright, has a great ear for dialog. The performances, enhanced by superb direction, seamless editing, and an exceptional score, shine as the best work these actors have done to date. Angus MacFadyen, so great in "Braveheart," plays an entirely different kind of bad guy here, and he manages to pull off both barbarism and oily charm. Jovavich is sexy, tough and vulnerable. I will definitely buy this movie and keep it in my DVD collection next to "Mean Streets" and "Laws of Gravity." Lennon is the rare director who can create a film so violent, and at the same time, poetic, thoughtful and beautiful. It's tough to watch, and impossible to look away.

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7 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
great underrated movie spoiled slightly by weak ending, 4 August 2007

Author: Stryde_Tamashii from Australia

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I had to travel all the way to Bali to find myself a copy of this movie. being a huge Milla Jovovich fan, i was determined to see her in another role that actually requires her ACTING ability (which, believe it or not, can be AMAZING in the right role) This movie fulfilled my wishes in that factor. Milla truly shows her raw acting ability almost flawlessly

this being said, the actual movie is not perfect. and it is definitely not for everyone. the dark and gritty realism in the movie is as intriguing as it is disturbing. the most respectable factor of the film is the way that it uses a believable plot and doesn't try to cross the line into an action movie.

The humour of the movie is dry and dirty, but very amusing. the documentary style monologues littered between key scenes give a fresh way to explore the characters. the speeches given by Kate and Als mothers are truly hilarious.

The relationship between Vic and Rielly is shown JUST the right amount to make it entertaining without being sappy or over-dramatic. they provide great sub scenes and silently hint the viewers with subliminal messages on sexuality and love

The key scene in the movie is clearly the abuse scene. at this point, Big Al drunkenly abuses Kate in their apartment. this scene is extremely disturbing and frightening. the acting is very powerful and realistic. for this scene alone i believe both actors deserve awards.

THE NEGATIVE

the last fifteen minutes were a steady descent downwards as far as plot was involved. at this point Kate begins seducing everyone and anyone in order to have Al framed for murder. this section of the movie seems to leave behind all the realistc plot events that were previously shown, especially when Aisha Taylors character gets involved with Milla.

in fact, despite being incredibly sexy throughout the film, Aisha's character seems to pul the movie increasingly downwards as she becomes less professional. i mean, in one sense her characters development was okay, because we saw that beneath the exterior of a strong and serious abuse victim there is still a thrill seeking and emotion driven woman. but on the other hand, her characters sudden lust for Kate and willingness to commit a crime seem unrealistic

the final twists that showed Kate caring "only for numbwer one" was a great outcome, although not brilliantly executed and far from moralistic. its also interesting to note that although the movie seems based around Kates abuse, it is quite obvious that she herself is abusing Al during most of the movie. you cant be sure how you feel about each character as they all experience different changes in the story.

I've kinda made this review all over the place XD but i think you might get the point. the movie was well developed, had great characters, great story, and Brilliant acting, but has a few flaws with its ending.

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10 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :-
Hips, Lips and Tits, 3 November 2007

Author: Claudio Carvalho from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In a dangerous neighborhood in New York City, Kat (Mila Jovovich) and her brutal smalltime criminal boyfriend Big Al (Angus Macfadyen) sell pistols and revolvers on the streets and deal stolen goods. Kat is addicted in having sex with Al and dreams on moving to the beach and start a new life. When the jealous and abusive Al beats her, the social assistant Liz (Aisha Tyler), Kat's bisexual friend Vic (Sarah Strange) and her acquaintance Reilly (Stephen Dorff) that has a crush on her advise Kat to leave Al. However, Al threatens to destroy her face if she dares to leave him. The smart Kat uses her power of beautiful and sexy woman to manipulate her friends and get rid off Al.

".45" is an amoral and cynical tale of manipulation and use of sex to achieve an objective. The story uses elements of Ken Russell's "Whore", with the characters speaking to the camera like in a documentary. Mila Jovovich and Angus Macfadyen give magnificent performances in the role of amoral losers. I liked a lot this bold movie, but it is recommended for specific audiences. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): ".45 – A Vitória é a Vingança" (".45 – The Victory Is the Vengeance")

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10 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :-
Daring and Unbounded, 21 September 2007

Author: petervj-1 from United States

It's not often that you find a movie that's daring and not bounded to the "norm" of Hollywood. I was intrigued to see that the director let his audience become a part of the story as we watch these anti-heroes, like flies on a wall. Milla and Angus are such naturals that they fall into these rolls and you can see how much fun they are having with their intense characters. To see Milla go against her usual character type and have fun with a gritty, dirty, dare I say naive character (with a twist) extremely refreshing. She acted her heart out and I think she proved that she could do more of these kind of hard-core roles.

This rare find is something you don't see every day and I found the direction unguarded and simply profound. I don't know what this first time director is going to do next, but I'm going to definitely keep an eye out.

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5 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Kat wants out and has to figure out how to get just that., 22 August 2007

Author: candlewell from United States

Rich characters! Each character had a life a back story that I got to know enough of about. Usually I'm annoyed by narrative, it takes me out of the movie, but they weren't distracting at all. They were funny and smart and it was a creative way to get insight about the character instead of 'telling' dialog, which can get tedious. Love watching little films with a lot of everything: raw grit, action and heart. Milla was great, never seen her that emotional and focused. This was a 3-d performance for her. Read Gary Lenon's credits- good stuff for a directorial debut. He made efficient choices that tell the story. It's hard to do that the first time around. Didn't know Aisha Tyler was in it, another pleasant surprise. Her performance was subtle. The cast was authentic Big Al owned the role! I really liked this one.

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