SAINT JOHN OF LAS VEGAS
US, 2009, 85 minutes. Colour.
Steve Buscemi, Romany Malco, Sarah Silverman, Peter Dinklage, John Cho, Tim Blake Nelson, Emmanuelle Chriqui.
Directed by Hue Rhodes.
Saint John of Las Vegas was written and directed by Hue Rhodes, his first feature film. It is an experimental film, independent in spirit and tone. The credit for the original story is to Dante Alighieri, part of his Inferno.
Steve Buscemi plays an inveterate gambler, willing to risk money, interested in scratchies and any kind of stakes. He tries to reform, takes a job in an insurance firm investigating frauds, accompanies Virgil (Romany Malco) to Las Vegas where he is tempted again. He then finds that he has been made an associate of fraud for the company by Virgil.
The film has an eclectic cast of independent actors: comedienne Sarah Silverman as Jill working in the office, Peter Dinklager as Mr Townsend the boss, Tim Blake Nelson as a militant nudist, Emmanuelle Chriqui as the girl in the club.
The film is a showcase for Steve Buscemi and this will please his fans. Others may find the story and the characters too elliptical – especially the finale which leaves things open for a happy – or unhappy – ending.
1. A star vehicle for Steve Buscemi? His presence, style, comic touches? Bringing a character alive?
2. The writer-director, innovative, avant garde, the story based on Dante? The open ending? The title?
3. The portrait of John, his age, experience, his gambling, the sequences in the stores, his buying scratchies, the extravagance with the thousand dollars? His attitude towards his gambling, reform? His working for Mr Townsend, the work in the office, the encounters with Jill? The sexual encounter and its being photographed by Virgil and used against him? His being sent out with Virgil? The interview with Mr Townsend? His hesitation because of his gambling? Accompanying Virgil, the adventures on the way, Smitty and the act? The park rangers? The nudist colony and their militancy? Virgil and his explanations to the park ranger? John and his dreams – with the African Americans, losing everything? The interrogations of the people concerned with the frauds? The man behind the counter and his not greeting Virgil? His apology? The questions about the car, the two rough diamonds and their explanations of the car? The interview with the woman? The discovery about the car? The attack, John and his being bashed, fighting, running to the phone? Discovering that Virgil had engineered everything? The money? His reaction to Virgil, to being caught? The night in Las Vegas, the room, the club, taking the money and losing it at the tables, his night with Tasty D Lite? The end, the scratchie, the possibility of winning – or not?
4. Mr Townsend, Peter Dinklage’s style, the dwarf? As the boss, his discussions with John, his plans for Jill? His management?
5. Jill, flirting, her work in the office, with John, with Mr Townsend, the phone calls?
6. Virgil, African American, working in the firm, accompanying John, urging his promotion, the encounters along the way, driving to the nudist colony, backing out? The park rangers and his explanations? The plot? His not being bashed, setting up the fraud, getting the money? Giving some to John?
7. The various characters along the way, the Chinese Smitty, Militant Ned and his wearing the hat, with the gun, preventing the group entering? Tasty D Lite and the club?
8. The sum total of these encounters – in terms of humour, insight, aspects of human nature?
