EMPIRE
US, 2002, 90 minutes, Colour.
John Leguizamo, Peter Sarsgaard, Denise Richards, Vincent Laresca, Isabella Rossellini, Sonia Braga, Delilah Cotto, Anthony ‘Treach’ Criss, Fat Joe.
Directed by Franc Reyes.
Empire is a conventional drug story from the south Bronx where the writer-director Franc Reyes grew up. This is his first feature film.
John Leguizamo plays the lead (and acted as executive producer). He is a drug dealer who does the voice-over, explaining the American ethos of empire to make money no matter what. His brand of heroin is called Empire. However, after various skirmishes and gun battles, he decides that he wants to move out of the drug world and takes up with a Wall Street executive played by Peter Sarsgaard. Denise Richards plays Sarsgaard’s girlfriend who is also a friend of Victor’s girl, Carmen (Delilah Cotto). There are various complications, especially with Isabella Rossellini playing La Colombiana who manages a lot of the drug dealing and is also a money lender. Sonia Braga appears as Carmen’s mother. Rappers Anthony ‘Treach’ Criss and Fat Joe also portray drug dealers.
Most of the film looks fairly dark. There are quite a lot of shootouts. There is quite a lot of wrangling and rivalry in the drug dealers.
Nothing particularly startling or new.
1.New York and drug stories? The Bronx, the dealers? The race backgrounds of the dealers? African American, Caribbean? Interaction with white Americans?
2.The filming of New York, the darkness, the apartments, the streets? The contrast with the wealthier atmosphere of offices and lofts in Soho? The musical score? The songs?
3.The title, Victor’s explanation, his explanation of the American ethos for making money? His heroin?
4.Victor, his ambitions, his achievement? His relationship with Carmen, her pregnancy? His relationship with Jimmy, Tito and the other drug dealers? His encounter with Jack at the party? Interested in the money deals? The possibility of transferring his money from drugs to investments?
5.Jack, his manner, background? Could the audience see that he was lying? His smooth talk, admiration for Victor? Offering legitimate investment? Increasing the investment after the cheque for two million? His relationship with Trish? The meetings, the phone calls? The fact that he was with his mother while pretending to be in Los Angeles doing deals? Trish revealing this unwittingly? His disappearance? Victor and his anger, finding out his address from his mother? His confronting Jack? His confronting Trish?
6.Carmen, her pregnancy, wanting to stay in her neighbourhood? Going to the parties, her friendship with Trish? The jewels from Victor? Going to the loft, her not feeling happy there, returning to her mother, watching television, her mother criticising her? Her going to the loft, finding Trish with Victor? The reconciliation?
7.Trish, friendship, with Jack, party to his fraud or not? Her going to Victor, being caught? The final confrontation, Victor telling the truth about her, her being shot?
8.La Colombiana, her ruling the Bronx, the money lending, wanting the elimination of violence? The death of the dealers? Her treatment of Victor?
9.The other dealers, the map of the Bronx, dividing up the areas, turf wars, even one foot meaning thousands of dollars? The shootouts, the personalities, the consequences? Victor and his discussions with Jimmy and wanting to get out?
10.The build-up to the climax, Victor realising that there was fraud, his self-criticism, pursuing Jack, the violent confrontation, the shootings?
11.The aftermath, with Carmen in Puerto Rico, ill-gotten gains and security? The irony of Victor being shot? His final reflections on his life and experience?
