In the tradition of such films as 1993’s Falling Down, starring Michael Douglas, the latest Thriller/Horror produced by Switzer Entertainment Group, and Traplight Media, comes Buddy Hutchins. Released on February 14, 2015 via Uncork’d Entertainment in the United States, Buddy Hutchins stars prolific actor Jamie Kennedy as the titular protagonist. Best remembered from the Scream movie franchise (1996, 1997, 2000) and Ghost Whisperer TV series (2008-2010), Kennedy channels his inner demons to play Hutchins; a bloated, former drug and alcohol addict, struggling to make ends meet. Filmed around Lost Angeles, California, written and directed by Jared Cohn (Born Bad 2011, Jailbait 2014), the events of the film take place over the period of one month.
- Still from Buddy Hutchins
At the beginning of the story, Buddy finds himself surrounded by police with a suspected hostage. Covered in blood, Buddy contemplates the series of events that led to his downfall. Just sixty days earlier, Buddy’s only problems were that his dry cleaning business was failing, he had a difficult and rebellious son, Joel (Richard Switzer: A Fatal Obsession 2015, School’s Out 2015), and his wife, Evelyn (Sara Malakul Lane: 12/12/12 2012, Jurassic City 2014), is a little distant. He remains close to their daughter, Molly (Milana Lev), and cares for his mother, who still works, despite being elderly. His brother, Troy (Steve Hanks: Hold Your Breath 2012, Jailbat 2014), becomes reacquainted with Buddy, though he is estranged from their mother due to his relationship with another man. After their mother suffers a heart attack, Buddy is forced to take care of her financially, which puts a strain on his already existing financial problems. Her heart attack acts as a catalyst for Buddy’s rapid and explosive downfall.
- Still from Buddy Hutchins
His already fragile mental state is pushed over the limit when he discovers there are bigger problems with his marriage than he thought. Scene by scene, Buddy’s life unravels into a terrible and violent mess. Desperate and destitute, the only thing that could save Buddy’s future is a possible reunion with his former band, but given his frame of mind, this seems unlikely. With his life crumbling around him, Buddy snaps, taking matters into his own hands: he reaps vengeance on all those he feels have hurt him. Leaving a bloody trail behind him, his brutal actions do not go unnoticed by the police, in particular Detective Hunter (Hiram A. Murray: Jailbait 2014, Angie Tribeca 2015), who begins to doggedly pursue Buddy. All Buddy wants is his daughter, but will he get her after all he has done? The dramatic conclusion leaves the ending open to question what happened next.
- Still from Buddy Hutchins
Viewers looking for action will not be satisfied until around half way through the movie, which may make it hard to keep watching for some. However, this is not the only issue. While the story starts off being solid and realistic, once the action speeds up, the story loses its focus, and so do the characters. The dialogue is stiff, and combined with poor acting by a mix of veteran and up-and-coming actors, makes this film for difficult viewing. The events that take place and the conclusions reached are too unrealistic to either push aside or ignore. However, Lev as Molly, and Switzer as Joel, did great jobs for young actors in their first film. Sadly, Kennedy’s acting was a shadow of its former self. The drama is overdone, and overshadows the excellent cinematography by Giorgio Daveed (5 Hour Friends 2013, Crisis 2014). The special effects are seamless and make for some great blood and gore, which outshines the shaky plot. With a ninety-eight minutes viewing time, one will have to decide if watching this film is for them. CrypticRock gives Buddy Hutchins 1.5 out of 5 stars.
- Uncork’d Entertainment
){kind=link}
No comment