Laws of Gravity

We're back among the low-life on the mean streets of Brooklyn. Jimmy (Greene) and Jon (Trese) are two hustlers, the first under pressure from a loan-shark, the second so volatile he'll punch out anyone who annoys him, including girlfriend Celia (Field). Though hope springs eternal for the no-hoper men, Jimmy's wife (Falco) is tiring of it all, and when the guys get involved with gun-dealer Frankie (Schulze), tensions come to a head. Writer/director Gomez's first feature is nothing if not authentic. The performances are raw and itchy, the camerawork (by Jean de Segonzac) and cutting determinedly vérité, the script a frazzled blend of inconsequential character-chatter and aggressive outbursts. But if it's hard to fault the overall execution - the performances, especially, are solid - there's a problem that the film is so familiar. The pairing recalls early Scorsese, the gritty visual and verbal style Cassavetes. Efficient, but derivative.