Director – Guy Magar (Retribution, Stepfather 3)
Starring – Jay Acovone (The Hills Have Eyes 2, The X-Files), Matt LeBlanc (Lost in Space, Monsters), and Stephanie Richards (Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Never Trust a Serial Killer)
Release Date – 1994
Rating – 2.5/5
Blu Release – 4/5
I get in some non-horror for review from time to time but it’s not that often. Most of the time these films are sexploitation which I’ve really grown to appreciate but sometimes I get in something that is not horror nor sexploitation. A few weeks ago I was contacted by my friends over at Severin Films to review a trio of their releases.
Severin, as most of you know, is one of my favorite labels and I was really looking forward to checking out these films. The first film that I tossed in and hit play on was the 1994 crime film Lookin’ Italian which starred a young Matt LeBlanc and directed by Guy Magar who directed the 1987 underrated horror film Retribution. I was really looking forward to this one and want to thank Severin for sending this one over.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a man living Los Angelos and working in a used book store who was once a member of a prominent crime family. He has now turned his back on the life and wants something simple. However, his nephew that he took in after the death of his father has a wild side about him. This leads him down the same path his uncle once walked forcing him to try and save his nephew before it’s too late. **Spoiler Alert**
I went into Lookin’ Italian kind of excited. I didn’t realize it was directed by Guy Magar until I was putting the disc in. I’m not a fan of Friends or Matt LeBlanc but an early 90s crime flick by Magar had to be fun. Sadly, it wasn’t. It was an interesting idea that just never finds it’s footing.
The acting in this one is top notch. Jay Acovone and Matt LeBlanc are phenomenal together. They work so well together and the viewer almost believes that these two are really an uncle/nephew pair. The supporting cast is just as great with no real weak links in this one.
The story for this one is one I can get behind but struggles to really find itself. The movie does a great job at setting up the uncle as a man who regrets his past but way too much time is spent on the nephew and showing the viewer that he is a wild teen with no responsibilities. The entire mafia aspect of the film should have started by the 30 minute mark instead of how late it was. A little tighter writing and smoother editing would have made this one far more enjoyable than it is.
Finally, don’t expect memorable deaths and a lot of gore. We have a lot of drama and crime with a little romance but no fun deaths with the red stuff. Overall, Lookin’ Italian is a movie that has a fantastic cast and a story that could have been something memorable but puts too much emphasis on one character that doesn’t deserve it. I wanted to like it but just couldn’t get into it. Fans of early 90s crime may still appreciate it and the release from Severin looks great.
Special Features:
Directin’ Italian – Interview With Writer/Producer/Director Guy Magar
Archival Interview With Writer/Producer/Director Guy Magar
Archival Interview With Actor Jay Acovone
Archival Interview With Actor Matt LeBlanc
Archival Interview With Actress Stephanie Richards
Archival Interview With Actor Lou Rawls
Archival Interview With Actor John LaMotta
Q&A With Writer/Producer/Director Guy Magar And Actors Jay Acovone, Matt LeBlanc, Stephanie Richards And Ralph Manza From The 1994 Palm Springs International Film Festival
Inside Edition Exclusive Look
Behind The Scenes
Gag Reel
Trailer
