.45 (2006)

Milla Jovovich stars as woman who wants revenge on her boyfriend after he beats her up.

Unremarkable crime drama would work on a b-movie level but is sunk by a supporting cast that doesn't seem to be adept at acting. Then again they simply may not care because there really is no real intensity in the lot. The fact that they don't seem to care makes it so we don't care.the result is a film that is not particularly anything, it's just sort of there, like a piece of art that was bought to match a sofa, this was made just to create a pay check. Ultimately the sort of thing you'll forget after ten minutes.

Fmovies: Writer/Director Gary Lennon creates a gritty, almost surreal world, and captures visceral performances from a top-notch cast, including my favorite, Milla Jovavich (The Fifth Element). The writing is crisp, with a story that pushes forward like a freight train. Lennon, who I believe started as a playwright, has a great ear for dialog. The performances, enhanced by superb direction, seamless editing, and an exceptional score, shine as the best work these actors have done to date. Angus MacFadyen, so great in "Braveheart," plays an entirely different kind of bad guy here, and he manages to pull off both barbarism and oily charm. Jovavich is sexy, tough and vulnerable. I will definitely buy this movie and keep it in my DVD collection next to "Mean Streets" and "Laws of Gravity." Lennon is the rare director who can create a film so violent, and at the same time, poetic, thoughtful and beautiful. It's tough to watch, and impossible to look away.

Well, that was a waste of 101 minutes. I never would have known that .45 existed, if not for the presence of Milla Jovovich. That ignorance of this movie, probably would have been to my overall advantage. It's safe to say that I am not a fan. 

.45 is basically an R-rated Lifetime Movie of the Week. The story is a messy mix of domestic violence, crime, revenge, double-crosses, and general pointlessness. I was massively disinterested within the first ten minutes, but I forced myself to watch all of it, because of my misguided aversion to not finishing a movie (unless I absolutely must, ex. Darkness). No one came out of this one looking good, even the pretty Ms. Jovovich. I'm struggling to think of a single redeeming quality...nope. I'm drawing a blank. Even if you're a die-hard fan of Milla, I still could not recommend this. She does have talent, but none of it is on display, here. It's been a few months since I've seen a movie that I enjoyed this little.  

.45 fmovies. While I don't think this is anywhere near the best movie I have ever seen, I think that the character development in the roles played by Milla Jovovich, Angus MacFayden and Sarah Strange were outstanding. Without these performances, the movie would have been predictable and hum-drum. The ancillary commentaries from the two elderly women were also very humorous and added to the movie nicely. I have seen almost everything Milla Jovovich has done (shame on me), and besides "The Messenger", I would rate this as one of her better roles. In fairness, I must say that her role is only strong because of the development of the other main characters. Definitely worth the rental fee!

In a dangerous neighborhood in New York City, Kat (Mila Jovovich) and her brutal smalltime criminal boyfriend Big Al (Angus Macfadyen) sell pistols and revolvers on the streets and deal stolen goods. Kat is addicted in having sex with Al and dreams on moving to the beach and start a new life. When the jealous and abusive Al beats her, the social assistant Liz (Aisha Tyler), Kat's bisexual friend Vic (Sarah Strange) and her acquaintance Reilly (Stephen Dorff) that has a crush on her advise Kat to leave Al. However, Al threatens to destroy her face if she dares to leave him. The smart Kat uses her power of beautiful and sexy woman to manipulate her friends and get rid off Al.

".45" is an amoral and cynical tale of manipulation and use of sex to achieve an objective. The story uses elements of Ken Russell's "Whore", with the characters speaking to the camera like in a documentary. Mila Jovovich and Angus Macfadyen give magnificent performances in the role of amoral losers. I liked a lot this bold movie, but it is recommended for specific audiences. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): ".45 – A Vitória é a Vingança" (".45 – The Victory Is the Vengeance")

really good dialogue from Gary Lennon, the writer of DRUNKS (a good, little movie with a terrific cast that you might have overlooked).

like his first film, this movie has a lot of strong $50 moments spread throughout and a a few moments of real inspiration.

fantastic realism is combined with a terrific and courageous performance by the lovely milla j (showing some acting chops... who would'a thought?).

however, for me, the best part is the humor. especially in the beginning (taking your defenses away)... and then the next thing you realize -- BAM -- this is really serious subject matter.

Photography looks nice for a film of small budget (assuming it's small).

Fine performances by the supporting cast including Angus M, the always solid Stephen Dorff, and the divine Aisha Tyler.