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290 comments in total

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57 out of 66 people found the following comment useful :-
Review: Touching and Brilliant, 22 January 1999
Author: James Chong (james.chong@xylan.com) from Los Angeles

Vincent Gallo's directorial debut is a powerhouse of fine acting, writing, and direction, not to mention a showcase for some truly jaw-dropping cinematography. Buffalo 66 is one of the finest independent films that I have ever seen, and perhaps the most fascinating character study I have yet to see on film.

Christina Ricci provides one of the year's best performances as Layla, the odd but tenderhearted tap dancer who provides Gallo's Billy Brown with the only true love he has ever received. Ricci's performance is brilliantly understated, and she relays just as much heartfelt meaning in one glance of her beautiful, dark eyes as Gallo does in his barrage of rapid-fire monologues.

There are also fine supporting performances from Ben Gazzara and Angjelica Huston, as Billy's utterly dysfunctional parents, Mickey Rourke, as a sleezy bookie, Jan-Michael Vincent, as Billy's touchingly loyal friend and owner of a bowling alley, and Kevin Corrigan, as Billy's slow but well-meaning best friend.

Buffalo 66 is an incredibly moving and beautiful film. It provides some of the starkest movie images of blue-collar society to come along since the '70s. The on-location Buffalo, New York sites are haunting in their bleakness, and the filtered photography emphasizes this all the more.

On top of all of this, Gallo provides a mesmerizing performance as Billy Brown-a man who has spent so much of his life pining for love and tenderness that he doesn't know how to deal with it once it is staring him in the face.

Simply put, Buffalo 66 is a staggering achievement. Vincent Gallo is a fiercely talented filmmaker and a force to be reckoned with in the future.

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42 out of 52 people found the following comment useful :-
Splendiferous, 19 November 2004

Author: helpless_dancer from Broken Bow, Oklahoma

Never even heard of Gallo: just happened onto this film on IFC one night and totally loved it. The acting was superb, the story even more so; and that camera work! Gallo's character, Billy Brown, was a picture of hate and resentment due to his unfeeling, unloving parents who made it clear from day one that he wasn't wanted, much less loved. This pushing away by these heartless, empty people turned young Billy into a introvert who was only able to find love within the confines of his own dreamy mind. Of course, this was insufficient which drove Billy to acting out in some bizarre and dangerous ways. Finally, when love does come it terrifies him and causes him to push away this affection continuing the cycle started by his parents. At times I found myself rocking with laughter at the antics of these hurting and emotionally scarred folks, but the tale was anything but comical. I wish there were more pictures coming out as interesting and dramatic as this.

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42 out of 57 people found the following comment useful :-
Geez I tell ya, this Gallo's gotta be from Buffalo, 13 September 2003
Author: mediamedusa from IA

And he is. Being from Buffalo myself, this is the best portrayal of Buffalo culture that I have yet to see in a film. Gallo got the accent, the attitudes, the hand gestures, the weather and the local obsession with the Bills down to a science. It's brilliant. I was particularly impressed by his not so subtle satire of the, for lack of a better word, "Bills culture."

Angelica Housten's character's obsessive compulsive watching of games on

VHS, her listening to a game at her son's funeral, Gallo's character's penchant for blaming all of his problems on the Bill's kicker make perfect sense if you know first hand how the Bills' treks to the superbowl became focal points for hope in an increasingly economically depressed city.

Watching the scene where Gallo buys Ricci some hot chocolate and a heart

shaped cookie for the guy who's sitting there to give to his girlfriend was like being home.

There's alot in this film you might not get if you don't know Buffalo. The way Gallo portrays his beautiful understanding and acceptance of his roots puts

jokes-of-films like "Bruce Almighty" to shame.

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23 out of 27 people found the following comment useful :-
Buffalo '66 is an amazing and original film: well scripted, scored, cast, directed, and acted by Vincent Gallo., 11 March 2001

Author: Celeste (kiddigit) from New Orleans, United States

Buffalo '66 was really original in terms of both plot and style. At moments, the story of Billy Brown's life is so terribly tragic and bizarre, you almost have to break the tension by cracking a laugh. In the film, Vincent Gallo's ex-jail bird character, Billy Brown, kidnaps a young tap-dancer named Layla, played by Christina Ricci, to pose as his wife on his visit back home to his dysfunctional family. The colors are beautifully bold and somehow elegant by being so far past tacky. The film is really great.

The story is actually based somewhat on Vincent Gallo's own traumatic life. The Sinatra song that the Billy Brown's father sings to Layla in the bedroom is actually a tape of Vincent Gallo's father, Vincent Gallo, Sr. I read in an interview that Vincent Gallo has scripted another movie he hopes to direct and feature in. He is trying to get enough money to do it all himself. I am curious to see how it turns out, since this film was allegedly wound so tightly around scraps of his own life.

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18 out of 20 people found the following comment useful :-
scruffy little film crescendos into overwhelming power, 14 January 2002

Author: mikel weisser from west coast of AZ

buffalo 66 is a lot like its creator, vincent gallo: harsh, unkempt, dangerous looking,a sure bet to be a miserable loser. at first glance this film seems to have nothing going for it, but give it ten minutes and then see if you can turn away. a dissection of a loose circling collection of emotional misfits, Vincent Gallo's creation (he wrote, directed, starred in the thing and even wrote the original music for the film) of billy brown, his parents and Layla, the girl who comes to love him is an amazing thing. what at first sounds like annoyingly fake bravado soon reveals the tormented souls beneath. again and again the film confounds expectations morphing into one of the most moving and convincing portraits of love and redemption imaginable. a justly deserving winner of its numerous art film awards (especially those earned by former child actress christina ricci in a devastated angel performance)buffalo 66 earns all the risks it takes and reminds us that even the worst first impressions can sometimes be wrong

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14 out of 17 people found the following comment useful :-
9/10, 29 August 2003

Author: desperateliving from Canada

Sprung from jail, Gallo's Billy quickly kidnaps Ricci and orders her to pass herself off as his wife in this absurdist comedy. Seemingly the spawn of Jim Jarmusch and Harmony Korine (who are, in turn, spawn of Cassavetes), Gallo gives the film a dirty, minimalist look that isn't very kind to any of the women in the picture, and serves to make him seem even more ratty. Indeed, it took me a while to recognize either Anjelica Huston, as Gallo's mother, or Rosanna Arquette, as the object of his school years' affection. The film is, early on, absolutely hilarious: the opening has Gallo, who shouldn't have a voice this high pitched, seeking desperately for a bathroom. Later, he entices Ricci with the promise that he'll be her "best friend." Some moments, like an isolated bowling alley tap dance, seem Lynchian. At times the film is too slow, taking longer than needed to fully define Gallo's character; that's probably due to a somewhat improvised approach -- the film is full of pregnant pauses and repetition to fully capture "real" life.

The film's point, other than detailing this somewhat smarmily sympathetic if never totally likeable character, seems to be a self-loathing ego boost for Gallo: he has a young, pretty girl go on about how handsome he is, and one fellow urinal user comment on the size of his organ. (The girl doesn't seem to want to leave, either. Bothersome at first, when Gallo pees and you're urging her to drive away, but that would have made an uninteresting movie.) One scene, where Gallo gives us a resolution that he then takes away, is cool to look at, where the camera, in a three-dimension freeze, walks around and inspects frozen objects and people. With the semi-uplifting climax, the arrogant jerk returns, in a comforting, very generous and deeply human way. The acting is all excellent, especially Huston, who is hilarious. Ricci's character seems empty inside, but that somehow makes her more compelling -- must be that face. Mickey Rourke, as a bookie who gets Gallo to admit to a crime he didn't commit, seems to be channeling Robert De Niro in "GoodFellas," while Gallo does "Mean Streets." I like it for the honesty that will most likely bore/aggravate others. If you like the three influences I named, I think you'll like this. 9/10

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12 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
Stunning piece by Gallo, 12 December 2005

Author: vincecklorthowe from United States

After seeing this film for the first time I absolutely loved it! It was only after I purchased it on DVD that I saw in the credits just how much Gallo had to do with this film. He did just about everything major to complete this movie...from the music to the writing credits. Personally, I think that he did a fabulous job and I compliment him highly on this piece of motion picture art.

I tend to take this story on a personal level. I have never been to prison, but I know that I can relate to a lot of what Gallo's character feels about his family. My family life was not too great whilst growing up, but it really put things in perspective for me to see someone who's parents are that oblivious to their son's most basic needs.

Some of the scenes may seem absurd and extreme as far as the obliviousness of the parents, but in a sense I think that is what Gallo was trying to get across to the viewing audience. This factor makes it all the more pertinent as to why Gallo's character is the way he is. To me this film is a reflection of an individual's life who has nothing to lose and yet so much to gain. Everything from the cold and gloomy atmosphere during the first half of the film to Gallo's character's pessimistic demeanor and repetitiveness of phrases only emphasize the aura of his life-long frustration and contempt for the world while revealing his desperate and longing need to find something tangible for once in his life...something that he apparently never had and that he thankfully finds in the confidence of Ricci's character.

I could go on and on and on about how much this film meant to me and how beautifully directed, written and acted out this piece of work is, especially in the end since I have had thoughts and have considered and contemplated such things in the past. I admit that the height of the film's end freaked me out for a few moments, but left me feeling overwhelmed with relief and joy during the final concluding moments.

To sum up: You HAVE TO watch this film. Period.

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15 out of 22 people found the following comment useful :-
Funny, Entertaining, and oddly-romantic, 1 March 2002
Author: (billybrown41@hotmail.com) from Kimberling City, MO.

I fell in love with this movie. Before I saw it, I didn't know much at all about Vincent Gallo. I saw the trailer that was attached to "Out of Sight" and was like "well, that looks interesting. Maybe I'll check it out sometime." It took me a long time to track it down, but it was so worth the wait. One thing I can honestly say, is that the trailer is NOT deceptive. It pretty much tells you EXACTLY what you're going to get. One thing I wasn't expecting thoug, was the humor. There were times in this movie that I had to rewind and watch over because I was laughing so hard from the previous scene that I missed what was going on. Despite the film's depressing tone and deliberately grainy look, there are a lot of laughs here. Most of them come from the character of Billy Brown.

Never in my life, have I seen a more pathetic hero. The guy is almost totally unlikeable without ONE redeeming quality. In the opening frame, he's being released from Prison. He's been there for something like five years and it's obvious that he's coming out of there in the clothes that he was wearing when he went in. His wardrobe is hilarious and his red ankle boots are a laugh riot. As are his pants that appear to be about four inches too short. You can tell when you first see him that this guy is a real piece of work. The first ten minutes or so focus on our new friend trying to find a bathroom, without any luck. When he finally does find a restroom, he is harassed by an obese homosexual. This sets up a scene that is kinda sick but darkly funny.

Next thing, we learn the plan (part of it anyway) that Billy has up his sleeve. We meet his lunatic parents through a phone conversation and learn that they are clueless that Billy has been in lockup for the last five years. Apparently, they are stupid enough to believe that their son has been working in a foreign country as a government agent. They also believe that he is married. So he has to find a girl to pose as his wife. This sets up even more hilarious scenes as he kidnaps a young tap-dancer. I'm not going to go much farther. But the movie does get even funnier. Not only is it funny but it covers a lot of emotions. Here's a guy who's clearly been a loser his whole life, trying desperately to impress his parents who could care less about him. It sounds really depressing, but it's actually inspiring and, because it ends on a high note, it's uplifting.

While it may not be for everyone, it's still a very entertaining and rewarding film. It's been a few years since Gallo has done anything, but I'm really looking forward to his next project.

If anything, I'd say that this is a black-comedy/character study. It's probably the most original film of 1998 and it did take a lot of chances with its unique style. I have no complaints about this movie whatsoever and I'm giving it the highest score possible. It's a 10+.

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7 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
A Surprisingly Outstanding Story and Film, 28 January 2007
Author: larrysmile1 from Illinois

"Buffalo '66" is a different kind of low budget film. It is the kind of film that most high budget films should attempt to emulate!

Tons of congratulations to Vincent Gallo. He wrote the story and screen play, directed the film, and was the main star. People are always told to write what they know something about. It is true. Vincent wrote about Buffalo, New York, where he was born and raised. He even used the same house he grew up in as well as local places in Buffalo for his scenic backgrounds. I hear that the budget for this film was only $1.5 million dollars. It proves that a good story with good writing and actors who are intensely dedicated to their craft can surpass even the most expensive movie that is lacking in telling a meaningful story.

I won't retell the story as enough has already been written about it. Vincent Gallo did a great job in his role as Billy Brown. Christina Ricci plays a wonderful low-keyed costarring role as Layla. I was pleasantly surprised to see Rosanna Arquette appear in a small role as Billy Brown's school heartthrob, Wendy Balsam. Look for her to appear in the scene at Denny's Restaurant. Anjelica Huston was wonderful as the disinterested mother, Jan Brown, who seems to have spent her life adoring the Buffalo Bills football team instead of being a loving mother. Ben Gazzara played his mean and overbearing father, Jimmy Brown.

One actor who should have received film credit is Billy's only friend, Rocky the Goon played by Kevin Corrigan. Kevin was excellent in his role. Other notable surprises in this film are appearances by Mickey Rourke, Jan-Michael Vincent, Kevin Pollak, and Alex Karras. A number of small role performers seem to be local Buffalo citizens doing small one-liner parts as the film progresses around the City of Buffalo. A good move on director Vincent Gallo's part because using local citizens in speaking roles assures that the script is believable and natural.

Regardless of the comments Vincent Gallo made about himself in his trivia section of his Internet Movie Database I think he deserves credit for bringing this film to the attention of the movie world. I would hope that Roger Ebert selects this film for one of his Overlooked Film Festival viewings. The film is that good.

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5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
"Bleack" Comedy in Gloomy Buffalo, 15 August 2005

Author: Axella Johannesson from Victoria, Australia

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

No, I didn't misspell that. It stands for "black" and "bleak".

Billy Brown (Vincent Gallo) is released from prison, but hours later has not left the bench outside the prison gate. It seems as though he has no place to go - that is, until he has to pee. He is grubby looking, in tatty clothes and pants that are too short. His look screams, "low budget".

He meets Christina Ricci's character, Layla, in town. He is nasty to her, yet she gives him a quarter for the phone when asked. She overhears him talking to his mother. He keeps repeating who he is, and it gives the impression that he's been away for a while, or maybe Mom's feeble-minded. Layla overhears him telling her grandiose lies.

His lies include a wife, whom he's goaded to produce. After he hangs up, he grabs Layla in desperation and off they go, in her car. He tells her that she will pose as his "wife", and is to make him "look good", under threats. She has chances to escape but chooses not to.

While Billy was in prison, he got his friend "Goon", who is slow but loyal, to visit and agree to send Billy's pre-written letters to his parents on a monthly basis. These included stories of his "successful, jet-setting life" (it's not made clear how the locally-postmarked letters are meant to fool his parents).

Billy and Layla arrive at the parents' house and Billy's father is not fooled. The parents are cold and selfish. It becomes clear that Billy's mother remembers little or nothing of his life's details. He is simply not important to her. Only football is, and at one point, she absentmindedly comments that she regretted Billy's birth because it kept her from seeing the Buffalo Bills play in the Championship that year (I assume she named her son after the team). The father is a lecherous slime-bag who looks for any excuse to play "motorboat" with Layla's boobs while telling her, "Daddy loves you".

Daddy didn't make it as a singer, and when Layla asks if he has any recordings of himself, he takes her to a bedroom and sings to her over a prerecorded backing record, under a spotlight, while she sits, Baby Doll-like, on the bed. Creepy.

Layla later asks to see Billy's childhood pictures, but there is only one! It's of him with his puppy. She asks what became of the pup, and we see a flashback that shows Daddy killing it in front of Billy, because it peed in the house. Daddy tells her, "It ran away".

With dinner over, they leave. Layla chooses to remain with Billy after leaving his parents' house. They get a room. She wants him. He recoils. We discover how emotionally isolated he is. We find out that his only relationship with a girl was fantasised. I suppose that brings out that thing that some women seem to enjoy doing, where she makes him her Personal Reclaimation Project. She tries to break down his resistance to human contact and tenderness. She barely breaks through at all. They fall asleep, with him close to her. Billy intends to stay only until 2am, when Scott Woods is due to be at his strip club.

Woods, a former Bills player, missed the potential game-winning kick in a game upon which Billy had bet heavily. Billy couldn't cover the bet, and the bookie let him off by having Billy take the 5 year rap for a crime committed by a friend of the bookie. Billy believes Woods took a bribe to lose, and blames Woods for ruining his life.

When Billy says he has to go out, she has the feeling that he won't be back, and ends up telling him she loves him. He promises to return, but his real plan is to go to Scott Woods' strip club and kill him, then kill himself.

Before entering the club, he calls Goon, makes a bequest, and apologises to Goon for being mean and nasty to him all the time. Goon suspects Billy's going to do "something bad".

In the club, Billy comes face-to-face with Scott Woods, a fat, slobbering drunk with naked girls hanging off of him. Woods offers Billy a drink. During this exchange, Billy fantasises pulling out the gun and through some nice f/x, we see frozen shots of the homicide and the suicide, along with a scene of Billy's parents at his grave, listening to football on the radio until the father wants to leave to eat.

All of that brings on an epiphany for Billy, and he decides that life is worth living. He leaves, and on the outside payphone, calls Goon back and tells him that he can't have his stuff after all, and that he met a girl who loves him. He goes back to treating Goon like crap (which shows that love hasn't turned Billy into a complete sap). He also says that he couldn't kill Woods because, "he seemed like a nice guy" (how he came to that conclusion, I have no idea. Offering a drink seems a gesture too feeble to resolve years of hatred). In any case, his new plan is to get back to Layla.

I thought the "epiphany" came out of the blue. Surely Billy would've realised long before that moment, that his parents wouldn't have missed him. But I suppose he so desperately craved their approval, that he was in complete denial about their utter indifference to him. Who knows? What was really missing was any information about Layla. Who was she? And why did she behave the way she did?

I felt that the wrap-up was too quick, and pat.

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