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With: Douglas Spain
C+
STAR MAPS Douglas Spain, Efrain Figueroa (1997, FoxVideo, R, $99.99) Neither a Sundance pedigree nor director Miguel Arteta's best intentions can save this wobbly drama about a Mexican street hustler (Spain) with movie-star dreams. At the heart of the film is the callow young hero's simmering relationship with his father (Figueroa), who's also his pimp. But this potentially compelling conflict must share too much screen time with subplots about a randy soap opera actress, a mentally shattered mother, and a dim-witted brother who thinks he's a wrestling star.
Occasionally, Arteta extracts a revelatory moment from these too-colorful characters. Still, his tin ear for dialogue and his clunky staging make his more inspired ideas seem like accidents.
Posted Jan 30, 1998
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