Strays

Starring: Vin Diesel, Joey Dedio, T.K. Kirkland, Mike Epps, F. Valentino Morales, Suzanne Lanza
Directed by: Vin Diesel
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
1997

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A small time drug dealer (Vin Diesel) is torn between a desire to change his life, and pressure to stay the same by his best friends.

Review:

Tim: Strays is a flawed movie, but this ultra low budget film is actually pretty decent. It's a noteworthy film because it was Vin Diesel's writing, directing, and starring debut. He financed the film and it's what got him noticed- his next role after this one was his breakout in Saving Private Ryan. To all Diesel's fans around the world, Strays is really the movie that launched his career. So, if for no other reason, the movie is worth seeing for that.

Now, the movie's budget is minuscule and that shows. The entire film is just people talking. It needed a bit more scope. The cast is filled with pretty substandard actors, so you find yourself cringing throughout the movie. Diesel has some talent as a director, but this is a raw, flawed film. It's decent enough that there are some bright spots, but it very much feels like a first time director's effort. I certainly wish Diesel had more experience, but that's the point of this film- it was made by a young actor trying to launch his career and it's better than you would expect.

The best parts of the movie involve Diesel's character and his friends just hanging out. There's a lot of 1990s machismo on display here, but Diesel captures something truly authentic about young men hanging out. Much of the dialogue feels completely believable and I'd imagine much of it was unscripted. There's something fascinating about watching these young men BS'ing with each other. Diesel allows these moments to breathe. Now, some of this is due to the fact that his story was stripped down and basic. To fill the movie's run time, he needed the actors playing his friends to banter. But, it's more than just a necessary tactic to fill time. It allows you to start to understand these characters, to see what's just below the surface. I did not expect those moments in this film and they happen, even though much of the cast aren't very talented actors. Diesel wisely lets his cast be (what I imagine) is mostly themselves. They can't act especially well, so their authenticity was the only way to make this movie work. As a director, Diesel captures more than a few of these authentic moments. That's the biggest reason why I enjoyed much of this movie.

It was also fascinating to watch Diesel here, in his first starring role. He's unfocused at times and certainly raw in his acting. However, he has unmistakable screen presence. It's not that surprising when you watch this movie that he rose to stardom. Diesel takes us space on screen and this isn't just due to his physique. His voice is so unique and he has this interesting blend of toughness and vulnerability that shows up so well on screen. I liked his character because of what Diesel brings to him. Even when he's a bonehead and hopeless, you retain some feeling of connection with him. It's interesting to me that even at this early stage of his life and career, Diesel was able to leverage his unique talents. In the many years to follow, he hasn't strayed that far away from his beginnings. I really appreciated getting to see that here.

The supporting cast isn't great. Joey Dedio had a few decent moments, but he's a forgettable actor. F. Valentino Morales showed up well in many scenes, but he clearly isn't much of an actor. Suzanne Lanza was bland and at times, painfully bad. Other moments, it felt like she was really trying hard, but she's just not good. It was funny to see Mike Epps here, the only other noteworthy cast member besides Diesel. This was his feature film debut. I've never been a fan of Epps, but it's interesting to see where he got his start. As a whole, the cast is pretty bad.

Now, Strays is a film that would be easy to pick apart and I admit it has a number of flaws. However, I judge the film slightly differently. With no budget and a nearly talentless cast, Vin Diesel was able to do more than anyone could have expected from him. Strays isn't a good movie, but with slightly more budget and a few better actors, it could have been. It's not surprising that Steven Spielberg recognized the talent here. I thought this was a decent movie and I'm glad I watched it.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Boiler Room, A Man Apart