Innovative techniques but lacking in more basic movie construction essentials

Rating: Null/10 (22 January 2001)

This offering about the downward spiral of a couple of drug addicts has the critics effusing wildly, but that's basically because it uses innovative film techniques to tell what would otherwise be a boring and depressing tale. Unfortunately, unless the techniques alone ring your bell, it's still a sad, boring and depressing tale of two drug addicts because the director relies on fast editing and other similar gizmos to make you "feel" what the druggies are going through. This is all very well and good one day, when he's learnt the basics of movie making and can perhaps add such ingredients with subtlety and restraint, we'll have a good film. What we have just now is a repertoire of gimmicks mainly for those interested in the craft, although many will rave about it's strong "anti-drug message."