Alphonso Bow (2010) – By Brian Morton – Rogue Cinema
Another Great Review…They just keep coming. To quote Brian Morton from Rogue Cinema, “Pierce’s performance in ALPHONSO BOW may be the best I have seen all year”!
http://www.holmansmoviereview.com/2010/06/when-voices-carry.html
Joe E. Holman is a former newspaper columnist, the author of two books, Laws for Living (2002)and Project Bible Truth: A Minister Turns Atheist and Tells All (2008), a ghostwriter, and a movie critic.
Joe reviews nearly a hundred movies per year, including DVD releases and independent films. Darkness, anger, and humor are the featured attractions of Joe’s writing. Joe centers not just on film criticism, but on skepticism as it relates to works of the big screen.
Movie Title: Alphonso Bow (2010)
Spoilers: none—-
What opens with an oddly out-of-the-box music selection and an urban drive in Los Angeles to a restaurant is merely a stage-setter for where the rest of the movie will take place.
Alphonso Bow is about two very different friends who meet at On The Border and talk. The entire movie takes place in the restaurant. They get lunch and they ramble on about the same worn-out topics like two close friends or siblings would over a beer or a cup of coffee. The value, which can seem so pitifully non-existent in the vessel of a movie, must be appreciated at least on a sentimental level.
These two friends, Frank (Michael “Changeling” Dempsey) and Alphonso Bow (Jeffrey “The Nine” Pierce), have a very patient waitress (Kasey Buckley) in a restaurant with a way-too-careful-not-to-offend management that is hesitant to say anything to their loud, obnoxious guests whose voices carry. They should say something—you keep waiting for them to do so. Then the two are met by Samantha (Kate “General Hospital” Rodger) who blends beautifully to make this trying trio of the socially unaware even better.
They order dinner, and even that is an ordeal. For over an hour, the conversations change with each new sideline subject that gets brought up…from life on other planets to 17-year-old cats to 7-year-old kids who don’t wipe their asses. With a well-placed use of profanity, the script is finely written and will prompt some laughs just from watching the shear idiocy of inconsiderate blow-hards being what they are.
Frank and Alphonso’s personalities compliment each other’s because they are so different. Frank is a brick salesman. Al is an ex-male-exotic-dancer. The two come off like an uncle and nephew. Together, they are sure to get on the nerves of the waitress and everyone else who comes in to eat and ends up having to move tables to get away from them, but they will get on your nerves too before it’s all over. The loud, pseudo-intellectual, and opportunistic character of Alphonso is tolerable – even appreciable – up until the halfway point. His sustained and soon grading verbosity is that of a favorite Saturday Night Live character.
What could have been perceived as an insult to On The Border (or perhaps a plug?) is the film’s implied and laugh-worthy reminder that there really are people this annoying…in restaurants, movie theaters, and waiting rooms the world over…standing by, just waiting to frustrate the living hell out of you. We’ve all been there—or been the guilty parties.
Director Lije Sarki and Nut Bucket Films gives us a peaks-and-valleys comedy that is seldom “laugh out loud” funny, but surprisingly effective at fighting off that expected sense of boredom you get from seeing a trailer that just doesn’t succeed at generating a sense of anticipation. But Alphonso Bow is not just non-boring; it generates the same awkward feelings as actually being in a restaurant with an annoying person who draws way too much attention to himself, purely from being an insolent and crude blabbermouth.
Intriguingly choreographed, the softly disturbing feel makes Alphonso Bow a curiously attractive viewing experience. As though the title is called for, it is the best restaurant conversation ever filmed in the history of movies.
Alphonso Bow is an excellently well-made independent project, which should perhaps be required viewing for up-and-comers in the filmmaking field. The question is, what audience would go out of their way to see such a film? A film must do more than be artistic and unique, conceived in the loins of creative brilliance—it must be relevant. It is difficult to say how or to whom Alphonso Bow will measure up in this regard.
(JH)
—-
Grade: C+ (2 ½ stars)
Rated: No MPAA rating
Director: Lije Sarki
Summary: A womanizing ex-male-exotic-dancer and a brick salesman have lunch and loudly debate controversial topics.
Starring: Jeffrey Pierce “Alphonso Bow,” Michael Dempsey “Frank,” Kate Rodger “Samantha,” Kasey Buckley “Waitress”
Genre: Comedy / Drama
Jacqueline Monahan
Las Vegas Round The Clock
http://www.lasvegasroundtheclock.com
Jacqueline Monahan is an English tutor for the GEAR UP program at UNLV.
She is also a consultant for Columbia College Chicago in Adjunct Faculty Affairs
jaxn8r@msn.com
Alphonso Bow
The introduction to Alphonso Bow is a short, color travelogue highlighting the sights of Louisville, Kentucky, accompanied by an upbeat bluegrass tune entitled, “Froggy”.
Enjoy the song and the color while it lasts because the rest of Alphonso Bow is just that – all about Alphonso Bow – in black and white and full of exposition – taking place inside one booth at one Mexican restaurant. It’s also a look inside Alphonso’s thought processes.
The titular character breaks stereotypes while appearing to be one himself. With a Jethro-like accent and a voice that projects like a bullhorn, Alphonso Bow (Jeffrey Pierce) is a study in contrasts. It would be easy to write him off as an ignorant, loudmouth hick, except he’s got both ears pierced – unusually progressive – and ponders weighty issues with his pal Frank (Michael Dempsey).
Frank looks like he’d be right at home on the set of The Sopranos, but readily admits that he studies yoga and is writing a play. He’s familiar with great stage works like Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot and foreign films like My Dinner with Andre; the plot of the latter conveniently mirrors that of Alphonso Bow. Alphonso and Frank discuss the logistics and sanity of the Andre plot while carrying it out at the same time. Frank’s good at probing Alphonso’s mind and directing the conversation with a devil’s advocate intent.
Beleaguered waitress (Kasey Buckley) waits on them politely at first, then nervously, then merely tolerates the disruptive pair. As a reward, her sexuality is discussed in a crude way (“She’s a dyke…she walks like a man”) by both men, although Alphonso thoughtfully whispers to Frank so as not to hurt her feelings.
Throughout the course of the meal, we find out that Alphonso loves to talk, has an opinion on everything, is cocky and confident, loves meat but not vegetables, and thinks he’s a listener. He’s a high decibel debater who tells stories about encounters with his fellow men and women, that lead to pronouncements about the Bible, relationships, life on other planets, staged shows vs. films, sex with the lights on, female doctors, and how beds should be made (Navy style).
In the background two nearby couples are observed asking to be moved to a different booth because of Alphonso’s noisy excitability, not to mention his random sprinkling of expletives in a conversation laced with religious beliefs and labels.
He barely touches his medium steak, engaging in far too much talking to chew, although he does chew the fat as they say and vociferously, with Frank, who is like the wall to Alphonso’s incessant handball serve.
Frank’s wife Samantha (Kate Rodger) is introduced in the last ten minutes to inject a feminine point of view, but Alphonso can talk her and anyone else under the table. Samantha’s rant about kids as old as six who still wear diapers puts Alphonso on top of yet another soapbox.
Don’t make any bets that Alphonso will stop talking throughout the film – only a mute button would accomplish that. Pay attention to the end credits as well.
Jeffrey Pierce makes Alphonso likeable despite his thick skull and stubborn notions. Michael Dempsey conveys a kind, indulgent nature that helps the viewer understand why he’s friends with a guy who has such a hyperactive tongue. Kate Rodger appears out of nowhere and is too late to be effective, but Kasey Buckley holds her own against the two sometimes boorish men.
Director Lije Sarki’s feature debut illustrates a talent for understated humor in the overstatement that is Alphonso. The film’s action resides almost entirely in its animated chatterbox. Likeable and lunkheaded, Alphonso makes a strange kind of sense and has a transparent grace that some, like Frank, pick up on and others (like the waitress and patrons that just skim him superficially), do not.
The film’s a character study about a good ol’ boy who has got the world figured out and can’t wait to spread the word to anyone who’ll listen (or overhear). It is an acquired taste, most palatable to those who appreciate the illumination of a character from the inside out. Those expecting car chases, explosions, and exotic scenery will be disappointed; those who can map out a character’s landscape from his words will not.
The title really says it all because it’s all about Alphonso Bow.
Four Chicks
They rate out of FIVE Chicks!
BUY/WATCH THE FILM http://indieflix.com/film/alphonso-bow-30956/
Get your copy today! Or stream in online @ indieflix.com/film/alphonso-bow-30956/
TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT!! Catch ALPHONSO BOW @ CINESPACE 7PM in Hollywood! 6356 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028 Followed by the acclaimed thriller, FOR WHOM HE TOLLS @ 8:30PM FREE Screening event!
http://theindependentcritic.com/alphonso_bow
STARRING
Jeffrey Pierce, Michael Dempsey, Kate Rodger, Kasey Buckley
DIRECTED BY
Lije Sarki
SCREENPLAY
M. Sarki
MPAA RATING
NR
RUNNING TIME
72 Mins.
DISTRIBUTED BY
Independent/Indieflix
Alphonso Bow (Jeffrey Pierce) is a rather unique fellow. An ex-male exotic dancer trained in the martial arts now laying bricks and just about any woman he can find, Alphonso is loud, opinionated and not particularly gifted in the listening department.
Frank (Michael Dempsey), on the other hand, is nearly 15-years older than Alphonso and it shows. A brick salesman who supplies Alphonso with bricks and jobs, Frank seems to get some sort of primal satisfaction out of his daily debates with Alphonso on life issues both grand and miniscule.
It’s as if, in some way, both men are waiting. For something. Anything. A certain something.
But, will it ever arrive?
The feature film debut from the father/son creative team of director Lije Sarki (the son) and screenwriter M. Sarki (the father), Alphonso Bow weaves its way through the absurd world of Beckett with glimpses of My Dinner With Andre tossed in for good measure.
The film takes place over the course of the two men gathering for lunch and one of their daily debates at what is obviously a family style restaurant. Unfortunately for all those around them, the conversation at times is anything but “family.” The two weave their way through such topics as religion, sex, early childhood behavior, a severely injured dog, Hitler, Samuel Beckett and much, much more.
Is someone right? Is anyone wrong?
Is there any actual purpose to this entire affair?
Having been on the film festival circuit with appearances at Dances With Films, Detroit Independent Film Festival and the Derby City Film Festival, Alphonso Bow is now available from Indieflix and getting ready for release and availability with Amazon, Netflix and ITunes following a special Hollywood screening celebrating the DVD release on June 16, 2010 at 7pm at Cinespace in Hollywood.
The first of at least two planned collaborations between the father and son creative duo (Get She Water is next), Alphonso Bow is one of those talk heavy films that you either love or hate. The film’s success rests squarely in the hands of its co-leads, the ability of the directing Sarki to pace the film appropriately and, perhaps most importantly, the ability of our writing Sarki to write dialogue that feels both authentic and circular in nature.
Seriously, haven’t you ever had one of these conversations? This is the kind of conversation that friends have over the course of bottomless cups of coffee at your local Denny’s or IHOP or any number of other all night food joints.
I’ve had these conversations. I’m pretty sure you’ve had these conversations, and from the way the film flows it’s fairly safe to say that cast and crew alike can identify with the tone, rhythm and subjects discussed in the course of this quick-moving 72-minute film.
As the seemingly larger than life Alphonso Bow, Jeffrey Pierce (The Space Between) has the challenging task of keeping appealing a character who seems like the inbred bastard stepchild of George W. Bush, Ross Perot, a used car salesman and a televangelist. In other words, Alphonso talks much, talks loud, talks often and, more often than not, doesn’t really say that much. For the most part, Pierce manages to keep Bow an intriguing character whose inner workings are never quite clear. While he occasionally dips into caricature, his chemistry with Dempsey’s Frank is near perfection and the two complement each other quite nicely.
Michael Dempsey is a pure delight as the relatively calm and mostly patient Frank, whose inner workings slowly reveal themselves as the conversation evolves, or devolves, and Frank seemingly begins to decide that Alphonso may not be worth waiting for after all. Dempsey sort of brings to mind the Andy Griffith role from the wonderful Waitress, a sort of feisty but insightful fellow whose motivations are never really crystal clear.
Or maybe he is.
Kasey Buckley and Kate Rodger also shine in relatively brief appearances, though Alphonso Bow is clearly a two-person show.
Filmed on a modest low six-figure production budget, Alphonso Bow is simply yet naturally photographed by Dan Coplan, who manages to capture the contrast between Frank and Alphonso by allowing the camera to rest on facial expressions, body language and through effective use of lighting.
While this is the feature film debut for Lije Sarki, Sarki has an extensive background in acting, producing and also directed a short version of his next film, Get She Water. Similar to the works of Beckett, Sarki doesn’t so much dictate the flow of the film as he does allow it to unfold. Of course, this is made much simpler given the film’s intelligent and lively screenplay.
Alphonso Bow also features stellar original music by Jason Sebastian Russo, whose tunes play over both the opening and closing credits.
While the character of Alphonso does, in all honesty, wear a bit thin by film’s end, the words shared between Alphonso and Frank over the course of their conversation will stay with you long after the closing credits have rolled. A strong debut from both Lije and M. Sarki,Alphonso Bow manages to be quirky without pretentious while appearing intentional without ever losing its spontaneity.
Alphonso Bow may not be the type of flick likely to fill the multiplexes, but fans of Netflix’s ongoing commitment to the indie filmmaker would do well to check out this film.
© Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic
http://www.billyokeefe.com/?p=566
Alphonso Bow (NR, 2010, Nut Bucket Films)
“Alphonso Bow” is almost entirely a movie about two friends (Jeffrey Pierce as Alphonso, Michael Dempsey as Frank) talking over lunch in a diner. If that sounds like pretentious art film country, here’s the good news: It isn’t. “Bow” has a sense of humor, both in general and about itself, and while the references the two friends make to “Waiting for Godot” and “My Dinner With Andre” aren’t exactly subtle, they at least make it clear where this one’s head is at. More debatable is whether the conclusion of the conversation also is a wink through the fourth wall. “Bow’s” winding conversation, which dances with everything from women to religion to aliens to Franks’ playwright dreams, is more than lively enough to carry a film. But part of its energy comes from the Pierce’s delivery, which plays like a cross between a George W. Bush impersonator and a used-car salesman, and by film’s end, it has become a bit much. When Frank finally applies the brakes to the conversation, it’s hard not to wonder if it isn’t a means to “Bow’s” end so much as a tacit acknowledgement of that worn-out welcome. Content of extras unavailable at press time.
Catch the film Wed. the 16th of June at 7PM at CINESPACE 6356 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA (It is a FREE Screening!)
Make sure you come out for a free screening!!!! Celebrating the DVD/Internet release of the film!!
Los Angeles, CA. June 1st, 2010 — Nut Bucket Films is pleased to announce the release of Alphonso Bow, a humorous and insightful look at the art of conversation. This will be a rollout release beginning June 1st on IndieFlix(http://indieflix.com/film/alphonso-bow-30956/) and will be followed by releases on other major viewing platforms through August.
What could an ex male-exotic-dancer and an older brick salesman possibly have to talk about? An opinionated Alphonso Bow, trained in the martial arts, spars over a Mexican lunch with Frank, his voice of reason who provides him with jobs and materials, as well as his daily obsessive debate regarding, among other things, life on other planets. Speaking entirely too loudly, they cover topics as diverse as Samuel Beckett and Adolf Hitler, religion and sex, early child behavior, and a severely injured dog. We’ve all heard that talk is cheap, and that it takes money to buy whiskey, but this round story about an unlikely relationship between an old bull and a young manic one refuses this chestnut.
The Sarki’s captivating debut film, Alphonso Bownever stops delivering on its every promise: Andy Culpepper of The Hollywood Beat calls the film “An edgy, impressive debut,” and “a rich and enjoyable experience.” Written by M Sarki and directed by son Lije Sarki, Alphonso Bowstars Jeffrey Pierce (The Nine, Castle, The Foreigner, Charlie Jade), Michael Dempsey (Lie to Me , Desperate Housewives, Mad Men, Bowfinger), Kate Rodger (General Hospital), and Kasey Buckley (from the country music duo Miss Willie Brown, who recently appeared on The Jimmy Kimmel Show and is set to perform at BAMAJAM with Zac Brown and Hank Williams Jr.). Also featured in the film is music by the talented Jason Russo of Hopewell and Common Prayer. Russo composed and recorded two classic folk songs that can be found in the opening and closing of the film. A taste of the music can be found here http://alphonsobow.com/soundtrack.html
Alphonso Bow premiered at the Dances With Films Festival in Los Angeles, and was also an official selection at The Detroit Independent Film Festival (nominated for Best Feature and Best Director) and The Derby City Film Festival.
About Nut Bucket Films:
Nut Bucket Films is a Los Angeles based film production and development company headed by Lije Sarki. In addition to Alphonso Bow, Nut Bucket Films has also produced several projects including the short film Get She Water, which is now in pre-production as a full-length feature that Lije will direct, and the feature For Whom He Tolls where Nut Bucket teamed up with the FU MAN KRU producers. For Whom He Tolls is now stepping into the festival circuit for release later this year. The team is also set to shoot another feature late this summer in Texas.
About IndieFlix:
Founded in 2005, IndieFlix (http://indieflix.com) is a Seattle-based independent film distribution and discovery site founded on the principles of community, promotion, syndication and transparency. A pro-film and pro-filmmaker company, IndieFlix seeks to bridge the gap between film festival favorites and ever-elusive distribution.
For more information please contact:
Nut Bucket Films
Lije Sarki
310-305-1424
Website: http://www.alphonsobow.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/alphonsobow
Twitter: http://twitter.com/alphonsobow
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/nutbucketfilms
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/alphonsobow