Main Cast: Peter Greene, Adam Trese, Arabella Field, Paul Schulze
Release Year: 1991
Country: US
Run Time: 100 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Either loved or hated by the critics, this is the debut film by the 29-year-old writer/director, Nick Gomez. A three-day slice-of-life in Brooklyn done in the cinema verite style, this is a violent movie portraying two ruthless thieves and their friends involved in illegal activities--following them through the urban underbelly as they commit their crimes and are pursued by the police. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
Review
The minimal plot and gritty urban locale of Laws of Gravity obviously owe a debt to Martin Scorcese's Mean Streets, but writer/director Nick Gomez manages to make his own mark with the raw energy of his filmmaking. Laws of Gravity has the unpredictable visceral power of a runaway freight train. Well-captured by the frantic handheld camera work of Jean de Segonzac, the testosterone bounces off the edges of the screen. Gomez and his strong cast (who improvised much of the dialogue) give the impression that irrational violence could erupt at any moment, and this gives the film a sustained level of tension that few street dramas can match. De Segonzac's cinéma vérité style work here had a tremendous influence on everything from TV cop shows (Homicide) to horror films (The Blair Witch Project). Adam Trese made his feature debut in the film playing Jon "No Bones" Sousa. Mercurial actor Peter Greene (Jimmy) made his mark with this film, and as the quieter, marginally more thoughtful partner in the film's central duo, he's completely believable and surprisingly sympathetic. Future indie film stalwart and Sopranos star Edie Falco also delivers a strong performance. But the film hinges on Trese's performance, and the actor walks a tightrope, in terms of believability, as his exaggerated macho swagger manages to be both over-the-top and completely in character. The other actors often seem more assured than Trese, but this is perfectly suited to the character's immaturity, and gives a sense of Jon's underlying vulnerability that makes his violent compulsions all the more tragic. From its opening petty crime to its final expulsion (Greene shouting "Go home! Get the f**k out of here!" just before the credits roll), Laws of Gravity is a deceptively well-structured trip to the lower depths that will leave audiences shaken. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
Mark Chandler Bailey; Dieidre Bodie-Henderson; Judith Boxley; Tony Fernandez - Tommy; Kim Gambino; Rick Greol - Kevin; Anthony Ingolglia; Eli Kabillio; Anibal Lierras - Ray; James McCauley - Kenny; Bill Sage; Miguel Sierra - Vasquez; Saul Stein - Sal; Patricia Sullivan - Terry; David Troup - Sullivan; Dave Tuttle; John Andrew Gallagher; Larry Meistrich - Pete
Credit
Danny Silverman - Associate Producer, Bob Gosse - First Assistant Director, Nick Gomez - Director, Tom McArdle - Editor, Monica Bretherton - Production Designer, Jean de Segonzac - Cinematographer, Bob Gosse - Producer, Larry Meistrich - Producer, Jeff Pullman - Sound/Sound Designer, Nick Gomez - Screenwriter
