bkoganbing El Cortez is a film that presents Lou Diamond Phillips in an unusual character, an autistic soul who as most of them has an inability to relate to his surroundings. He reacted violently to one such situation and spent some time in a mental institution. Since his release he now has a menial job as a desk clerk in a fleabag hotel in Reno, Nevada named the El Cortez.Being he's Lou Diamond Phillips he arouses the interest in Tracy Middendorf who is the girl friend of drug dealer Glenn Plummer. Plummer is the jealous type and only through some murky flashbacks do we get a hint that maybe the Lou we see is someone who can handle the situation if the need arises. Lou also has his arresting officer James McDaniel interested as well. McDaniel never believed in that 'not guilty by reason of insanity or mental defect' crap that got Phillips off. If he can't get him behind bars then he'll harass him so that Phillips will be his snitch.But the worst of it for him might just be Bruce Weitz who is a paraplegic staying at the hotel whom Lou saves from some muggers. Turns out that Weitz is a con man and he's got some kind of gold mine scheme working on a mark played by Peter Onorati. All these plot elements come together and it's interesting to see how it all works out. El Cortez is a kind of poor man's Forrest Gump where Lou Diamond Phillips is hardly a fringe player in great events of our time the way Tom Hanks was. The film itself is a minor effort, but what Lou Diamond Phillips does with the character is fascinating. El Cortez is definitely for his legion of fans of which I am one.

jeffronthi Better than 70% of Diamond's work over the past 10 years. The story is plenty nifty, but is lost in a sea averageness. The pacing of this movie I found to be horrendous. The plot twists were slightly contrived and, while not bad, a little tedious. I could have done without that BS ending, as well. Was not satisfying.I think Lou gave a good performance, as did the young blond. In fact, the cast, along with the seedy lighting and atmosphere of the film, were its only real saving graces. Some of the dialog was rather solid, as well. Wish the script would have been up to snuff.But since I am a Diamond fan from back in the day, I will take it easy on the film. It is a tolerable film, and could have been worse. I hope Lou keeps striving to choose better roles.If it's free, check it out.

Jeffgaucho In the era of instant gratification, high action car chases, and predictable plot outcomes, it's nice to see a film that exemplifies the definition of film noir. This is what El Cortez can provide for audiences, a smart, dynamic, and unique film noir. Directed by Stephen Purvis, written by Chris Haddock, and lead by Lou Diamond Phillips in an outstanding cast, El Cortez, features all of those things that movie goers love to see. It has mystery, romance, suspense, humor and violence, it's a film that both genders will enjoy.The film takes place in a local hotel in Reno, Nevada, and it revolves around it's autistic care taker, Manny DeSilva (Phillips), and his mysterious hotel guests. Although most of the actors, besides Lou Diamond Phillips, are unknown, they all deliver spectacular performances. The protagonist Manny, played exceedingly by Lou Diamond Phillips, is a complex middle-aged autistic man, who has a violent past, and is surrounded by people who seek to exploit him for his disability. El Cortez revolutionizes the way that autistic characters should be portrayed. Manny is strong, intelligent, complex, but also very vulnerable. As he tries to make a better future for himself, Manny's violent past catches up with him, and he's thrown into a world of deception, love, and betrayal. Lou Diamond Phillip's performance is not the typical way autistic characters have been represented in previous films, and Manny's character illustrates the complexity and dynamics of autistic people."Come to a place where secret's lie," is the tagline of the film, and it illustrates the mystery and complexity of this film noir. El Cortez is full of twists and suspense, however, in an age of constant plot twists (seen in most M. Night Shyamalan's films), "twists" have now become the norm. It seems that ever movie has to have an unsuspecting plot twist, including El Cortez. However, I feel that the plot twist of this film does not flow well, and will not make sense to most audiences. This is the only aspect of the film that I disliked. The rest of the film went against the typical Hollywood norms, but at the end, it succumbed to the typical Hollywood explosions, and a plot twist that's unpredictable, but out of place as well. Overall, I would recommend this film, due to it's humor, mystery, suspense, and charm, despite its typical ending. 2 ½ out of 4 stars.

Gregory Haylock This movie is one of the best I've seen in a long time. The actors all do an excellent job with their characters and the chemistry is definitely there throughout each scene. The setting in Reno is perfect for the whole show of all these character's messed up existences that intertwine so intricately. My only real complaint was that there wasn't really a clear picture of who Manny was before he got to the El Cortez, only a few well placed flashbacks, which left me with questions. I suppose that information was not particularly relevant to the situation that elicited the flashback, so it's no big deal. Through the years I have seen many good movies and read lots of great fiction. This movie is fast paced like so many of its big budget brethren, but unlike many of those big budget films that fall apart at the end, El Cortez keeps you on edge right to the end, like a good page turner novel would. You know the kind, the ones you read through the night to find out what happens at the end. Don't miss this one.