Rodrigo Amaro Won't say "Slam Dance" was exactly a waste of time since it has some relatively interesting moments, parts to make you wonder. What I will say about this movie is that it was just too much of so less, off-beat, weirder by the minute and with not much to say. Here's an obscure film that needs to remain obscure, a film noir trying to be funny with humorless comedy intertwined with two or three good suspense scenes. My main interest in seeing this was because of Tom Hulce in one of his first roles after the acclaim for "Amadeus" but he doesn't repeat the same qualities of that role. Not because it's different characters (both artists though) but simply because he's just not funny while playing this wimpy cartoonist trying to solve the mystery behind the murder of his love affair, a femme fatale (Virginia Madsen) involved with powerful and dangerous people. There's small portions when his character is charming and playful - specially towards kids and his daughter Beane (Judith Barsi) - but there are times when of eminent danger when he's desperate and he's trying to be cool and it just doesn't work. It makes things worse. And the whole thing of him dissecting the case is to be watched with a straight-faced expression in disbelief with everything going around, it's not confusing as it could be but it's just so not involving and lacking of good explanations (Adam Ant's character for example).What does "Slam Dance" gets it right: all of the scenes with Virginia Madsen, presented in flashbacks exposing the torrid love affair between she and the cartoonist, there's magic going on between them; and the explanation on why she was killed, part of the final moments. It's extremely frustrating the whole way until we get there. It's like uh huh why should I keep going on in figure out who killed the woman? It loses time and essence and you're there for too little, almost nothing. A little watchable because of Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Millie Perkins and Harry Dean Stanton. 5/10

Pepper Anne It is obvious from the music video included prior to the movie on the VHS version, that Slam Dance's strengths is in its visual elements, and as such, it is very simply and 80s movie in almost every visual respect. Unfortunately, what at least looked interesting, and was well-paced, was also a jumbled narrative which tends to deliver too much for its viewers to digest at one time with incoherent explanation. And while the movie's appearance may have been constructed with care, the fact that it's plot is delivered too hastily, may in the end turn the viewer off or at least, leave them confused by its finale. The story involves a freelance cartoon artist (Tom Hulce) who appears to have little going for him. He is separated from his wife (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) with whom he has a daughter. He lives in a shoddy apartment (which looks more like an emptied indoor swimming pool) and in general, he is nothing remarkable. When his apartment is broken into one evening, and two men hold him hostage, his life is abruptly turned upside down. The men, and soon two police detectives, are investigating the whereabouts of his old (mysterious) flame (Virginia Madsen). What first seems like a case of mistaken identity turns into a complex mystery where everyone is a suspect with Hulce at its center trying to prove his innocence. But, what is revealed by its finale is a confusing and only partially explained story of high-end corruption, prostitution, and murder. (I would agree with the viewer who wrote that it's pool of potential talent such as director Wang and lead actor Hulce are squashed by Don Opper, characteristic ability to turn a script into a mess... I would point to 'City Limits' as an egregious example). And for this, even such care with the art direction cannot compensate.

GlimmerTwin87 I caught this movie on cable late one night and was pleasantly surprised. I found it to be entertaining and even a bit suspenseful in a 'Memento' sort of way. Adam Ant has some good comic relief and Tom Hulce is very satisfactory in the lead role. If you are looking for a sleeper at the local video store, check this one out. It appears at times to be a low-budget, late 80's type of film, but sometimes that is not a bad thing at all. I gave/give this film a solid 7 out of 10, and I recommend it for viewing. Two or three cocktails is a nice beginning to this steady film. The only real drawback is the heavy, who comes off as so wimpy that Virginia Madsen could take him out, but hey, that is just my opinion.

Sic Coyote Maybe I am biased when I say that as I only rented this out because Don Opper wrote it and played a part. But that's only because he's good at what he does. Five years after writing and staring in the classic film Android he made this downbeat conspiracy mystery which has a good handful of funny bits stuck in for good measure. A woman is dead and the police are suspectful of an artist who called into the police after escaping from some strange guys with guns. The plot is slowly revealed as to what is going on. Although this movie doesn't really have enough twists in it than it should have had it is still rock solid entertainment, why Adam Ant is in there as the artist's mate I'll never know. Rent it out and see what you think. 7 out of 10