Those of us who are crazy for movies, at some point, have had the crazy thought “what if I make a movie?” I say it’s crazy because the idea is very distant from the actual execution. Nevertheless, those who have managed to turn that crazy thought into a reality must be celebrated. Some became our favorite filmmakers, and some have decided to remain in the dark with independent features. It’s the reason why I mostly review indie movies. I find beauty in the drive to make movies against any obstacles.
However, that doesn’t mean that when you actually find the resources to make a movie, you should go ahead and put that idea into film. There should be a process. I believe Alessio Della Valle did not go through that process. I think that his film, the outrageous American Night, is a personal decision that he likely feels proud of. Regardless of the poor reception the film has had, does the director deserve some praise just because he was able to bring his idea to the big screen?
I found American Night to be quite an experience. It’s a B-movie extravaganza starring a few actors that haven’t been featured in major movies lately. It’s an action thriller that enters romantic territory too often and plays with comedy when it shouldn’t. It’s not a terrible movie, but it’s the questionable product of an unrestricted storyteller who should have thought a bit further before putting his idea into film.
The film follows a set of characters in pursuit of Andy Warhol’s famous painting of Marilyn Monroe. An heir who wants to be an artist but is too busy following his late father’s mob business, and a former forger who has turned into an art dealer. In the middle is a museum curator they are in love with. Oh yeah, and there’s a stuntman whose role in the film doesn’t make much sense.
American Night draws inspiration from its peers in the genre. But the director is in love with the visual design, which doesn’t help the story. He decides a beautiful shot is more important than the cringey dialogue that doesn’t make much sense and is clearly the result of poor translation. In any case, if you like production design and good cinematography, American Night has a handful of cool shots.
American Night is a collection of character moments that sounded good when trying to make them likable. But at the core of the film, the script is narratively flat. A nice-looking failure that allows you to understand that people are after a painting, but you don’t really root for them. You just want the experience the end as quickly as possible because you never connected with the story or the characters.
Film critic. Lover of all things horror. Member of the OFCS. RT Approved Critic.
