PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Writer/director Alessio Della Valle’s neo-noir action thriller, American Night, was released without much fanfare on October 1, 2021. Once I realized what it was about and who was in it, I wondered why the film wasn’t being talked about more than it was. Did I find a hidden gem, or is there a reason people have kept mostly quiet?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR0kFifm-sg
Synopsis:
A neo-noir set in the New York City’s corrupt contemporary art world where the art dealer John Kaplan and the ruthless head of New York’s mafia, Michael Rubino, fight for money, art, power and love.
American Night was written and directed by Alessia Della Valle (Inside the Stones). The cast includes Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Vikings TV series), The Autopsy Of Jane Doe’s Emile Hirsch (our interview), Jeremy Piven (Grosse Pointe Blank), Paz Vega (Sex and Lucia), Anastacia (Fantastic Four 2005), Maria Grazia Cucinotta (The World Is Not Enough 1999), Fortunato Cerlino (Inferno 2016), and Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs).
What Works
What I noticed right away about American Night is its similarity Pulp Fiction and the German fairy tale film, Snowflake (2017 – our review). The non-linear timeline, quirky, emotional characters, and noir action just screams Tarantino. Watching the story play out from different perspectives is not only eye-opening but also quite intriguing. It reminds you that each one of these characters has an agenda, and they all think they’re doing the right thing… or, at least, the thing that will get them the most in the end. Creating storylines like this gets you to root for them all, making each one the protagonist in their own sense.
The characters in American Night are uniquely off the wall. There’s the shotgun painter/mob boss, Michael Rubino (Hirsch), the narcoleptic courier, Shakey (Cerlino), the martial artist/stuntman, Vincent (Piven), the art critic/forger, Sarah (Vega), and the egotistical artist, John (Rhys Meyers), just to name a few. To see how they’re all connected and how each one’s actions affects the others is one of the best parts of the film.
What Doesn’t Work
Despite the similarities between American Night and Pulp Fiction, I did notice some major differences. Tarantino’s film is also known for its great dialogue, heart-pounding thrills, and dirty grindhouse feel. Unfortunately, this film is lacking in all of those areas. Everything is too clean and polished to really be considered grindhouse. The tension doesn’t build the way you want it to. Without an antagonist to root against, American Night is left feeling flat. None of the characters are truly bad. They’re weird and twisted, but you still want to see them win. I also noticed that the editing is a bit too tight. Scenes that should have been left to linger and settle into the audience’s subconscious are cut before they can sink in. This combined with rather boring dialogue makes for a forgettable film that never gets what its reaching for.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a fun night of snappy comebacks, gunfights, and action, you should probably look somewhere else. But if you’re a fan of neo-noir and non-linear timelines, then give American Night a try.
