Havoc (film)

Infobox_Film
name = Havoc


caption = "Havoc" film poster
writer = Stephen Gaghan
Jessica Kaplan
starring = Anne Hathaway
Bijou Phillips
Freddy Rodriguez
Michael Biehn
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
director = Barbara Kopple
producer = Jack F. Murphy
John Morrissey
distributor = New Line Cinema
released = November 29, 2005 (DVD Premiere)
runtime = 94 min. (unrated version)
country = USA
language = English
budget = $9,000,000
imdb_id = 0285175Infobox movie certificates
United_States = R
Argentina = 13
Australia = MA15+
Austria =
Belgium =
Brazil =
Bulgaria =
Canada =
Canada (Alberta) =
Canada (BC/SK) =
Canada (Ontario) =
Canada (Manitoba) =
Canada (Maritime) =
Canada (Quebec) =
Canada (Home Video) =
Chile =
Colombia =
Cyprus =
Czech_Republic =
Denmark =
Finland = K-15
France =
Germany = 15
Greece =
Hungary =
Iceland = 16
Israel =
Italy = VM18
Japan =
Luxembourg =
Malaysia = Banned
Malta =
Mexico =
Netherlands =
New_Zealand =
Norway =
Peru = 18
Philippines =
Poland =
Portugal = M/16
Romania =
Singapore = R21

"Havoc" is an American motion picture about the lives of wealthy Los Angeles, California, 20 year-olds whose exposure to hip hop culture inspires them to imitate the "gangsta" lifestyle. They run into trouble when they encounter a gang of Latino drug dealers, discovering they aren't as street-wise as they thought.

The script was by Academy Award-winning writer Stephen Gaghan; the film was directed by Barbara Kopple. After appearances at several film festivals, it went unreleased in the U.S. It was later released on DVD on November 29, 2005.

The film stars Anne Hathaway, who received a DVDX Award for "Best Actress (in a DVD Premiere Movie)"; it also stars Bijou Phillips, Shiri Appleby, Freddy Rodriguez, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Laura San Giacomo.

Plot

"Havoc" begins with an evening scene at a parking lot in which a teenage filmmaker named Eric (Matt O'Leary) is attempting to document the faux-gangsta lifestyle enjoyed by Allison (Anne Hathaway) and her boyfriend Toby’s (Mike Vogel) gang of white upper-class teenagers living in Los Angeles’s Pacific Palisades neighborhood. During this sequence, a brawl arbitrarily ensues between Toby’s gang and another gang, which ends with both sides fleeing just before police arrive. Later that night, Toby’s gang goes to a raucous party at Eric’s house, and Allison’s relationship with Toby as well her other friends Emily (Bijou Phillips) and Sam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is further revealed.

The next day, Allison meets with her father (Michael Biehn) at work to discuss family problems, the awkward conversation revealing the virtual non-relationship Allison has with her parents. Afterwards, she and her friends drive downtown into East LA, intent on buying marijuana, eventually encountering Latino drug dealer Hector (Freddy Rodriguez) and his crew. Toby and Hector make a deal, but Toby believes that Hector did not sell him enough of the drug for what he paid, and attempts to confront Hector in a tough fashion, resulting in Hector pulling a gun on Toby, humiliating and emasculating him in front of his friends. Allison persuades Hector not to hurt Toby, and though she is outwardly concerned over the well-being of her boyfriend, it is evident that she is fascinated with the atmosphere she has just been exposed to.

The next night, Allison and her girlfriends return to the location of the drug deal. There, she and her friends once again meet up with Hector and his crew, and despite his skepticism of the girls Hector invites them to a party at his house. The girls have a good time, and before they leave, Hector informs Allison of a hotel his crew regularly parties at, and invites her to stop by if she wishes.

The next day, Eric continues his film project at Allison’s home, and after Allison turns his interview of her into a bizarre mind-game, Eric informs her of his belief that she is the “loneliest person” he has ever met. That evening, Allison meets up with Hector again in a store, and he shows her around his neighborhood and talks about his family and lifestyle. His guided tour abruptly ends when the police arrive in force, ostensibly on a drug bust. Allison winds up being arrested with the other present gang members, but – save for an argument with her parents and Toby – is let off the hook. The experience only serves to increase Allison’s fascination with the machinations of the inner-city lifestyle. The night after her release, Allison and Emily agree to head downtown the next evening to hang out with Hector’s crew.

The two meet up with Hector and his gang at a hotel, and a night of partying and drinking results in Allison and Emily asking Hector if they can join his crew. Hector informs them of their initiation; to join the gang, the two must roll dice; the number they roll corresponds to the number of gang members they must have sex with. Allison rolls a one, Emily rolls a three. Before things are underway, Allison has second thoughts. However, Emily initially does not, and continues the initiation with Hector despite Allison’s protests. Emily eventually freaks out after Hector motions for his gang members to join in simultaneously. Allison finally breaks up the initiation, and the two leave the hotel.

The next day after school, Allison returns to the hotel and confronts Hector over what had happened the previous night. Allison demands to know why Hector and his crew treated her and Emily the way that they did, stating that what had happened wasn't what they wanted. Hector responds by chastising Allison for being nothing more than a game-playing poser who knows nothing about the realities of gang life, save what she may have been spoon-fed on T.V., and it was clear to him that the two girls have no business being anywhere near a real inner-city gang. Also that day, Emily is shown at a police station, accusing Hector and his crew of gang rape, despite the fact that she consented to their actions at the onset. Allison is brought in for questioning, but claims to know nothing about a rape.

Hector is subsequently arrested, and members of his crew vow to seek out and silence Allison and Emily, but wind up getting lost in Bel-Air while driving around Los Angeles trying to find Pacific Palisades. Meanwhile, Toby and his gang are shown posing with guns in front of Eric and his video camera, making clear their intent on seeking revenge on Hector’s crew for humiliating Toby and for what they allegedly did to Emily. Eric later shows Allison the footage, and Allison subsequently calls Toby and makes an ill-fated attempt to convince him that there was no rape and what he is doing is foolish.

Allison then heads to Emily’s house and reveals to Emily what Toby plans to do, and reveals to Emily’s parents the truth about what happened at the hotel. Allison’s revelation of the truth to Emily’s parents initially upsets Emily to the point of nearly attempting suicide, but eventually the two reconcile. Meanwhile, Toby and his gang arrive at Hector’s hotel and bust in violently, but only succeed in frightening a group of Latino women and a baby. Realizing their error, they leave, and on their drive home, the gang passes the SUV containing the members of Hector’s crew that had been looking for Allison and Emily. The two gangs exchange looks, and the screen subsequently fades to black; for a few seconds the audience can only hear the sounds of tires squealing, people shouting and gunshots being fired.

The final scene of the movie involves Eric wrapping up his film project with one last monologue given by Allison, in which she admits her naiveté of the world outside of what she knows in her sheltered life, and implies how much she values what she has learned from her experiences outside of that life.

Cast

* Anne Hathaway as Allison Lang
* Bijou Phillips as Emily
* Shiri Appleby as Amanda
* Michael Biehn as Stuart Lang
* Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Sam
* Matt O'Leary as Eric
* Freddy Rodriguez as Hector
* Laura San Giacomo as Joanna Lang
* Mike Vogel as Toby
* Raymond Cruz as Chino
* Alexis Dziena as Sasha
* Channing Tatum as Nick
* Sam Hennings as Mr. Rubin
* Dan Fleury as Esteban Stone
* Josh Peck as Josh Rubin

Production

Mandy Moore was originally cast as the lead, but was replaced by Anne Hathaway shortly before filming began. Moore reportedly felt uncomfortable with the nudity. Jena Malone, Moore's co-star from "Saved!" was originally set to play Emily, but she left the project shortly after Moore's departure from the film.

The movie was filmed around Southern California, including Los Angeles, Altadena, Brentwood and Santa Monica.

Ratings

The film was banned in Malaysia; it received an R21 in Singapore (with an edited version receiving an M18), an M/16 in Portugal, a 15 in Germany, a VM18 in Italy, a 13 in Argentina, a 16 in Iceland, an MA15+ in Australia, a K-15 in Finland, and an 18 in Peru.

References

External links

* [http://www.cabincreekfilms.com/films_havoc.html "Havoc"] from Cabin Creek Films