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Acts of Worship (2001)
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Reviews Counted:19
Fresh:12
Rotten:7
Average Rating:5.9/10
Theatrical Release:Nov 21, 2003 Limited
Synopsis: Writer-director Rosemary Rodriguez presents a cinematic portrait of drug addiction that is miraculously free of the clichés that often accompany the genre (a feat no doubt achieved through her... Writer-director Rosemary Rodriguez presents a cinematic portrait of drug addiction that is miraculously free of the clichés that often accompany the genre (a feat no doubt achieved through her familiarity with the subject: Rodriguez herself spent many years as a homeless drug addict). Ana Reeder turns in a stellar performance as Rodriguez stand-in Alix, a middle-class young woman living the life of a homeless junkie on the streets of New York's Lower East Side. But when the teen meets successful photographer Digna (Michael Hyatt)--herself a recovering addict--the two women forge a friendship that just might set Alix on the path to redemption and slow recovery. ACTS OF WORSHIP's gritty authenticity stems from Rodriguez' well-written script and a realistic, semi-documentary style that pulls no punches, yet refuses to cave in to sentimentality or judgment. [More]
Starring: Ana Reeder, Michael Hyatt, Christopher Kadish, Nestor Rodriguez
Starring: Ana Reeder, Michael Hyatt, Christopher Kadish, Nestor Rodriguez
Director: Rosemary Rodriguez
Director: Rosemary Rodriguez
Screenwriter: Rosemary Rodriguez
Producer: Nadia Leonelli, Rosemary Rodriguez, Fredrik Sundwall
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Reviews for Acts of Worship
Rodriguez depicts addicts as a sea of agitated vultures haunting the streets...counteracted by character confrontations forced to move too quickly and predictable plot turns.
Man, the life of a junkie sure does suck. I got that point fairly early in Acts of Worship, yet for some reason the movie kept telling me over and over again.
Call me shallow, but the rest of us might prefer something a bit more, well, entertaining.
There is nothing really new or particularly insightful here, and even though Acts is at least watchable, it begins to fade from memory almost immediately.
Digna's struggle with sellout guilt is way more interesting than Alix's boilerplate dissembly, but ultimately Digna's just a pawn in the moralist checkmate.
Ana's playing a Lower East Side druggie, who's riding on a seesaw through life. The problem is that this seesaw has two down sides.
For better and worse, Rosemary Rodriguez's directing debut feels just like what it is -- a drama about addiction made by a recovering addict.
Generally competent and contains the heartfelt and persuasive message that judging others is easy, but truly empathizing is hard.
Has all the hallmarks of a high-quality independent production, where real-life texture and genuine emotion more than compensate for lack of polish.
You'd be hard-pressed to find a better movie about addiction than this debut
Rodriguez's film captures the grinding routine of street-level drug use with numbing precision.
Some of the acting may not be the best and many of the points aren't made with a soft touch, but damn, I can't think of another film about addiction with a more accurate view from the inside.
Rodriguez' view of addiction from the inside, and Reeder's warts-and-all portrayal of a junkie going over the edge, make for a fascinating film.
Despite its crudeness, the film has a number of scenes that are so real they hurt.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 86% 86% | A Christmas Tale |
| 60% 60% | Paper Heart |
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