El Cortez

Critics Consensus

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33%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 699

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El Cortez Photos

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Movie Info

An autistic ex-con attempting to readjust to life on the outside finds that the past isn't so easy to escape as he becomes caught in the middle of a deadly triple-cross in director Stephen Purvis' labyrinthine thriller. For five long years Manny (Lou Diamond Phillips) has repaid his debt to society by serving time in a prison for the criminally insane. Now the day of his parole has finally arrived, and after returning to Reno Manny takes up residence at a local motel and soon finds employment as a clerk at the Hotel El Cortez. Upon striking up an amiable friendship with crippled prospector Popcorn (Bruce Weitz), Manny is quickly recruited to help his new friend convince wealthy gambler Russo (Peter Onorati) to invest in the struggling gold-hunter's potentially prosperous mine. Complications soon arise, however, when Arnie (James McDaniel), the vengeful cop who had arrested Manny, pressures the mentally handicapped ex-con to keep an eye on local drug dealer Jack (Glenn Plummer) - who is currently staying in the same hotel as Manny. When Jack's scheming girlfriend Theda (Tracy Middendorf) learns about Popcorn's goldmine and subsequently attempts to seduce Manny in hopes of learning more, shifting alliances and deadly secrets thrust all involved into a murderous game of betrayal and death.

Rating:

R
Genre:

Action & Adventure, Drama, Mystery & Suspense
Directed By:

Stephen Purvis
Written By:

Chris Haddock
In Theaters:

Oct 20, 2006 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

Mar 27, 2007
Runtime:

94 minutes
Studio:

Brazos Pictures

Cast

Lou Diamond Phillips
as Manny DeSilva

Bruce Weitz
as Popcorn

Glenn Plummer
as Jack Clay

Tracy Middendorf
as Theda

James McDaniel
as Arnie

Peter Onorati
as Carlo Russo

Shelley Malil
as Prison Doctor

David Johann
as Prison Guard

Robin Adair
as Cecile

Kathleen LaGue
as Waitress

Joseph Griffin
as Frank

Deborah Cresswell
as Hotel Clerk

Edoardo Ballerini
as Roy Morrison

Josh Estrada
as Sam

Pat Crawford Brown
as Helena

Dan Speaker
as Street Thug

Caia Coley
as Louise

Gregory Scott Cummins
as Car Salesman

Kyle Kulish
as Kramer

Herb Santos Jr.
as Wedding Party Best Man

View All

Critic Reviews for El Cortez

All Critics (7) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (2) | Rotten (5)

A clumsy lump of ponderous pulp fiction with Cooler aspirations.

October 20, 2006

Michael Rechtshaffen
Hollywood Reporter
Top Critic
El Cortez, like so many before it, searches for that nugget in the genre mine but just doesn't find it.

October 19, 2006 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

Michael Ordoña
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic
Somehow, El Cortez is stronger than its component parts.

October 10, 2006 | Full Review…

Ronnie Scheib
Variety
Top Critic
Stick with Hitchcock.

October 6, 2006 | Rating: 1/4

V.A. Musetto
New York Post
Top Critic
Lou Diamond Phillips's character in El Cortez is a Reno hotel desk clerk who suffers from black-and-white flashbacks.

October 5, 2006 | Rating: 1/5

Anita Gates
New York Times
Top Critic
Every 'twist' is so telegraphed that there's little suspense here.

October 19, 2006

Luke Y. Thompson
L.A. Weekly
Director Stephen Purvis and writer Chris Haddock never rise above the material's inherent pulpiness, but they keep the twists coming until the very end.

October 6, 2006 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…

Maitland McDonagh
TV Guide