In less than a year, Edward John Drake directs Bruce Willis for the fourth time in Gasoline Alley from Saban Films. Drake also scripts the film, which attempts to tell the chilling story of a savage Hollywood murder set in present-day Los Angeles. Jimmy Jayne (Devon Sawa), a reformed ex-con, is the prime suspect who will stop at nothing to prove his innocence. Homicide detectives Freeman (Bruce Willis) and Vargas (Luke Wilson) are close on his tail as Jimmy takes on his own investigation, risking his life in the dark underbelly of L.A.
My readers would think by now; I would have learned my lesson concerning these Bruce Willis movies that seem to appear every week. Per the norm, though, Willis is not actually the star of the film as that title belongs to Devon Sawa. The film opens up with an introduction to Sawa’s character in a sleazy strip club where he attracts the attention of a gorgeous young woman. The following day we have a dead body. The detectives quickly find a lighter inscribed with Jimmy’s place of employment Gasoline Alley and his name. This piece of evidence quickly makes Jimmy a suspect.
The opening credits for the film display a weak style of cinematography that omits a low-budget type of picture. Furthermore, Sawa looks every bit of his forty-three years of age. I do not know if the make-up job was intentional to give Sawa a look of an ex-con. He looks terrible, though, in the sense that he may have had some bad vices in his personal life. Furthermore, one scene with Jimmy’s character is one of the most moronic decisions I have ever seen committed to film.
Luke Wilson is on autopilot for the film, and it appears that he is playing a heightened mock version of himself as he hams it up with his line delivery throughout the film. One brutally bad scene involves Willis and Wilson attempting a good cop/bad cop routine on Sawa’s character. As for Mr. Wills continues to deliver performance that would make Yogurt from Spaceballs giddy as Willis searches for more money.
I will say that Gasoline Alley is not a total catastrophe of a film. Kenny Wormald has a great cameo as an action star who served time with Jimmy. While in brief, cameos Super bowl Champion Vernon Davis and rapper The D.O.C. both show commendable screen presence. As I always say, though, check the film out for yourself, but for me, Willis continues his downward spiral into B movies. I can only hope that one of Willis’s eight movies due for release in 2022 returns the actor to his former glory.
Final Grade: F
Gasoline Alley opens in limited Theaters February 25, 2022. In addition the film is also available on Digital, and On Demand
Director David Tedeschi collaborates with esteemed producer Martin Scorsese to examine the significant impact of The Beatles’ inaugural visit to the United States in the documentary “Beatles ’64,” available on Disney+.
Director Nate Edwards transitions from short films to narrative features with the compelling black love story “She Taught Love,” available on Hulu. Darrell Britt-Gibson, who also occupies the leading role, authored the screenplay.
Director and writer Coralie Fargeat has partnered with the esteemed actress Demi Moore for her second feature film, “The Substance,” which has been released by Mubi.