If you could become the editor of "The Poor and Hungry" and cut out the beginning and end of this excessively elongated film, and somehow come up with a better, more artistic, more concise ending, you'd have a masterpiece.

The center, the middle hour or so, of this self proclaimed "digiflik" by Craig Brewer, has one of the most interesting and compelling love stories (with a subtextural love triangle) that you can imagine. The film centers on a car thief named Eli (Eric Tate) who works for a gritty chop shop. The set-up of the film, the first half-hour, comes across as extremely distilled/film school/Tarantino wannabee crud. It almost makes you want to walk out and forget watching it because you can see the obvious plot and ending coming.

But Brewer must be attempting some sort of homage to Fassbinder because his film somewhat suddenly takes on a wonderful storyline that deals with love, anger, redemption and loss. His protagonist finds himself rebelling against his apparent innate nature, searching for meaning in life and for an escape from his lower class existence of thievery. He finds his salvation in a woman, a cellist named Amanda, played by the wonderfully demure and teary-eyed Lake Latimer. Amanda, going through some transitions in her life as well, finds solace in the quiet, teddy-bear-like Eli who never balks at her almost incessant sobbing. Meanwhile Eli's best pal, a little, grungy, street girl lesbian named Harper (Lindsey Roberts), careens in and out of his life throughout the film attempting to pull off scam after scam. She's a dreamer but it's obvious to us what Eli sees in her. She's brash, but loveable.

Tate is perhaps miscast here and he evokes no sparks from Latimer or Roberts. We never understand what anyone sees in him other than the fact he is rather reserved and non-abrasive. His "yokel" accent ruins any chance of Brewer's starry-eyed narration nee poetry working whatsoever. It is Latimer's needy heroine and Roberts' scheming, motor-mouthed urchin that really make the film work. Roberts is a powerhouse here, a real find. Her unapologetic, ballsy and emotional performance is rarely over-the-top and her moments of quiet neediness evoke true pathos. She seems to find just the right look or gesture to telegraph her feelings to us throughout the film.

"The Poor and Hungry" ends as typically as it begins. But in it's most interesting and poignant moments, it can seem like a genuine masterpiece. Brewer, when he finds an opportunity to show his true voice, and strips away all contrivances, has a beautiful film on his hands. It will be a treat to see what he comes up with next.

Note:

Filmed in Memphis, Tennessee in black and white on digital video by a two man crew. The budget for the film was supposedly under $20,000.

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