"DEUCES WILD" (2002) (Stephen Dorff, Brad Renfro) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Heavy Heavy Extreme Mild Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate None Mild None Extreme Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy Extreme Moderate Moderate Extreme QUICK TAKE: Drama: Two brothers and their gang try to protect their street from a rival gang and its drug dealer leader who's just been released from prison and is seeking retribution for serving time for their other brother's death. PLOT: It's 1958 in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. Leon (STEPHEN DORFF) and Bobby (BRAD RENFRO) are brothers and members of the Deuces gang that Leon formed when their other brother died after getting involved with drugs supplied by Marco (NORMAN REEDUS) and Jimmy Pockets (BALTHAZAR GETTY), members of the rival gang, the Vipers, that also inhabits their neighborhood. Although the two gangs share an uneasy truce due to the efforts of Father Aldo (VINCENT PASTORE) as well as small time mob member Fritzy (MATT DILLON) who's the one who really runs the neighborhood, two events transpire that begin to threaten the peace. For one, Bobby has suddenly become involved with Jimmy's sister, Annie (FAIRUZA BALK), who's just moved in with him and their mentally unstable mother, Wendy (DEBORAH HARRY). Then there's the fact that Marco's just been released from prison after serving three years for being involved in the dead brother's death. Looking for retribution, he vows to get even with the Deuces while starting up his drug trade once again. With Annie and Leon's girlfriend, Betsy (DREA DeMATTEO), wanting their boyfriends to stop with their gang-related behavior, the two prepare for war as the gangs' tit for tat activities progressively escalate into something dangerous. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Unless they're fans of old-style gang movies and/or someone in the cast, it's not very likely. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For strong violence, language, some drug content and brief sexuality. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: STEPHEN DORFF plays the leader of a gang he formed to protect his neighborhood from a rival gang's drug dealing after that led to his brother's death. He uses strong profanity, drinks, smokes, fools around with Betsy and gets into many brutal fights with the rival gang. BRAD RENFRO plays his brother and fellow gang member who also uses strong profanity, fights, smokes, and finds himself involved with one of the rival gang member's sisters. FAIRUZA BALK plays that sister who wants out of Brooklyn and away from the gang activity. She falls for Bobby and uses strong profanity. NORMAN REEDUS plays the leader of the rival gang who returns to his criminal ways (mainly drug dealing) after being released from prison. He orders various attacks on the Deuces, smokes, drinks and uses strong profanity. DREA DeMATTEO plays Leon's girlfriend with whom he briefly fools around (and possibly has sex). BALTHAZAR GETTY plays Annie's brother and member of the Viper's gang. He smokes, drinks, does some drugs and is involved in violent behavior. MATT DILLON plays the small time mob member who runs the neighborhood and is involved in criminal activity. He uses some strong profanity. VINCENT PASTORE plays the local priest who tries to put pressure on Leon to cease the gang wars. FRANKIE MUNIZ plays a young neighborhood kid who wants to be a member of the Deuces. DEBORAH HARRY plays Annie and Jimmy's mentally unbalanced mother who's perpetually stuck on Christmas. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief look at the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 106 "f" words, along with other expletives and plenty of colorful phrases. Some sexually related dialogue is present, while a partially clothed couple is seen fooling around and possibly having sex on a sofa. Violence consists of several people being shot to death, one being stabbed in the back, others possibly being killed, and a great deal of gang fighting (punching, kicking and otherwise pummeling others with fists, feet and bats, etc.) and related violence and mayhem. Some of that violence has bloody results, the perpetrators have bad attitudes, and some of that material could be tense or suspenseful to viewers with low tolerance levels for such violence (including what could be a possible rape - a man punches a woman and then drags her into a building, but we don't see anything else other than her later with her shirt open and a black eye). Various characters drink and/or smoke throughout the film, while some brief drug use is present, some drug dealers are seen, and various drug references are made. Various forms of imitative behavior are present, as is some tense family material (family members reacting to deaths in the family). If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Marco drinks a beer and has several bottles near him and we hear that he sold drugs to Leon's younger brother (that caused his death). Marco states that when he gets out of prison, he's going to get himself a beer. Leon and Bobby's mother drinks and is noted as having a drinking problem. Some people drink beer. There's more talk about Leon and Bobby's brother being a junkie. Jimmy snorts some sort of drug off his hand. A father has a beer. Leon pours some wine for Betsy and himself and then drinks some. Annie comments on her brother shooting drugs and drinking beer all day. Leon and Bobby's mother appears to be drunk. There's a flashback of Leon finding his dead brother and pulling a drug needle/syringe from his heavily bruised arm. Jimmy brings Marco a beer. Some people drink in a pool hall. Leon drinks beer. Marco mentions that anyone who wants to get high will come to their neighborhood drug operation (with Jimmy piping in that he's going to be the drug taster). Leon drinks liquor with another man. Marco has a beer with Jimmy. A man sells some drugs to Marco, and Jimmy smells the package to make sure it's the real thing. We see several beer bottles in front of Jimmy, and Annie then says he should have another. One of the Deuces drinks what's presumably liquor from a brown paper bag. One of the Vipers drinks. Fritzy drinks. Marco has a beer and gives one to another Viper. BLOOD/GORE A man has bloody cuts on his face after his car is smashed by falling cinderblocks. A guy who's been beaten has blood on his face, neck and shirt. Various people in a gang fight have varying amounts of bloody wounds or blood on them and/or their clothing. We later see Bobby with a black eye from that, as well as blood on Leon's hands. There's a flashback of Leon finding his dead brother and pulling a drug needle/syringe from his heavily bruised arm. Bobby has a tiny bit of blood on his face after Marco cuts him there. We see Betsy with a black eye. Marco has a tiny bit of blood in the corner of his mouth. A man's face is bloody after being attacked. Various people in a gang fight are bloody (to varying degrees), with blood squirting out from a man's back as he's shot. Another man who's repeatedly shot is bloody. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Other than kids and older adults, most of the main characters - particularly those in the gangs that fight others or are dealing drugs - have bad attitudes of one sort or another. Bobby states (in voice over narration) that the Deuces ran bootleg cigarettes, sold illegal fireworks and the like. Some of the Deuces harass a young man walking down "their" street, with then one pushing and punching this guy who turns out to be deaf. Some guys refer to other guys as "girls." Bobby is disrespectful of his alcoholic mother, while Jimmy has the same problem with his mentally unstable mother. A father repeatedly backhands his son for no good reason. Marco beats and possibly rapes Betsy. A person refers to another person as a "Pollock." A gang previously friendly to the Deuces accepts a bribe to help the Vipers against them. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence" could also be tense or suspenseful to some viewers with low tolerance levels for such mayhem. The Vipers show up ready for a rumble and Bobby runs out with a gun, ready to use it on them. The police then show up (one draws his gun) and have to keep the two groups apart. As Annie tries to steal some of the Vipers money, Bobby stands guard outside and then hides as many Vipers show up (and we wonder if Annie is going to get caught). GUNS/WEAPONS Handguns/Knives/Shivs/Switchblades/Bats/Chains: Carried and/or used to threaten, injure or kill others. See "Violence" for details. We hear gunfire on a TV show. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Are you f*cking listening to me?" "Shut the f*ck up," "How the f*ck am I supposed to know?" "Rat m*therf*cker," "Are you f*cking crazy?" "Have you lost your f*cking balls?" "I'll crack your f*cking head open," "What the f*ck /is wrong with you/happened to you/are you doing? "Do whatever the f*ck it is that you kids do," "You're f*cking pathetic," "Mind your own f*cking business," "F*ck this sh*t," "Let's f*cking do it," "You f*cking grease monkey," "You f*cking punks," "Get the f*ck /out of here/in the car," "I'll f*cking kill you," "Are you f*cking stupid?" "You can't f*cking stop me," "I'll do whatever the f*ck I want to do," "Let him f*cking go," "You f*cking whore," "Get the f*ck up," "What did he f*cking do to you?" "I'm going to f*cking kill him," "F*ckers," "Get the f*ck out of here," "Where the f*ck have you been?" "Holy sh*t," "Doesn't give a sh*t," "Bullsh*t," "Pieces of sh*t," "You little pr*ck," "Freakin,'" "Broads" and "Fox" (women), "Fat ass," "You moron," "Bastard," "Punks," "Shut up," "Balls" (testicles), "Pansies," "Where the hell were you?" "Slut," "Jerk off' (person), "Wise ass" and "Scumbag." It's possible the movie could inspire/entice some kids to join or form a gang. Many of the Deuces have gang tattoos on their arms. A man spits at some other people. A man makes the "f*ck you" sign with his hand and arm. Another man does the same and also gives "the finger" to Leon. Some of the deuces push a wheelbarrow full of cinderblocks off a roof and down onto a car of someone they don't like (knowing the person is inside it). A person refers to another person as a "Pollock." JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A mild amount of suspenseful music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 106 "f" words (11 used with "mother" and 1 used sexually as is the term "getting laid"), 12 "s" words, 1 slang term using male genitals ("pr*ck" with another possible one, "d*ck"), 1 slang term for female genitals ("p*ssy"), 6 asses (3 used with "hole"), 5 hells, 1 S.O.B., 3 uses each of "G-damn" and "Oh my God," 2 of "Swear to God" and 1 use each of "God" and "Oh God" as exclamations. SEX/NUDITY Marco states that when he gets out of prison, he's going to get himself a "nice piece of ass." After Bobby keeps asking Annie where she previously lived, she eventually says she crawled out between her mother's legs. While looking at a magazine entitled "Young Nudie," one of the Deuces says he'd "pop her" (one of the models) and then moves his hand back and forth (we don't see anything explicit). Leon and Betsy make out. When we return to this scene, we see them kissing some more and him starting to undo his pants (she's in her bra and slip). She then straddles him face-to-face on the sofa and they may start having sex (as there's some movement), but they're interrupted and then stop. Annie tells Bobby that she figures Leon probably said she was a "slut." Betsy shows a little cleavage in a bikini top. A person comments that in prison, Bobby would be passed around like a dirty magazine, and another mentions something about the pages being all sticky. Annie does a playful and partial striptease for Bobby from across the street (in her window), where she lowers her robe to expose her shoulder and then does even more to expose her bare back. Bobby then comments to Leon that she has a nice body, and asks Leon if he was ever with her (sexually), and Leon answers that he wasn't. One of the Deuces mentions Leon being home "getting laid" and a joke is then made that he's been taking "p*ssy lessons" from another Deuce. We see Leon and Betsy lying on a bed. He's shirtless and on his back, she's in her bra (and pants) and lies on her side with her leg up over him. He's distracted and she says she'll make him feel better, but he says he's not in the mood. She then gets up and puts on her shirt and tells him to call her when he's ready to "fool around." We see Annie and Bobby kissing while standing in a swimming pool. During a fight, Jimmy asks Bobby, "You like f*cking my sister?" SMOKING Marco smokes more than 10 times, while Leon, Bobby and Jimmy smoke several times, Betsy and Fritzy each smoke once, and all sorts of minor/miscellaneous character smoke cigarettes and cigars in many scenes. TENSE FAMILY SCENES We see Leon carrying his younger brother's dead body (he died from bad drugs) and see the family's reaction to that. We later see that Leon and Bobby's mother is an alcoholic (possibly in relation to her son's death), and Bobby isn't nice or respectful to her. Annie doesn't like the way her brother treats their mentally unstable mother. We see some grieving family members at a funeral. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Gangs and gang warfare over turf, etc. When drugs first infiltrated the gang culture. VIOLENCE Some of the Deuces harass a young man walking down "their" street, with then one pushing and punching this guy who turns out to be deaf. Marco grabs his prison cellmate and acts like he's going to slice his throat with a knife or shiv (but is showing what he's going to do to someone when he gets out). A cinderblock falls onto a car and is followed by many more and a wheelbarrow they were in as all are pushed from a roof down onto the car. They smash its roof and injure the two men inside (we see one of the occupants who's bloody). We later see one of them in a neck and arm brace and walking with a cane. Leon grabs Bobby, pushes him back against a wall and then pushes him down onto some stairs to set him straight. Fritzy punches Leon in the face. A father repeatedly backhands and slaps his son for no good reason. Leon tells him to stop, and when he won't, Leon punches the father in the face. Some Vipers jump a lone Deuce and then proceed to beat him up (pushing him around before repeatedly punching him in the face and gut and striking his hand/arm with a baseball bat). Later, they drive by and toss him out onto the parking lot. The Deuces and Vipers get into a gang-wide fight (after an object fired from a slingshot hits one Viper in the head and knocks him to the ground) where many punches, kicks and elbows are thrown and delivered to others' faces and bodies. Others hit others with poles, etc. as the fighting continues. One guy slices another across the chest (cutting his shirt) and then stabs into his leg (no blood). Leon then shows up and beats up many Vipers (with his fist or possibly a rock in his hand), including one whom he repeatedly punches, resulting in a bloody face. We hear that Marco and Jimmy killed Leon and Bobby's brother by giving him a "hot shot" (bad drugs). The Vipers trash the Deuces' side of the neighborhood by throwing a trashcan through a large restaurant/bar window, smashing cars and their windshields, overturning merchant vegetable carts, accosting locals, etc. and setting a car on fire and throwing a Molotov cocktail into a car (causing it to explode). During this, a storeowner hits a Viper but is then hit with a bat from behind, while other Vipers pull a man from his car and punch him several times. Some Vipers grab and carry Bobby away. One punches him in the face and others then hold him down as Marco threatens him and then slices part of his face with a knife (resulting in only a tiny bit of blood). During this, Annie tries to come to Bobby's rescue, but Marco elbows her quite hard in the face. Jimmy has a flashback of some police chasing and then pinning him up against a wall. Marco confronts Betsy, punches her in the face, and then drags her inside a building (where he apparently beats her or worse - possibly raping her -- as she later returns to Leon's place and her shirt is open). Angry about what Marco did to Betsy, Leon swipes a bottle from a table and then overturns that table and other furniture. Leon drives a car into the Viper's hangout, blasting through the wall. He then gets out, slams his door into one man, grabs that man by his neck brace and then slams his head against the car. Leon punches Marco, and Fritzy's men then drag Leon out of the room. Annie holds a large knife to Jimmy's throat. A man knocks things around in a kitchen in anger. Bobby hits a gang leader on the face with a bat for being a traitor and others then hit and kick that man. The Deuces and Vipers get into another big gang fight where many punches, kicks, and knees are thrown and delivered and people are hit by baseball bats, etc. The brutal hitting and pummeling continues for a while with some of the participants being bloody. Marco then tries to drive a knife or shiv down into Leon who eventually throws him off. Toward the end of the fight, a person stabs another in the back, one shoots and kills another person (with blood squirting out) and prepares to shoot another but a third person hits him. Leon then uses some rod/pole to strike Marco on the face. A hitman shoots another man several times, killing him. In the end, we hear that three people were killed during or right after the big fight. Bobby drops a wheelbarrow full of cinderblocks on a car with two people inside (we don't see the impact, but they're obviously injured or killed). Reviewed May 3, 2002 / Posted May 3, 2002

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