Diamonds and Guns (2007)

Diamonds and Guns

Starring:

Renee O'Connor
Helena Beaven
Jed Sura
Jonathan Fraser
Raymond O'Connor
E. Sean Griffin
Cynthia Szigeti
Julian Moses

Synopsis aka Spoiler: Ashley (Renee O'Connor) and Bria (Helena Beaven) are roommates and best friends who are on the brink of eviction and for Bria deportation looms around the corner. In a last ditch effort they go to Vegas to try their luck there. Bria meets Francis (Jed Sura) after Ashley comes down with food poisoning and is stuck in the room for the rest of the night. Francis is the hotel owners, Mr. Gretano (Raymond O'Connor), son. He is engaged to Connie (Julian Moses), who is the daughter of another hotel owner, Mrs. Antignatti (Cynthia Szigeti). Bria and Francias end up together after a night of drinking. Francias gets his best friend, Johnny B. (Jonathan Fraser), involved to help him get out of the mess he and Bria have caused.

Ashley is left on her own until the next morning when Bria demands a doctor be sent to the room to care for her. The hotel desk clerk (E. Sean Griffin) gets the brunt of the abuse from everyone. He has to endure angering Connie because Francias is avoiding her and he is trying to cover for him, Johnny B. is breathing down his neck to find out about Bria and Bria is insisting he call a doctor to help her friend. So, the desk clerk does what any desk clerk would do, he grabs Francias and tells him to go check on the sick guest.

Ashley ends up being cared for by Francias while Johnny B. tries to find Bria. Through being sick and given drugs Ashley still wants to do what she came there for, audition for one of the Vegas shows. I don't want to give away the whole plot so I’ll let it here.

Review:

If you are a Xena fan or Renee O'Connor fan you've been waiting a long time for this movie. The film had its rough spots and it almost looked like it wasn't going to be released. Luckily, this project has seen the light of day and was become available for mass release.

The film has a campy, light hearted feel to it. The story line is simple, along with the dialog and edits. Which is good, the premises of the movie aren’t to wow you with special effects or even to impress you with over bearing artistic shots. It's to show how two friends get wrapped up in one laughable situation after another. Oh and Ted Raimi as a landlord ;).

There are plenty of cut away scenes which make for great comedic effect, like when Ashley gets sick at the roulette table; you see her looking ill and lurch forward. The scene cuts away to the roulette attendant you hear Ashley get sick and by the reaction on the roulette attendants face its clear the puck landed in the roulette spinner.

I also liked the 4 box wipes used to show what was going on in 4 different places at the same time. There were some great one shot in there like Ashley propped up sleeping in a display of dolls. Of course the movie pokes fun at great chase scene stereo types for example Brea is being chased by Johnny B. and she is running everywhere while he's walking at a mildly fast pace but always seems to be right behind her.

If you are looking for a good situational comedy, you found it with Diamonds and Guns. The comedy displayed in the film is good and is not too ridiculous or over the top. Keeping with the campy feel it's fun to watch and is entertaining. Oh, one last thing, farts are funny.