Weapons (film)
Encyclopedia
Weapons is a 2007 American
, teenage crime drama directed and written by Adam Bhala Lough
.
The film premiered in competition at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival
and was released straight-to-DVD by Lionsgate in 2009.
as Reggie
Jade Yorker
as Mikey
Paul Dano
as Chris
Mark Webber
as Sean
Riley Smith
as Jason
Brandon Mychal Smith as James
), who ends up having his head blown off while eating a burger in a fast-food restaurant. After his death, the film opens up in a Pulp Fiction
-esque story arc, unveiling why Reggie died in the beginning of the film--and ultimately, who killed him.
The return of Sean (Webber
) and his sequential, radical lifestyle--joined by Jason (Riley Smith
) and Chris (Dano
).
Bulletproof
The previous day, Reggie and his sister Sabrina argue over the bruises on her face. She reveals to him that Jason gave her the scars during a rape
, forcing Reggie to retaliate. He brings along his friend Mikey, (Yorker
) and Mikey's younger brother James (Smith), to retrieve a gun from Mikey's distant, irrational uncle (Arliss Howard
), solely to kill Jason.
I'm Making A Movie
The night of Sabrina's rape through the eyes of Chris.
You Were My First
Sabrina's revealed pregnancy the same night of her rape.
The Funeral
The morning of Jason's funeral, Reggie's death, and his killer's breakdown.
The style in the film foreshadows the characters. Gritty images and shots within scenes are common, but there are also times where the film becomes bright and clear when it is irrelevant, adding to the plot.
The film's budget estimated $500,000.
Dano's character uses a Sony
PSR-PD150 in the film for his directorial debut.
The film averaged mixed and negative reviews from the critics. At the review aggressor site Rotten Tomatoes
, the film received a "rotten" score of 35% based on eight reviews. However, users seemed to appreciate the film more, giving the film an overall 56% (which is near a "certified fresh" rating).
soundtrack (the first of its kind) and an original score by the band International Friends, originally composed for the film, but inspired by DJ Screw
music.
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
, teenage crime drama directed and written by Adam Bhala Lough
Adam Bhala Lough
Adam Bhala Lough is an American film director and screenwriter from Virginia. In 2002 he directed and wrote his first film Bomb the System, which was nominated for a 2004 Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature. His follow-up film, WEAPONS, starred Paul Dano and was nominated for the Grand...
.
The film premiered in competition at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival
2007 Sundance Film Festival
The 2007 Sundance Film Festival ran from January 18 until January 28, 2007 in Park City, Utah with screenings in Salt Lake City, Utah and Ogden, Utah. It was the 23-rd iteration of the Sundance Film Festival...
and was released straight-to-DVD by Lionsgate in 2009.
Cast
Nick CannonNick Cannon
Nicholas Scott "Nick" Cannon is an American actor, comedian, rapper, entrepreneur, record producer, radio, and television personality. On television, Cannon began as a teenage sketch comedian on All That before going on to host The Nick Cannon Show, Wild 'N Out, and America's Got Talent...
as Reggie
Jade Yorker
Jade Yorker
Jade Yorker is an American actor of film and television. He grew up in Manalapan, New Jersey. He attended the Freehold Performing Arts Center for High School, which furthered his training. Among his TV credits are Cosby, Third Watch and Law & Order...
as Mikey
Paul Dano
Paul Dano
Paul Franklin Dano is an American actor and producer. He has appeared in films such as L.I.E. , The Girl Next Door , Little Miss Sunshine , There Will Be Blood , and Where the Wild Things Are .-Early life:Dano was born in New York City, the son of Gladys and Paul Dano...
as Chris
Mark Webber
Mark Webber (actor)
Mark Allen Webber is an American actor, screenwriter and director known for his roles in the films Snow Day and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.-Personal life:...
as Sean
Riley Smith
Riley Smith
Riley Smith is an American film and television actor and singer for the band The Life of Riley.-Background:Smith's parents are Russ and Roxanne Smith...
as Jason
Brandon Mychal Smith as James
Plot
The film starts off in a violent crime committed against Reggie (CannonNick Cannon
Nicholas Scott "Nick" Cannon is an American actor, comedian, rapper, entrepreneur, record producer, radio, and television personality. On television, Cannon began as a teenage sketch comedian on All That before going on to host The Nick Cannon Show, Wild 'N Out, and America's Got Talent...
), who ends up having his head blown off while eating a burger in a fast-food restaurant. After his death, the film opens up in a Pulp Fiction
Pulp fiction
Pulp fiction may refer to:* pulp magazines, short stories presented in a magazine format, printed on cheaply made wood-pulp paper* Pulp Fiction, a 1994 film directed by Quentin Tarantino...
-esque story arc, unveiling why Reggie died in the beginning of the film--and ultimately, who killed him.
Acts
Welcome HomeThe return of Sean (Webber
Mark Webber (actor)
Mark Allen Webber is an American actor, screenwriter and director known for his roles in the films Snow Day and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.-Personal life:...
) and his sequential, radical lifestyle--joined by Jason (Riley Smith
Riley Smith
Riley Smith is an American film and television actor and singer for the band The Life of Riley.-Background:Smith's parents are Russ and Roxanne Smith...
) and Chris (Dano
Paul Dano
Paul Franklin Dano is an American actor and producer. He has appeared in films such as L.I.E. , The Girl Next Door , Little Miss Sunshine , There Will Be Blood , and Where the Wild Things Are .-Early life:Dano was born in New York City, the son of Gladys and Paul Dano...
).
Bulletproof
The previous day, Reggie and his sister Sabrina argue over the bruises on her face. She reveals to him that Jason gave her the scars during a rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
, forcing Reggie to retaliate. He brings along his friend Mikey, (Yorker
Jade Yorker
Jade Yorker is an American actor of film and television. He grew up in Manalapan, New Jersey. He attended the Freehold Performing Arts Center for High School, which furthered his training. Among his TV credits are Cosby, Third Watch and Law & Order...
) and Mikey's younger brother James (Smith), to retrieve a gun from Mikey's distant, irrational uncle (Arliss Howard
Arliss Howard
Arliss Howard is an American actor, writer and film director.-Life and career:Howard was born in Independence, Missouri in 1954, and graduated from Truman High School and Columbia College at Columbia, Missouri. Howard established his career with stand-out roles in Full Metal Jacket and Ruby...
), solely to kill Jason.
I'm Making A Movie
The night of Sabrina's rape through the eyes of Chris.
You Were My First
Sabrina's revealed pregnancy the same night of her rape.
The Funeral
The morning of Jason's funeral, Reggie's death, and his killer's breakdown.
Style
The style in the film foreshadows the characters. Gritty images and shots within scenes are common, but there are also times where the film becomes bright and clear when it is irrelevant, adding to the plot.
Budget, equipment and reception
| "The first and last scenes were shot on 35mm, but most of the film was shot on 16mm. The scenes Paul Dano shot are on a PD150. So initially that was how we wanted to cover it for a number of reasons. We were on a super low budget. It was around $500,000. We were shooting in 18 days and practically speaking there wasn’t going to be time to do traditional coverage. I was more interested in doing something aesthetically that lent itself to this type of run-and-gun style." |
| — Adam Bhala Lough |
The film's budget estimated $500,000.
Dano's character uses a Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
PSR-PD150 in the film for his directorial debut.
The film averaged mixed and negative reviews from the critics. At the review aggressor site Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, the film received a "rotten" score of 35% based on eight reviews. However, users seemed to appreciate the film more, giving the film an overall 56% (which is near a "certified fresh" rating).
Lawsuit and release
There was a lawsuit against the revamped works towards the film, including the horrific rape scene and also a scene where Dano's character urinates on a fellow party member. In general, the film was delayed because no one contacted Lough on releasing the film to theaters as planned; consequently, Lough teamed up with Lionsgate for releasing the unrated version of the film straight to DVD.Music
The film is notable for having an all DJ ScrewDJ Screw
Robert Earl "DJ Screw" Davis, Jr. was a Houston, Texas-based DJ. He was known as a central figure in the Houston hip-hop community and was the creator of the now-famous Chopped and Screwed DJ technique...
soundtrack (the first of its kind) and an original score by the band International Friends, originally composed for the film, but inspired by DJ Screw
DJ Screw
Robert Earl "DJ Screw" Davis, Jr. was a Houston, Texas-based DJ. He was known as a central figure in the Houston hip-hop community and was the creator of the now-famous Chopped and Screwed DJ technique...
music.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Sundance Film Festival Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new... |
Grand Jury Prize | Adam Bhala Lough Adam Bhala Lough Adam Bhala Lough is an American film director and screenwriter from Virginia. In 2002 he directed and wrote his first film Bomb the System, which was nominated for a 2004 Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature. His follow-up film, WEAPONS, starred Paul Dano and was nominated for the Grand... |
Nominated |