One of the worst indies of the year (perhaps even decade), Albino Alligator features the disappointing feature directorial debut of Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey. The only reason the film was made, and managed to get such a stellar cast, is Spacey’s clout.
Two crimes take place in New Orleans, leading to the death of an ATF agent. One car contains three men who botch a robbery and try to escape. The other car contains the target of the ATF stakeout.
The three wannabe robbers, the quiet Milo (Gary Sinise), the ring-leader Dova (Matt Dillon), and the sociopath driver Law (William Fichtner), take shelter in Dino’s bar, a dark place with mysteriously no windows or back door. The ATF and police sharpshooters led by G. D. Browning (Joe Mantegna) surround the place. The robbers believe that the cops are there to apprehend them, but discover via TV that they are after another person in the bar.
This preposterously plotted tale of escape and survival also involves Dino (M. Emmet Walsh), who owns the bar, and Janet (Faye Dunaway), his waitress. The customers include a foreigner (Viggo Mortensen), a middle-aged bar fly (John Spencer), and a youngster who likes pool (Skeet Ulrich).
Mostly set in one locale, the film is claustrophobic, though without the suspense and tension that usually go along with such genre pictures, due to inept writing, credited to first-timer Christian Forte, and Spacey’s poor direction. End result is waste of a talented cast and excruciating 96 minutes spent on a frivolous and pointless film that should have never been made in the first place.
Distributor: Miramax
Director: Kevin Spacey
Produced by Brad Krevoy, Steve Stabler, Brad Jenkel
Screenplay: Christian Forte
Camera: Mark Plummer
Editing: Jay Cassidy
Design: Nelson Coates
Music: Michael Brook
Costumes: Isis Mussenden
Cast:
Dova (Matt Dillon)
Janet (Faye Dunaway)
Milo (Gary Sinise)
Law (William Fichtner)
Guy (Viggo Mortensen)