Hopefully you fully read this review before clowning me on this topic, but this movie is too Real for film.  Trust me I hate overly graphic and gritty movies passing themselves off as “Real” just because they are gritty and over the line but its none of this that conveys this feeling to me.  Seriously you will watch this film and you will believe to have pointed out bad acting and mis-casted roles, but it’s far from this.

Havoc is the film about a bunch of wealthy teenagers trying to mimic street culture.  (yes, teenagers mimicking, once you understand that, the film is way more tangible to grasp.)  Seriously these teens come off as complete caricatures of rapper-street-thug-culture driving around town in there old school impala cursing and drinking.  I really don’t believe any of them fully ever engaged in the drug taking lifestyle they try to portray.  Best case example is Joseph Gordan-Lewitt’s character which could easily be confused as awkwardly bad acting, but actually he truly conveyed his character completely correct and to the point.  His character is a teenager that probably hasn’t ever tried any hard drugs but he tries to act like this hippie that seems completely stoned 24/7.

I am conflicted with a lot of interesting threads of character development that were never fully realize, like the hint of these two girls being lesbians, but this film is simply a glimpse into about a week in these kids life.  Sadly You never fully understand the reason behind this fake culture or way astute student like Allison played by Anne Hathaway would ever be tempted to join this culture or be with her wangsta boyfriend. But you just got to accept what is given to you, young and confused and probably will try anything if they could classify it as abnormal experience.

Again I have some more conflicts with some the hints and attitudes that come off from the actual gangsters.  You almost get this slight humanizing image of man that has pride for his side of tracks and maybe a growing connection to Hathaway’s character.  But this image is quickly curbed by some of his actions which are graphically portrayed on film and become the turning point Bijou Phillips character when she realizes this lifestyle became too real.  Again I am interested on how real these characters are, these people have conflicting nuances to their character, instead of gangster with a heart gold, he can compassionate at times but at core he is ruthless.  Seriously everyone played their role right (I mean the characters) the gangster took advantage of an easy situation with willingness of this young girl and this rich girl, instead of conforming to the thug life she so desire she ran home to her affluent parents to rewrite a tale of how she fully objected of situation that she let happen to her.

I skimmed through the reception this film got by critics and its audience, from praise to unintended laughter and I am left saying the same thing I started this review with: this movie is too Real for film.  Compared to a movie like Kids which seems more realistic because everyone seems so ingrained in the lifestyle they are living, you would be farther from the point of this film, this is NOT these kid’s lifestyle they should probably be surfing and thinking about being prom queen.  Their Rebellious culture is rooted on the idea of staying far away from the life that was chosen for them by their parents but it is funny to see when one of these characters are confronted with the realism of the culture they are trying to mimic they immediately turn to the defense of the financial and privileged security they get back at home.

Plus it’s funny to find out that Bijou Phillips is a seasoned veteran to this genre, she was in movie directed by Larry Clark (which directed Kids) and she was in the Jame Toback’s film Black & White which I can’t help thinking these movies were made in the same vane, (mmm, side comment, was Havoc 6 years too late).  I can’t completely remember Black & White but I know the premise was exactly the same with rich white kids trying to emulate street culture and the constant on the screen documentation with a camera crew.

I will just leave you with this thought, that its realness is probably not a plus in the entertainment of watching a film.

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