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Timeout THE DAILY COLLEGIAN Wednesday, January 29,1997 Gridlock'd in the system Actor Tim Roth: King Of Independents Gridlock'd: Two men's journey into a bureaucratic maze By James M. Ward The Daily Collegian Anyone who has ever stood in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles (or for that matter the Fi¬ nancial Aid office at Fresno State) will identify with Stretch (Tim Roth) and Spoon (Tupac Shakur). the two main characters in the dark comedy "Gridlock'd." Spoon and Stretch aren't trying 10 get their driver's license renewed though; they're trying to figure out a bureaucratic maze to get into a drug rehab program. Stretch and Spoon are in a band— a sort of part rap. part jazz trio— with Cookie (Thandie New¬ ton), the group's singer. After Cookie overdoses on New Year's Eve. Spoon decides to clean up his act. With Cookie in the hos¬ pital in a coma. Stretch, not want¬ ing to be left out. decides to tag along. . But they soon find out that get¬ ting into a rehab program isn't as easy as just showing up at a hospi¬ tal. First they need to get a Medic¬ aid card to get into a program. But before they can get a Medicaid card they have to get a HIV test. This is just the start of the two men's journey through the bureau¬ cratic maze of social services. They stand in lines, fill out forms and sit in countless waiting rooms, all in their quest to kick their habit and lead a drug-free life. To complicate things even more, the two men find themselves the prime suspects in the murder of their drug connection and on the run from two gun toting thugs who think they have their connection's stash. Director Vondie Curtis Hall ( Dr. Hancock on TV's "Chicago Hope") keeps things moving at a brisk pace. The movie, even though it's about two junkies, has, a twisted, almost light hearted, sensibility 4o it. (It's a tribute to Hall's talents that he can 0 Gridlock'd Rated R 91 minutes Starring: Tim Roth & Tupac Shakur Written and directed by Vondie Curtis Hall Starts today at UA Northgate, Fresno; Re¬ gency, Ciovis. Courtesy of Gramercy Pictures Tim Roth and Tupac Shakur team up in Gridlock'd as a couple of heroin addicts fighting the bureaucratic system to get themselves into drug rehabilitation. Roth that he wants to get clean be¬ cause he "feels my time is running out." (Shakur was murdered late last year in Las Vegas, in a crime that is still unsolved.) Roth, who's making a name for himself as an off-center character actor (see related story), gives his typically hyper performance as Spoon. He's not really into going drug free, and in one funny scene explains to Shakur that he needs to get a fix because "there's no use in being sick when we are trying to get into rehab." Like last year's 'Trainspotting." the cult hit about Scottish heroin addicts, "Gridlock'd" paints a grim, 'fjjut humorous, portrait of the drug culture. It may be irresponsible for filmmakers to take this approach on such a serious social problem. But like 'Trainspotting". "Gridlock'd" is wildly entertaining and fun. The characters aren't really likable (you wouldn't want to have any of these guys over for dinner) but they make an entertaining duo. By Ian Spelling College Press Service Tim Roth is, without question, the busiest actor working today in the independent film world. Some might argue that Harvey Keitel and Steve Buscemi are giving Roth a good run for his money, but the ver¬ satile Brit just keeps popping up in film after film; Who is Tim Roth? He's the guy that "Reservoir Dogs." "Pulp Fic¬ tion. n>e Cook. The Thief. His Wife and Her Lover." and "Four Rooms" all have in common. He's the guy with only two major studio films. "Rob Roy" and the upcom¬ ing "Hoodlums." to his name. He was so good in "Rob Roy." is the brutal baddie who made hero l.iam Neeson's life hell, that he was nominated for an Oscar as Best Supporting Actor. And what did Roth do after "Rob RoyT* More in¬ dependent films, of course. His latest outing is "Gridlock'd" starring Roth and the late Tupac Shakur as performance artists try- 1 ing to overcome their heroin addic¬ tion after the third member of their music trio (Thandie Newton), nearly dies of a drug overdose. The system, however, isn't designed to readily help a couple of junk fiends even make a stabbing VERY funny.) What Hall does best though is keeping the bureaucrats from be¬ coming cardboard characters. Yes. they're overworked and hostile, bur* they have reason to be. As one surly clerk tells Stretch. "Just because after 10 years on the junk you de¬ cide to kick, it doesn't mean the whole system should stop for you." As Spoon. Shakur proves again (he was terrific in "Juice") that he had a real screen presence. There's an eerie, scene towards the begin¬ ning of the film where Shakur tells Advertise in The Daily Collegian IT WORKS! 278-5731 Tim Roth also starred In Reservior Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Rob Roy. beat their habit. Thus, Roth and Shakur embark on a rather bizarre journey that finds them at hospitals, government offices and the like in their futile effort to get clean. "I don't know if "Gridlock'd" is a black comedy." the London-born Roth said, referring to one descrip¬ tion of the film, which was directed by actor-turned-director Vondie Curtis-HaTI. "The term itself is a way for producers and so on to tell Please see ROTH page 8 ACROSS * Obtains 5 Wallet stutters 9 *Gunsmoka' marshal. Dillon 13 Pmnad* u Hearts 16 Feel tor 17 Athens sir* Item? 19 Eye pan 20 Bright star 21 ScuBef s eqwp- mant 22 Hemingway 24 The —Ranger 25 Teen complaint 26 Size up 29 EUjIwinWeS lemma fatal* 32 Overdue 33Flamant 34 BMcaJ weed 36 Took a powder 37 Hue 38 One who regrets 39 Sale condition phrase 40 Rang* 41 Sokan volcano 42 Crtyonthe Riviera 46 Go-dte of the movies 47 tvkldoath 48CaJm 51 Shorty 52 Ensted 55 Confess 56 German 59 High-grade cotton 60 Excelled 61 FoetM.Kay 62 Don 63 Is in debt 64 Sign of sorrow ' DOWN 1 Jokes 2B*iga 3 Govt agts 4 Notice 5 Atlanta and Pacific 6 —Dame 7 Says incorrectfy 8 Bounding mam '9 important road » rnNew England*' 10 Realty unit 11 "— above an. ." 12 Exam 15 Wraith 18 Dovecnes 23 Genete letters 24 Gutdes, in England^ 25 Hank of baseball 26 Cornmuncatons H V 1 .■', 1 o D n n V I S V i 0 j|!.^ 0 H n l 4 1 N aTiTaTn S nnn nnnn nnn nn nana noon S 1 llfjtlS i> A Sills N V 'a 3 1 H S V i n p 0 1 o n 3 T 3 i vi1fl> d 1 M 1 V -. MS Til V nnnn nnnn nnnnnn nnnn nmn 27 Spicy < 26 Be*r mug 29 Frasief s brother, on TV 30 Terre -. IN 31 *— we air*** 33 Interlaced . 35 Notable panods 37 Spoor's work 43 Author Flemng V M 1 »|3ll 1 M O *MNI°M«UiaLo] 45 San wearer 52 Walk through 47 *No man e an water ■stand* poet 53 Kareni-ia 48 Enervates 54 Asterisk 49 Nefarious 57 Er-damarxyi of 50 City rn Italia surpnt* 51 Siorng n**d 58 Dog doc
Object Description
Title | 1997_01 The Daily Collegian January 1997 |
Alternative Title | Daily Collegian (California State University, Fresno) |
Publisher | Associated Students of Fresno State, Fresno, Calif. |
Publication Date | 1997 |
Description | Daily (except weedends) during the school year. Microfilm. Palo Alto, Calif.: BMI Library Microfilms, 1986- microfilm reels; 35 mm. Vol.1, no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- |
Subject | California State University, Fresno -- Periodicals. |
Contributors | Associated Students of Fresno State. |
Coverage | Vol.1 no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- to present |
Format | Microfilm reels, 35 mm. |
Technical Information | Scanned at 600 dpi; TIFF; Microfilm ScanPro 2000 "E-image data" |
Language | eng |
Description
Title | January 29, 1997, Page 3 |
Alternative Title | Daily Collegian (California State University, Fresno) |
Publisher | Associated Students of Fresno State, Fresno, Calif. |
Publication Date | 1997 |
Description | Daily (except weedends) during the school year. Microfilm. Palo Alto, Calif.: BMI Library Microfilms, 1986- microfilm reels; 35 mm. Vol.1, no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- |
Subject | California State University, Fresno -- Periodicals. |
Contributors | Associated Students of Fresno State. |
Coverage | Vol.1 no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- to present |
Format | Microfilm reels, 35 mm. |
Technical Information | Scanned at 600 dpi; TIFF; Microfilm ScanPro 2000 "E-image data" |
Language | eng |
Full-Text-Search | Timeout THE DAILY COLLEGIAN Wednesday, January 29,1997 Gridlock'd in the system Actor Tim Roth: King Of Independents Gridlock'd: Two men's journey into a bureaucratic maze By James M. Ward The Daily Collegian Anyone who has ever stood in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles (or for that matter the Fi¬ nancial Aid office at Fresno State) will identify with Stretch (Tim Roth) and Spoon (Tupac Shakur). the two main characters in the dark comedy "Gridlock'd." Spoon and Stretch aren't trying 10 get their driver's license renewed though; they're trying to figure out a bureaucratic maze to get into a drug rehab program. Stretch and Spoon are in a band— a sort of part rap. part jazz trio— with Cookie (Thandie New¬ ton), the group's singer. After Cookie overdoses on New Year's Eve. Spoon decides to clean up his act. With Cookie in the hos¬ pital in a coma. Stretch, not want¬ ing to be left out. decides to tag along. . But they soon find out that get¬ ting into a rehab program isn't as easy as just showing up at a hospi¬ tal. First they need to get a Medic¬ aid card to get into a program. But before they can get a Medicaid card they have to get a HIV test. This is just the start of the two men's journey through the bureau¬ cratic maze of social services. They stand in lines, fill out forms and sit in countless waiting rooms, all in their quest to kick their habit and lead a drug-free life. To complicate things even more, the two men find themselves the prime suspects in the murder of their drug connection and on the run from two gun toting thugs who think they have their connection's stash. Director Vondie Curtis Hall ( Dr. Hancock on TV's "Chicago Hope") keeps things moving at a brisk pace. The movie, even though it's about two junkies, has, a twisted, almost light hearted, sensibility 4o it. (It's a tribute to Hall's talents that he can 0 Gridlock'd Rated R 91 minutes Starring: Tim Roth & Tupac Shakur Written and directed by Vondie Curtis Hall Starts today at UA Northgate, Fresno; Re¬ gency, Ciovis. Courtesy of Gramercy Pictures Tim Roth and Tupac Shakur team up in Gridlock'd as a couple of heroin addicts fighting the bureaucratic system to get themselves into drug rehabilitation. Roth that he wants to get clean be¬ cause he "feels my time is running out." (Shakur was murdered late last year in Las Vegas, in a crime that is still unsolved.) Roth, who's making a name for himself as an off-center character actor (see related story), gives his typically hyper performance as Spoon. He's not really into going drug free, and in one funny scene explains to Shakur that he needs to get a fix because "there's no use in being sick when we are trying to get into rehab." Like last year's 'Trainspotting." the cult hit about Scottish heroin addicts, "Gridlock'd" paints a grim, 'fjjut humorous, portrait of the drug culture. It may be irresponsible for filmmakers to take this approach on such a serious social problem. But like 'Trainspotting". "Gridlock'd" is wildly entertaining and fun. The characters aren't really likable (you wouldn't want to have any of these guys over for dinner) but they make an entertaining duo. By Ian Spelling College Press Service Tim Roth is, without question, the busiest actor working today in the independent film world. Some might argue that Harvey Keitel and Steve Buscemi are giving Roth a good run for his money, but the ver¬ satile Brit just keeps popping up in film after film; Who is Tim Roth? He's the guy that "Reservoir Dogs." "Pulp Fic¬ tion. n>e Cook. The Thief. His Wife and Her Lover." and "Four Rooms" all have in common. He's the guy with only two major studio films. "Rob Roy" and the upcom¬ ing "Hoodlums." to his name. He was so good in "Rob Roy." is the brutal baddie who made hero l.iam Neeson's life hell, that he was nominated for an Oscar as Best Supporting Actor. And what did Roth do after "Rob RoyT* More in¬ dependent films, of course. His latest outing is "Gridlock'd" starring Roth and the late Tupac Shakur as performance artists try- 1 ing to overcome their heroin addic¬ tion after the third member of their music trio (Thandie Newton), nearly dies of a drug overdose. The system, however, isn't designed to readily help a couple of junk fiends even make a stabbing VERY funny.) What Hall does best though is keeping the bureaucrats from be¬ coming cardboard characters. Yes. they're overworked and hostile, bur* they have reason to be. As one surly clerk tells Stretch. "Just because after 10 years on the junk you de¬ cide to kick, it doesn't mean the whole system should stop for you." As Spoon. Shakur proves again (he was terrific in "Juice") that he had a real screen presence. There's an eerie, scene towards the begin¬ ning of the film where Shakur tells Advertise in The Daily Collegian IT WORKS! 278-5731 Tim Roth also starred In Reservior Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Rob Roy. beat their habit. Thus, Roth and Shakur embark on a rather bizarre journey that finds them at hospitals, government offices and the like in their futile effort to get clean. "I don't know if "Gridlock'd" is a black comedy." the London-born Roth said, referring to one descrip¬ tion of the film, which was directed by actor-turned-director Vondie Curtis-HaTI. "The term itself is a way for producers and so on to tell Please see ROTH page 8 ACROSS * Obtains 5 Wallet stutters 9 *Gunsmoka' marshal. Dillon 13 Pmnad* u Hearts 16 Feel tor 17 Athens sir* Item? 19 Eye pan 20 Bright star 21 ScuBef s eqwp- mant 22 Hemingway 24 The —Ranger 25 Teen complaint 26 Size up 29 EUjIwinWeS lemma fatal* 32 Overdue 33Flamant 34 BMcaJ weed 36 Took a powder 37 Hue 38 One who regrets 39 Sale condition phrase 40 Rang* 41 Sokan volcano 42 Crtyonthe Riviera 46 Go-dte of the movies 47 tvkldoath 48CaJm 51 Shorty 52 Ensted 55 Confess 56 German 59 High-grade cotton 60 Excelled 61 FoetM.Kay 62 Don 63 Is in debt 64 Sign of sorrow ' DOWN 1 Jokes 2B*iga 3 Govt agts 4 Notice 5 Atlanta and Pacific 6 —Dame 7 Says incorrectfy 8 Bounding mam '9 important road » rnNew England*' 10 Realty unit 11 "— above an. ." 12 Exam 15 Wraith 18 Dovecnes 23 Genete letters 24 Gutdes, in England^ 25 Hank of baseball 26 Cornmuncatons H V 1 .■', 1 o D n n V I S V i 0 j|!.^ 0 H n l 4 1 N aTiTaTn S nnn nnnn nnn nn nana noon S 1 llfjtlS i> A Sills N V 'a 3 1 H S V i n p 0 1 o n 3 T 3 i vi1fl> d 1 M 1 V -. MS Til V nnnn nnnn nnnnnn nnnn nmn 27 Spicy < 26 Be*r mug 29 Frasief s brother, on TV 30 Terre -. IN 31 *— we air*** 33 Interlaced . 35 Notable panods 37 Spoor's work 43 Author Flemng V M 1 »|3ll 1 M O *MNI°M«UiaLo] 45 San wearer 52 Walk through 47 *No man e an water ■stand* poet 53 Kareni-ia 48 Enervates 54 Asterisk 49 Nefarious 57 Er-damarxyi of 50 City rn Italia surpnt* 51 Siorng n**d 58 Dog doc |