Last Exit to Brooklyn Review

Based on the Hubert Selby Jr novel of the same name, Last Exit to Brooklyn weaves 4 separate stories of four Brooklyn citizens in the 1950�s whose dreams of a better life prove to be mere illusions leading to a broken existence. These are characters to which the concept of happiness is alien, since life in the dock area of Brooklyn is reduced to a minimum of sex violence and survival.



Henry, the strike leader of a union fighting against poor working conditions, is living the American dream. He has a wife and daughter, and is well respected by both his friends and work colleagues. Still, he is unhappy and is bored the paint by numbers life he lives. After meeting Georgette and Regina, beatnik transgenders, he finally begins to feel as if he is living his life truthfully.



One of the beatniks, Georgette, is struggling to be accepted as who he is, by both his family and the members of the Red Hook neighborhood in Brooklyn. His methods of escapism; dreams of a local thug called Vinnie (who ridicules him) and getting high.



Tralala, is the town hooker who sees men as only a method of survival, using her sexuality as way to get herself money and liquor. During a visit to the city with one of her Johns, Tralala meets a marine who is willing to see her as more than a sexual object and display the unknown affections of warmth towards her. His exit prompts a trail of self destruction on her behalf.



Finally, we have Big Joe, the all American father, husband and provider, who has just discovered to his dismay that his daughter has been impregnated by a fellow union trucker. Joe�s tale is a tale of growing old in the Hell of Brooklyn, and of the need to maintain respect and honor.



Directed by acclaimed director of �Christiane F�, Uli Edel, Last Exit to Brooklyn is a beautiful, grimy and heartbreaking story of struggling to survive on the bare minimum in an American Asphalt jungle. The four main actors all give breakthrough performances, but it is Jennifer Jason Leigh and Stephen Lang who truly stand out the most as Henry and Tralala. Lang gives a sincere and heart felt performance as the gay man trapped inside the ideal American�s body, watching his portrayal of Henry�s evolution and demise is a true marvel and still feels fresh 18 years after the films initial release. Meanwhile, Leigh gives the performance of her career as the hooker who discovers realk love, bringing new life into a character we are all already familiar with.



Edel, alongside legendary cinematographer Stephen Czapsky, manage to create a truly grimy, dangerous world in which we can almost smell the desperation of the inhabitants of the Brooklyn Harbor. Whats truly remarkable though is how Czapsky manages to inject beauty into every shot of the truly disheartening landscapes (both geographical and emotional) while never letting us forget where we are.



To conclude, Last Exit to Brooklyn is a forgotten gem that I would recommend to anyone who is passionate about film, photography, social commentary and good storytelling, although it is not for the faint hearted or for those who prefer a happy ending.