‘On the Outs’ worth some of the hype

On the OutsRating: * * * Type: DramaLength: 86 minutesMPAA Rating: RCast: Anny Mariano, Judy Marte, Paola Mendoza, Dominic Colon, Don ParmaDirectors: Lori Silverbush and Michael SkolnikPlaying: Marquee Wakefield 12

In the shadow of New York City lies Jersey City, the subject of directors Lori Silverbush and Michael Skolnik’s film On the Outs.

The directors’ portrayal of Jersey City is one of direness and plight. Its inhabitants, specifically three girls — Suzette Williams (Anny Mariano), Oz (Judy Marte) and Paoloa Mendoza (Marisol Pagan) — are struggling just to survive.

Marisol is a young, unwed mother who also happens to be addicted to crack cocaine.

Oz is a drug dealer with a heart of gold!

And Suzette is a runaway who unfortunately picked the wrong thug with whom to start a relationship.

The three girls shift in and out of each others’ lives as they spiral farther and farther out of control. They each have their own problems, but know Jersey City is not the place for them to be.

The real character in the film is the city itself. The mean streets seem to foster illegal activity, and it is questionable whether the directors wish their audience to see these girls as a product of their environment. The recurrent image of the backside of The Statue of Liberty lends a theme of getting the back side of the “American Dream.” Are these girls just foolish bad seeds, or are they part of a larger social problem in America today?

The answer to that question comes from whichever political ideology to which the viewer subscribes.

All in all, the film is shot well — rarely leaving the streets of the city. The casting of characters seemed to be done by an aesthetically shallow person, for all the runaways, “crackheads” and thugs are all extremely attractive people. Where are the people beaten to a pulp over crack deals gone wrong or the ones with their teeth falling out from constant drug use?

The absence of a realistic cast coupled with some poor performances, namely that of Dominic Colon as Oz’s retarded brother Chewy, makes the film a little hard to believe.

The film, produced by Fader Films (a division of Fader Magazine), is a great beginning film for all of the young players involved — from cast to crew. The feelings conveyed are strong and real, reminiscent of Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream.