Patti Rocks

More sex, lies and celluloid. Morris' independent feature is less conspicuously smart and neat than Soderbergh's sex, lies and videotape, delivering instead a confrontational, dirty, blue-collar realism. In the first of two clearly opposed halves, Billy (Mulkey) convinces Eddie (Jenkins) to accompany him on a long journey to meet his mistress; he wants to persuade her to have an abortion. They drive through the night, Billy sustaining an endless tirade of pussy jokes and cock fantasies, while his more mature, lonely friend laughs, argues, listens. This provocative glimpse of 'real men' at large, written and acted with rare conviction, proved too much for some; but rest assured, further up the road waits Patti Rocks. Played with enormous affection by Karen Landry, she is compassionate, responsible, and much more than a match for the guys. It is a beautifully judged, stimulating film, full of risks and verve, and worked through with rare intelligence and humour.