Thanks so very much to Kathy Buck for bringing the movie "Stuck" to the Cameo Cinema in St. Helena. Stuck tells real life stories while the people are stuck on a NY subway train ... told partly thru song. It is a creative way to present serious topics with some surprises. Unfortunately, the movie needs a company to distribute it to the major theaters ...
15 Reviews
This is a must see!
pmarkey-0910324 September 2017
Just saw Stuck at the Breckenridge Film Festival in Colorado and I have to say it's easily one of my new favorite movies. I was worried it was gonna be a little froofy cause it's a musical, but it wound up being powerful, emotional, and hysterical. It never bothered me that they broke into song. The music was incredible, a blend of a whole bunch of styles so that each of the main characters had a unique voice. It was a simple enough premise- six strangers stuck on a NYC subway- but I feel like I really got to know these characters and can't stop thinking about what's gonna happen to them now. Though I related to just about everyone in the film, even if you don't, the story is so universal you're bound to identify with one of the characters. I'm never gonna look at a stranger the same way again.
Musical in a stuck situation
ks-605008 September 2019
pop musical film about six strangers stuck on a New York City subway together
swantekk13 October 2017
Saw STUCK this week at the Woodstock, NY film fest. I haven't posted a review before, but this film was so special that I wanted to share. I loved it. The story is quite creative, with some unexpected twists. The talented cast, great story, and very very special music make this a truly unique film. Overall, this is a gem. Looking forward to distribution so more audiences can experience it.
A must see
sgoldmanny11 October 2017
The longest standing ovation (full house too)I can recall in many years at The Woodstock Film Festival. This film is fully engaging and so moving. We all attached to the characters and shared their discomfort, anger, sadness and confusion. The music was seamlessly worked into the dialog and it was varied and emotionally real. There wasn't a soul who left without vowing to be a more open and less judgmental person in life. GO! whenever it gets distribution!
Catchy songs with original story
mbaprimer5 September 2018
It gets into some difficult issues, but...
ulisses_phoenix12 July 2020
Maybe the producers of this thing should just write this review, because I have no idea how to handle this one.
This film is about race, class, gender, poverty, disability, homelessness, and much more. It's an ensemble character musical drama whose characters end up getting stuck on the the NY subway. That scenario is the backdrop for the interaction between this group of people who represent groups who would likely never come into such intimate contact with one another and end up discussing many deep philosophical and social subjects.
On the surface, the film seems to want to air some weighty issues about race, class and gender, and opine on the evils of our entrenched societal problems and perhaps do a little to help us get "unstuck". But in doing so, it also perpetuates some of the stereotypes it wants to disrupt.
For example, when the characters are introduced, a black character is shown in a disfunctional, interracial relationship -- biased filmmakers almost never show a happy interracial relationship, they usually depict them as having problems. I don't think these filmmakers were biased because the whole point of the film was to try to discuss these tough issues. But nevertheless, the black characters and the Latino character were depicted as poor, while the white characters and the Asian character were not. The people of color were shown exhibiting intentional racism, while the white people were shown as trying to be open and accepting, but still unconsciously or inadvertently expressing bias. There were many other comments or incidents that reinforced racial stereotypes (like mentioning or showing on several occasions that Latina immigrants "do the work that Americans won't do.") I don't know why filmmakers constantly depict Latino people as lower class -- a decade ago the richest person on Earth was a Latino man.
Production-wise, it was very well made. It was originally written as a stage play and it has that stage musical feel to it. It appeared to be a relatively low-budget film, but there wasn't a lot to spend money on since the players weren't $25-million-a-pop A-listers and most of the film took place in that one location on that stuck subway. The music was great, the cinematography was well done, and the direction, writing and dialogue was top notch. And all of the main actors were fantastic without exception.
One technique I liked was the way that the filmmakers presented the vignettes that the singers were singing about -- the lyrics gave part of the story while the visuals told the difficult parts. And the other characters responded as if they got the whole message, not just the words. Very innovative. These fine filmmakers create a piece of art that starts with a collection of people who represent predefined groups, but in the end we have six well-defined individuals whose lives may not be what you expect them to be.
I'm giving this film a rating of 9, which it well deserves, it's a great film. I don't think the writers/producers had any malign intent in the way the characters were stereotyped as they were, I think that's just the way the story played out and the way the writers went about making their point, although I'd like to see a film that subtly reverses the stereotypes and portrays people of color in upper-class positions while white people are portrayed in lower-class positions and depicted as subservient to black people -- now that would make an impact!
triggers: strobe effects; violent rape scene.
rating 9/10; (submitted July 12, 2020, 10:25 a.m EDT)
This film is about race, class, gender, poverty, disability, homelessness, and much more. It's an ensemble character musical drama whose characters end up getting stuck on the the NY subway. That scenario is the backdrop for the interaction between this group of people who represent groups who would likely never come into such intimate contact with one another and end up discussing many deep philosophical and social subjects.
On the surface, the film seems to want to air some weighty issues about race, class and gender, and opine on the evils of our entrenched societal problems and perhaps do a little to help us get "unstuck". But in doing so, it also perpetuates some of the stereotypes it wants to disrupt.
For example, when the characters are introduced, a black character is shown in a disfunctional, interracial relationship -- biased filmmakers almost never show a happy interracial relationship, they usually depict them as having problems. I don't think these filmmakers were biased because the whole point of the film was to try to discuss these tough issues. But nevertheless, the black characters and the Latino character were depicted as poor, while the white characters and the Asian character were not. The people of color were shown exhibiting intentional racism, while the white people were shown as trying to be open and accepting, but still unconsciously or inadvertently expressing bias. There were many other comments or incidents that reinforced racial stereotypes (like mentioning or showing on several occasions that Latina immigrants "do the work that Americans won't do.") I don't know why filmmakers constantly depict Latino people as lower class -- a decade ago the richest person on Earth was a Latino man.
Production-wise, it was very well made. It was originally written as a stage play and it has that stage musical feel to it. It appeared to be a relatively low-budget film, but there wasn't a lot to spend money on since the players weren't $25-million-a-pop A-listers and most of the film took place in that one location on that stuck subway. The music was great, the cinematography was well done, and the direction, writing and dialogue was top notch. And all of the main actors were fantastic without exception.
One technique I liked was the way that the filmmakers presented the vignettes that the singers were singing about -- the lyrics gave part of the story while the visuals told the difficult parts. And the other characters responded as if they got the whole message, not just the words. Very innovative. These fine filmmakers create a piece of art that starts with a collection of people who represent predefined groups, but in the end we have six well-defined individuals whose lives may not be what you expect them to be.
I'm giving this film a rating of 9, which it well deserves, it's a great film. I don't think the writers/producers had any malign intent in the way the characters were stereotyped as they were, I think that's just the way the story played out and the way the writers went about making their point, although I'd like to see a film that subtly reverses the stereotypes and portrays people of color in upper-class positions while white people are portrayed in lower-class positions and depicted as subservient to black people -- now that would make an impact!
triggers: strobe effects; violent rape scene.
rating 9/10; (submitted July 12, 2020, 10:25 a.m EDT)
A simple premise, executed efficiently...
RosanaBotafogo28 February 2022
A simple premise, executed efficiently, six problematic and completely different people involved in a musical debate, at the same time dramatic becomes fun and a very emotional ending, here we see that no one enters our life by chance, each one has a purpose to get in or out of it...
Maybe we ought to lock up Washington in a subway car.
Stewball20 April 2019
You have to hunt to find this gem (literally, check R/T), which tries, and mostly succeeds, to be an honest but unifying force. Giancarlo Esposito's superb portrayal of a subway bum is the exact opposite of the simmering, fastidious heavy in the long running Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul series. Half the music is excellent, especially Giancarlo singing (a non- Patsy Cline) "Crazy". But the other half is Broadway sing-song boiler plate, which is why I didn't make it a 10.
Amazing message in a time when needed.
cynthialchapman21 April 2019
Amazing.
goosylucy-0296228 July 2020
This movie's turn of events got me feeling way too many different emotions. From Lloyd's story to Caleb's, this entire film just got me sobbing. The last thirty-five got me crying FOUR separate times. Not to mention the different styles of music, and the different ways on how they portrayed the characters stories using that music was extraordinary. 10/10, would recommend, and definitely watching this over and over again.
Stuck is a fine musical about disparate characters on a subway train singing about their troubles
tavm23 April 2018
Just watched this at the Louisiana International Film Festival & Mentorship Program at my local Baton Rouge Cinemark theatre. It was the last film presented there. Giancarlo Esposito and Amy Madigan are among the players stuck on a stalled subway car. There's at least four more in this same car-two male and two female-sharing their frustrations in song. This was quite an eye-opener concerning different people of different races and classes. I highly enjoyed this as well as a short that preceded it called Spell. I also enjoyed a documentary about the Louisiana flood of 2016 called 1000 Year Flood about something I personally experienced during that period. So on that note, I highly recommend Stuck and those other films I mentioned.
Very special film
sycre822 April 2019
Knew nothing about it but was intrigued by the trailer. I fell in love with this movie.... laughed, cried, listened to some lovely songs and lovelier harmonies. Was inteigued by the unusual plot and character development. One thing ticked me off but won't spoil the ending for anyone. Who knew Amy Madison could sing?
Wonderful from beginning to end
cledakling9 February 2020
I looked on the "musical" genre on Amazon Prime and found this gem. The music, the social commentary and the emotional resonance are brought to life by a handful of wonderful actors and singers. I'd love to see high schools perform this show moving show.
Unlikely interactions
Gordon-1112 May 2020
The low budget film is not bad, but it is just really far removed from reality. I cannot imagine being in public transport, having all these highly unlikely interactions and conversations. Hence, I cannot get into the story at all.
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