$5 a Day (2008)

I was surprised to see this at the local rental barn; I love Walken and had never heard of it. How can anything with him as the comedic star be shelved like this was? Chris has it all as an actor as well as a comic presence: tight timing, wryness to spare, and an endless reservoir of sly looks and moves. Not many actors have a resume with films like Pennies From Heaven, The Deer Hunter, King Of New York, Catch Me If You Can (another fine flim-flam film (say that three times fast)) and $5 A Day, to name but a few of Walken's best.

Not to mention his many classic skits on SNL (The Continental!), where his dancing and comedic skills finally gained the huge audience they deserve. This film is no exception; it's light on the hoofing but heavy on the laughs, mainly from Walken. The script has some fine moments as do the other actors, but 5AD is all Walken's, and he's fully up to the task. He easily controls every single scene he's in; you can't take your eyes off him---the sign of a true star---and he delivers the laughs here by milking every line for all it's worth with his trademark off-beat pauses. The guy knows how to use his eyes and voice to focus our thoughts exactly where he wants them, then bang! Yet another crisp bit of humor.

He makes a perfect con man here; Nat is charmingly duplicitous, and his never-ending schemes are rarely mean or uncouth...just slippery as an eel. He sucks everybody into his weird wake, and his son Ritchie has trouble holding the many grudges he has every right to. Walken makes Nat so likable that you end up cheering him on and cracking up every time he pulls another fast one. The only question for me here is why this took two years to come out on dvd, and got such limited release in theaters. It's a sweet little comedy, and even the oddly orange Sharon Stone is quite funny in it; I have a strong feeling this will be a real cult classic as the years roll by.

If you like Walken, have any charmingly roguish family members, or just love to crack up, $5 A Day will keep you laughing until its bittersweet end.

Recommended.

For some reason, Christopher Walken attracts people. His acting style is unique and his physical presence on screen is just magnetic. He is one of the very few actors who happens to be good in both dramas and comedies. So, when I learned that he was part of the film "$5 a Day," I couldn't wait. And I have to say this movie doesn't disappoint it is smart and funny, a total delight, with Walken being responsible for much of it.

Directed by Nigel Cole, who also helmed the wonderful "Calendar Girls" (2003), this picture has been referred by some as a road movie, which may be the case. Walken stars as Nat Parker, a good-natured and hearted drifter, con artist, scam operator he likes everything for free, provided he can get away with it --, who learns that he has a brain tumor and is about to die. He contacts Ritchie Flynn (Alessandro Nivola), his only son, and asks him to take him to New Mexico for a new, free treatment. Problem is, Ritchie has problems of his own, including an imminent divorce from his wife Maggie (Amanda Peet), and being fired from his job as a Health Inspector. Needless to say, he was also recently released from jail. As you can imagine, growing up with Nat, he inherited some of his "talents." Ritchie accepts against his will, and they travel by car from New Jersey to New Mexico, making stops in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. Along the way, as expected, many things happen some hilarious --, which make Ritchie learn more about his father. Along the way, too, they visit Dolores Jones (the very sexy Sharon Stone), who happened to be Ritchie's baby-sitter, and with whom Ritchie had a crush as a kid. This is pure gold.

"$5 a Day" feels fresh and it makes you feel good. It is also tender and touching, with awesome photography by Peter Donahue. The film also stars Peter Coyote and Dean Cain. The DVD includes director and cast interviews and more. (USA, 2008, color, 98 min plus additional materials). Image Entertainment.

Exclusively reviewed by Eric Gonzalez for on September 6, 2010.

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It seems like every year or so the cinema comes out with a 'road movie' an extended revelation of character deficiencies and nobilities played out on the open road (such as 'La Strada', 'Easy Rider', 'Thelma and Louise', 'About Schmidt', 'Motorcycle Diaries', 'The Adventures of Felix', 'Central Station' etc). They usually do well at the box office as a type of catharsis for the audience. That '$5 A DAY', given an excellent script by writing team Neal and Tippi Dobrofsky, a director with the comic timing such as Nigel Cole, and one of the finest groomed casts around, wasn't a major hit is puzzling. Timing, I suppose, but at least we have the great opportunity to see this little jewel of a movie on DVD. By all means pay attention.

Richie Flynn Parker (the gem of an actor Allesandro Nivola who can play comedy as well as he handles drama) is unhappy: he is a conservative Health inspector of restaurants fired when his police record is uncovered (he had taken the rap for one of his father's capers), whose girlfriend Maggie (Amanda Peet) is leaving him because he never communicates about who he really is, and discovers a letter from his gallivanting grifter huckster father Nat Parker (Christopher Walken in a pitch perfect comedic role) who claims he is dying from a brain tumor and needs a ride to New Mexico for a special treatment. Because Flynn's life is such a mess he consents to go and he and his father set out in a 'Sweet and Low' advertising little auto. Nat shows how he can live on $5 a day by sleeping in empty homes, pulling shenanigans to get free food, entry into parties (Dean Cain plays an 'old acquaintance'), and money and gas. The two spar about why Nat was never there for Flynn, how their relationship is broken, and gradually Flynn discovers the realities of his background realities he nightly shares on voicemail to his girlfriend Maggie. Along the way the two make stops including a visit to Flynn's previous babysitter Dolores (Sharon Stone, better than ever!), a woman who knows how to bolster Nat's morale and brighten his life as well as fill Flynn in on some important truths about his parental past. Flynn questions whether Nat really is dying or is just pulling off a scam to get a trip to New Mexico. But in Albuquerque Nat meets up with an old debtor Kruger, now wealthy because of Nat's assistance years ago, and in the process of correcting problems with the past, Flynn's true identity is revealed. What began as a raw, near hostile relationship between Nat and Flynn is transformed in a very touching manner.

It is such a pleasure to jump into the trip and go along with this entertaining ride with Walken and Nivola because they are so very fine in their roles that we feel like we know them well. The balance between hilarity and pathos is excellent and the quality of every aspect of this little Indie film is first class. Highly recommended! Grady Harp, August 10

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A sleeper of a movie! Christopher Walken is fabulous. Interesting story, great characters, intriguing storyline, wonderful twists and turns. I loved this film and have shared it with many friends. The story and development of the characters is intimate, touching, enlightening and sweet. Fun, laugh out loud and tender all at the same time. Sharon Stone was sensational, too. A great surprise of a movie. I'd love to know what you think of it.

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For Christopher Walken and Peter Coyote fans, this is pretty much guaranteed to be enjoyable. Walken still has a thoroughly compelling screen presence and owns every scene. But the entire cast is solid, the writing is tight, the cinematography and direction provide a nonstop visual oasis, and perhaps all of this tends to underscore that the screenplay itself is not deep. Far from it, the storyline is very surface but yet contains enough twists and turns that the audience is subtly reminded that people's motives, good and bad, can be very mysterious indeed.

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