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Piñero follows the life of Nuyorican playwright, poet, and actor Miguel Piñero (Benjamin Bratt). Piñero was a very controversial figure whose talent was rivaled by his own inner demons of addiction and criminal life. After a stint in Sing-Sing, he wrote a play called Short Eyes, which ended up being nominated for several Tony Awards and was eventually adapted into a film version.
This is a film that was introduced to me by my wife. Back when we started dating, she had a poster of this film in her room. At the time, I hadn't seen it, but saw it with her and, even though it has its flaws, it's still a pretty good biopic with a fiery performance from Bratt. It is the kind of story about a "tortured soul" that just can't help but do bad "to keep the writing good".
The film's direction by Leon Ichaso is very loose and maybe even a bit erratic, perhaps mirroring Piñero's own loose and erratic lifestyle. But what keeps everything afloat is Bratt's energetic performance. He owns the role through and through, peaking with a sizzling presentation in a New York rooftop halfway through the film. It is the kind of moment where you wish the whole package was just as good.
The film also brushes over some significant issues like Piñero's sexuality. It almost feels as if Ichaso was trying to hide these facts by elevating his relationship with Sugar (Talisa Soto) to levels of soap opera, and failed. However, if you like biopics and are curious about who Piñero was, then check it out. Much like Piñero himself, it's flawed, sometimes erratic and frenetic, but still honest and true.
Grade:
PIÑERO
(2001, Ichaso)
(2001, Ichaso)
"Well, I never wanted to be anybody. But a guy once said to me, 'you can write, and writing will get you out of jail.' And it did and it didn't, 'cause I had to keep doing bad to keep the writing good, 'cause I sell trouble."
Piñero follows the life of Nuyorican playwright, poet, and actor Miguel Piñero (Benjamin Bratt). Piñero was a very controversial figure whose talent was rivaled by his own inner demons of addiction and criminal life. After a stint in Sing-Sing, he wrote a play called Short Eyes, which ended up being nominated for several Tony Awards and was eventually adapted into a film version.
This is a film that was introduced to me by my wife. Back when we started dating, she had a poster of this film in her room. At the time, I hadn't seen it, but saw it with her and, even though it has its flaws, it's still a pretty good biopic with a fiery performance from Bratt. It is the kind of story about a "tortured soul" that just can't help but do bad "to keep the writing good".
The film's direction by Leon Ichaso is very loose and maybe even a bit erratic, perhaps mirroring Piñero's own loose and erratic lifestyle. But what keeps everything afloat is Bratt's energetic performance. He owns the role through and through, peaking with a sizzling presentation in a New York rooftop halfway through the film. It is the kind of moment where you wish the whole package was just as good.
The film also brushes over some significant issues like Piñero's sexuality. It almost feels as if Ichaso was trying to hide these facts by elevating his relationship with Sugar (Talisa Soto) to levels of soap opera, and failed. However, if you like biopics and are curious about who Piñero was, then check it out. Much like Piñero himself, it's flawed, sometimes erratic and frenetic, but still honest and true.
Grade: