Satin (2011)

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Good concept, poorly executed.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Jack Satin (Hamilton von Watts) is an aging Vegas lounge singer with little talent. Finally, he is given the heave-ho so he decides to take his talents to Atlantic City. However, his car breaks down in the Arizona desert and the nearest town is a little hole in the wall. Being low on money, Jack has to remain in the village until more prosperous times. Fortunately, there is a darling waitress at the restaurant and bar, Lauren (Melissa Joan Hart) and they give each other "the eyes". But, a fellow bartender thinks HE owns Lauren, even though she broke up with him long ago. This barkeep beats Jack up more than once. Jack's only new friend is Doc (Robert Guillaume) who tries to give the singer some needed life counsel. Will Mr. Satin decide its too much trouble to court Lauren and complete his journey to New Jersey? This is one odd fish of a film and not very smooth, either. The script is just different, as quirky as the fictional desert town where the movie is located. The cast is nice, with Hart and Watts giving nice performances. What a pleasure to see Guillaume, he's always welcome! Naturally, the setting is unusual, too, while the direction is also this side of normal, being haphazard and variable. If you are the curious type who loves offbeat cinema, you might seek this one out. But, if you like more conventional offerings, you should probably pass it over.

Tiny in scope but big in heart this wasn't half bad. A film about a washed up Vegas act, Satin, who though way too young wants to be Joey Bishop and Dean Martin all rolled up in one - but has forgotten what is means to love the music and not just the money.When he rolls up in a small desert town on the run from knee cappers in Vegas he encounters a motley mob who remind him what it means to love music.I actually kind of liked this - it's funny, it's got heart, it has a little indie feeling to it, it's well made, well lit, and the cast work well together.Kind of silly. kind of fun, it's a good pizza movie when you want something a little kookie and it all just kind of works....

This is definitely one of the better indie flicks I've seen in awhile. It's a nice blend of comedy and more emotional heart than you'd guess from the trailer. The plot synopsis above sums the story up well. Hamilton von Watts turns in a great performance as the title character. Definitely my favorite part. It would have been easy to just ham the role up and overplay the lounge singer bit, but von Watts really hooked me. I found him to be more tragic and emotionally grounded than I would have expected. Was pleasantly surprised. Supporting cast is also fantastic. I love seeing Melissa Joan Hart and Robert Guillaume (Sports Night 4 life) in some roles. Overall it's a great watch. Highly recommended if you like intimate, funny and surprisingly heartfelt indie films. Rent this one.

This indie dramady delivers a good time and may make you want to buy an old convertible, hit the road and drive out to Vegas. The cast is really great, lots of dry off beat humor and toward the end it pulls at the heartstrings. Beautiful music: Americana down and out blues, rock, swing, jazz and a very memorable 80's retro classic. Unique to this movie is a crazy looking music contraption called "The Circle," -- a must see. The Jack Satin character is a cocky, full-of-him-self, Vegas lounge singer who was raised by a showgirl. His first big break was shining Wayne Newton's shoes and his career has gone down hill from there. He's funny in a lovable loser kind of way, could be a breakout performance by newcomer Hamilton von Watts. There are lots of surprises in Satin. Robert Guillaume (Benson) plays a music guru mechanic, steals a lot of scenes with his iconic voice and sharp comic timing. Melissa Joan Hart plays a sweet yet strong bartender who as expected falls for Satin. Though she's her usual cute and funny self, I really liked her in this more mature role. And for you Southland fans, Michael Cudlitz gets to play a truly hilarious leather vest wearing Bronco driving closet karaoke star. There's a song he sings that had me rolling on the floor with laughter. Satin strikes as careful balance between comedy and drama that makes it very entertaining and by the end poetic and soulful. One of the coolest movies I've seen this year - Little Miss Sunshine meets The Hangover combined with the Flight of the Conchords version of Crazy Heart. So glad I discovered this movie.