Buffalo Bushido (2009)

I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

Just what I expected

Great Film overall

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

When will I ever learn. I need to pay a bit more attention to the film credits before purchasing films in the future. Had I done so I would have realized that Buffalo Bushido was written, directed and starring Peter McGennis who plays a troubled and disillusioned drug addict with his character named simply enough as Davis. Actor Peter McGennis "who" you ask? Exactly! This film dragged on from the on start and never achieved any level of entertainment value throughout. I actually read the film summary which sounded quite interesting and it also included some good actors such as Jesse L Martin as Shawn known mainly for the TV series Law and Order as one of the series lead detectives. It also includes the hard working John Savage as Detective Vendetti who has appeared in close to 200 films throughout his career, and the attractive Leila Arcieri as the stars love interest named Sadie Miller.The premise of the film has Davis returning to Buffalo after being estranged from his family and friends for over the past decade. Slowly the writer/director and film star Peter McGennis inserts childhood flashbacks with his close friends Shawn and Sadie all the while Detective Vendetti is travelling from New York City to Buffalo to speak to the recently released prisoner Davis. The audience apparently is supposed to be captured with intrigue by all the characters past relationships but all I could keep thinking was "lets' get this movie going buddy because I want it to end sooner rather than later." I assume Mr. McGennis spent a considerable amount of the films budget to retain some credible actors and as a result the films budget left little capital which results in a lack of quality story line and cinematography as evident in the films content. The difficulty of a film star producing, writing and directing their body of work leaves all the risk square on the investors shoulders and if I see Peter McGennis's name attached with so many credits in the future I will be more cautious with my movie dollars expended.I rate the film a 3 out of 10 and I think I am being generous.

I'm always on the hunt for a great indie film cut from a different cloth than mainstream and not afraid to be bold. "Buffalo Bushido" is just that. It starts with the script and the biggest void I find in indie films is poor dialog. From the moment Bruce Glover and Peter McGennis start the film seated at a dumpster rambling about philosophy, you know that you're on a unspoiled, creative path. Glover is superb in his surreal identity and McGennis has a very likable quality to his dark, honest character similar to a rugged Clint Eastwood in his western days.The performances continue to shine with Jesse L. Martin entering the picture. He's another wonderful "honest" actor who adds depth to McGennis' personal film. Leila Arcieri delivers what is by far her best work playing a real woman caught and honestly struggling with her past. She goes looking to uncover and succeeds in unraveling. We are then treated and assaulted by John Savage in a completely over-the-top, unforgettable performance as a manic parole officer. Fred Weller and Lord Jamar are terrific in their supporting roles. Again the word "honest" comes to mind as both Weller & Jamar deliver McGennis' creative script with precision. Noteworthy cameos by Lezley Zen and Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka keep us on our toes and move the film along in surprising ways.Very strong ending, true to the story, shows McGennis is not a filmmaker to cop out. "Buffalo Bushido" is a bold, creative, personal film (somewhere between drama and thriller) that goes deep and makes you think and feel. A refreshing departure from the action-heavy films of today that don't make audiences think or invest. If you like smart films, you'll get a kick out of "Buffalo Bushido".

I think "Buffalo Bushido" is a tremendous film. It not only captures the mood and spirit of Buffalo like no other film I've ever seen but the performances of the ensemble cast are superb. Peter McGennis gives a raw and honest portrayal of an estranged schizophrenic coming home to confront his haunted childhood. He really dials in to a narrow band width for his transparent, ghost-like existence and lets his imagination break out in odd, original ways (flashbacks, animation etc). His "loss of touch" and symptomatic voices are best revealed by Bruce Glover who plays McGennis' many alter egos. John Savage gives a savage-like performance as Vendetti, a corrections officer. It's the best John Savage performance I've seen in many moons and his dialogue is fantastic (McGennis wrote the script). Leila Arcieri, Jesse L. Martin, Fred Weller and Lord Jamar all add to the chemistry and emotional depth of the film as do all of the child actors who play the younger roles of their adult counterparts.Keeping in mind that McGennis wrote (script & music), directed, acted, and produced, "Buffalo Bushido" is nothing short of an amazing achievement. Working with something like a tenth of the budget of a typical low budget indie film, McGennis' production value is incredible (film, locations, cinematography, sound design, everything). While "Buffalo Bushido" will undoubtedly be the most appreciated in Buffalo, it is a film not to be missed. It is a dark, personal film that draws you in and keeps you there, in its throes, until the end. Great acting and great script (an original spin on a coming home story). Kudos to McGennis for earning his calling card as a complete artist and for inspiring in his hometown.

Buffalo Bushido is a very powerful, deep and personal film about a man trying to come home. Treating the state-of-mind genre is delicate and McGennis captures it subtly not only in his performance but by allowing the audience to see through his schizophrenic lens with empathy and clarity. Having worked with high risk schizophrenic patients, getting through and controlling the voices often presents an enormous wall to climb. McGennis approaches his disconnect-connect role from a real life angle and lets his story seep out until the last act where it really kicks into gear. Pace and tempo are driven by his affect on the other actors as he is unaware of his polarity. Again, this is true to schizophrenia and an inability to recognize consequence. Leila Arcieri does a very convincing job climbing into the passenger seat of car wreck while Jesse L. Martin and Fred Weller double team as antagonists (which are the voices of reason). John Savage sizzles in his over-the-top, catalytic performance as the manic parole officer but the steak belongs to Bruce Glover who appears in many different guises and voice over capturing the lunatic in the head theme brilliantly through the film's warped humor. The Glover-McGennis scenes at the lobby desk are fantastic and reveal McGennis' skill of showing how the things are crystal clear inside his head while outside is chaos. The layers of animation and flashbacks reinforce his inner clarity and ring with truth as many schizophrenic patients cling to the details of early memories. Although we have an eerie sense of where this film might be taking us, the path reveals constant surprises and we never know what to expect.Buffalo Bushido was the best film I saw at the Queens Film Festival where it rightfully was awarded and nominated in multiple categories. It is an original reflection and deep meditation. To call this a vanity project is the equivalent of stamping a narcissistic label on anyone suffering from depression let alone schizoaffective bipolar disorder which is terribly difficult to diagnose and treat. Whether one chooses to scratch underneath the surface and feel empathy is a choice. During a Q&A after the Queens screening, a teary-eyed woman in the audience commented that she thought she was seeing a ghost of her brother who sadly took his own life. Buffalo Bushido is a film that haunts and sticks with you which I've found is a testament to films that hit a life chord. The fact that McGennis accomplished this in his hometown serving as writer, director producer and lead actor is incredible. My favorite indie film of 2010.