Cheap (2005)

Don't listen to the negative reviews

It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

NOTE: This movie is only available on thecinemasnob.comWatching Brad Jones' CHEAP made me consider on either giving this zero points or the current points I have it now. This is a violent, vulgar, depraving, and ugly film but at the exact same time that is what is meant to be. Brad knows what movie he wants it to be and he goes all the way with his vision and that is sort of understanding that word "vision".Nevertheless, I sort of enjoyed it, it's not offensive and tries not to moralize its story like most movies in this genre do. Not a single character in this movie has any redeeming values. One is a rapist and drug user, two are killers and enjoy it, one is the director conducting all this gruesome murders, and their cameraman is a child pornographer. That is a smart move on Brad's part not to go that route of morality and making characters redeemable. In the sick world we live in today, who knows what would happen. I honestly believe that something like this could happen.So, three points will have to do with this movie. PLOT: Movie begins with a two killers beating a woman to death while its being recorded on camera. Don't all good movies do? It then cuts to days before when a porn actress asking money from her manager Max Force (David Gobble) for her drug need. He rapes her in turn for the money. Subtle. Then we meet Jack Stone (Jones) after having sex with the woman that was beaten to death in the opening he has an idea to make films that have never been done before. He hires two women (Carrie Jo Stucki and Jessica Stone) and his cameraman Manny (Nick Foster) to create a film. Of course, they are creating snuff films of the girls in mask murdering their victims in gruesome ways that I will not describe to you. That woman they beat to death in the movie has got it easy I'll give you only that. They sell it to Force and it becomes popular online. However, Force's drug use starts going out of control and he ends up raping one of the girls. Stone and their girls then exact revenge on him. Overall, CHEAP is what it wants and needs to be. There is a craft in the making of this movie despite being one of those shot on crappy video quality. I am aware of they have a term for it but I think IMDb will allowed me to say it so I'll keep at that.The performance are not all strong but they do their best with the material they have. Jones and Gobble are the best in the movie which is not a surprise to me. And the soundtrack is a nice touch considering the subject material. In ways it reminded me of Dennis Hopper's EASY RIDER. Have no idea why but...it happens sometimes.

I recall hearing many people,including Brad Jones himself talk about it. I came across a video he made explaining the movie and the concept quickly pulled me in.Cheap is a 2005 low budget movie about the porn/snuff industry. We meet Max Force, a porn producer with a cocaine addiction who is getting tired of repetitive plots and ideas and wants something fresh and new. For much of the movie, we see conflict issues between Max and his pregnant wife,Tracy. Later into the movie, we meet Jack Stone, a porn director who worked with Max in the past. He brought a lot of money to Max's company and is welcomed backed; after a recent movie by him is given to Max. Max tells another director in the industry, Derek, that he should learn something from Jack. It's unbeknownst to Max or anyone else that the ultra violent porn was real, and Max distributed a snuff film to his website.With the help of his girlfriend Patty, a teenage runaway Anita and an old friend who was previously found guilty of being a child molester Manny; Jack and crew make large amounts of money for the few snuff films they directed.The movie has hardly any redeeming characters so when something bad happens to them, you don't care. It also changes from being a movie with situational irony and balancing of two evils, to a revenge film as it reaches the end. It's really nice and interesting with the death scenes, to hear ballads playing in the background. It's nice to hear such a beautiful score, but at the same time it's also ironic for reasons which remind me of Cannibal Holocaust. The movie itself is pretty long and does stretch out, but it's still pretty great.Give it a shot sometime.

Cheap is a film about an amateur porn director who decides that there is no more innovation in the world of erotic film. He has a stroke of inspiration--actual snuff films. The dialogue in this movie is spot on, but the acting is hit and miss. There are good actors, and there are bad actors in this movie. The picture quality is poor, but I think that lends to the charm and is thematically appropriate. The audio is a bit quiet and a little crackly and fuzzy. This again, is appropriate to the sleazy cheap film theme. It is explicit and sleazy and showcases the dark side of humanity unlike any pulp novel you may have read. It disturbed me a time or two and that is saying something. Likable characters are few, but that is of a necessity. We're not dealing with a mainstream film here.Overall, I was entertained throughout. I didn't get bored. I don't exactly like the movie though. I do not mean to say it is without merit, but it is not my kind of story. Were I the target audience, I would rate it higher. This is a movie by Brad Jones, a proclaimed lover of exploitation films, and it is made for fans of exploitation films. As it is, I'll break it down.Cinematography and camera work is solid. It does precisely what is needed. 3/5.Dialogue and writing is good. The characters behave in a believable fashion, and talk like real people talk. The dialogue is engaging, even though the characters are rarely likable. 4/5.The soundtrack is a very nice touch. The music is bubblegum 50s pop rock and it creates such a contrast to the story as to be downright jarring, yet at the same time it makes sense. People are achieving their dreams and you feel their excitement. 3.5/5.Overall, I give Cheap a solid 3/5. I recommend it, even if you only watch it once. Shadowdancer out!The World of Madness is gaining new residents daily.

It's rare to find a true work of art in the horror genre; typically the films in this category are all about content and not really about polish, deep feasible plots, and presentation but rather focus more on how they can just "shock" you and illicit reactions of of the audience.Brad Jones' film CHEAP is tastefully distasteful. It not only has substance and gets its point across, but it also keeps your attention, and can make you feel things for characters that you don't wish to have empathy for; not an easy task. In addition it still provides all the moral shredding that a horror movie can dish out without simply presenting a total "gross out gore fest" If wanton slaughter could be done tastefully, then this film is as close to that as you can get. Not to mention that for a film including the porn industry as part of its content and even having a scene of sexual content, there is no flagrant or needless nudity. This movie is about the story line and believe me it truly delivers. 10/10.