In The Soup (1992)

In The Soup (1992) Directed by: Alexandre Rockwell Written by: Alexandre Rockwell/Tim Kissel

A great low, low budget, black and white film about a miserable, down on his luck amateur (Steve Buscemi) who sells life’s passion project, a 500 page screenplay about Neitzche and Dostoevsky for $200.00 to pay his rent or have his legs broken by a couple D-level mobster-wanna-be’s.

The script is bought by a man, Walter (Seymour Cassel) who, surprising to Buscemi, wants to keep him aboard so they can make the picture together, be “in the soup” together. He even has ways to acquire the funds, each less and less legal and more and more dangerous like stealing a policeman’s Porsche for one.

Obviously a con man of the highest order, Walter is so big-hearted and full of life, bringing a much needed spark to Buscemi’s - even connecting him with Buscemi’s love, his next door neighbor (Jennifer Beals) - it’s hard not to want to be around the guy.

A simple but quirkily told tale populated by strange characters that pass in and out at random, ‘In The Soup’ deservedly won the Audience Award at The Sundance Film Festival…

…and there wasn’t a special effect in sight.

How about that?

Exceptional turns by all…including, in a very small role, the always good to see Will Patton as Walter’s anemic brother.