Stars: Richard Edson (Do the Right Thing, Super Mario Bros.), Cedella Marley. Winner of a Best of the Fest award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Joey Breaker is the quintessential "agent's" movie, a fact that basically defines its pluses and minuses. Richard Edson is choppy, at best, as Joey Breaker, a fast-talking Big Apple talent agent for the fictional Morgan Creative. Spending most of his time on the telephone wheeling and dealing with talent, directors, and lawyers, Joey is a consummate deal maker whose personal life is practically non-existent. Being a virtual slave to one's job is an unappealing character trait, but in Joey's case it make an already miserable personal profile worse. Because, Joey's also an asshole. Homophobic, sexist, and all-around pond scum, Joey takes a turn for the better when he hooks up with Cyan (Cedella Marley, daughter of the late great Bob Marley), a Jamaican waitress/student nurse. And, when Joey is asked to help deliver food to a man with AIDS (the late Fred Fondren), he discovers that a person with AIDS is a person, first and foremost (Fondren's scene in which he regrets that he wasn't brave enough to attempt his dream of being a writer is the most touching sequence in the film). Although Joey's transition from Mr. Butthead to Mr. Sensitive is not entirely convincing, the anti-rat race message makes for an upbeat film. Unfortunately, the script (from writer/director Steven Starr, an ex-William Morris talent agent) may be too insider for general audiences. Audience: Most will find this too slow-going and trade talky, but film buffs will appreciate.
Joey Breaker
Comedy, Paramount Home Video, 1992, Color, 92 min., $92.95, rated: R (language) Video Movies
Joey Breaker
Star Ratings
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