The Angel in Hells Alley

Author(s): Tony
Location: Pittsburgh

"The Angel in Hells Alley”

Directed by Stephen Frears
Written by Anthony Minghella
Producted by Tim Bevan
Music by Rachel Portman

Principal Cast:

William Sadler as Jerry Burnett
Adam Zolotin as Luke Harper
Alexander Conti as Young Luke
Sharon Stone as Deidre Burnett
Stanley Tucci as Dr. Francis Murray
Ralph Fiennes as Maxwell Harper
Marcia Gay Harden as Claudia Harper
John Hurt as William 'Bill' Burnett
Marc Musso as Jerry Burnett JR

Tagline: "A homeless man and an affluent boy meet in a dark alley...it was the best thing to happen to them both"

Synopsis: Passion and pain arouse in this highly dramatic fable about the relationship through the lives of one character on top of the world, and another at the bottom, the one on top is a 13 year old boy.

Luke Harper is a 13 year old kid with plenty of wealth behind him. His parents, Maxwell and Claudia (Fiennes and Harden) have mostly guided him throughout his life and have been very influential. However the conflict is Fiennes is a highly important government official who wants Luke to grow up in his fathers name. Luke is a boy with plenty ambition and hope towards whatever he decides to be.

However, deep in the city lie urban legends and myths. One being Hells Valley, which has been rumored no child should ever dare into, a rumor that's lived on for years. One day, careless Luke with nothing to lose decides to explore the heart of Hells Valley, only to meet a man (Sadler) cuddled into the corner behind a trash can. He awakes and together the two bind a tremendous relationship, with Luky being Jerrys only real contact ever since his lifestyle had changed to this, and Lukes only real freedom.

About three days a week Luke would meet Jerry in Hells Alley bringing him supplies that's needed for every day life, but every day seemed more painful for Luke, as his father continued to persuade him to be in shoes one day. Jerry teaches Luke the values of life and lectures him on making right decisions for himself day after day. However when Jerry is asked about his tormented past, he falls apart inside and wont let out an answer. It was finally until Luke asked him one more time about it and Jerry would throw a conniption. Frightening Luke so much he would then keep away from the alley for several months. However after feeling alone for a certain amount of time he revisits Jerry in Hells Alley, only to witness a rotting corpse behind a dumpster. Luke falls down in tears as he notices his friend has taken his own life, but a letter is left in his hand stating Luke was the best thing to happen in his life, for once he could express himself, but his troubled past he couldn't let him go.

The film then starts ten years later, where Luke is now a young adult with a lovely girlfriend and great apartment. Deciding to take a different road from his fathers wishing, Luke was a writer. He realizes it's the ten year anniversary since the death and realizes he must know what happened to the angel in Hells Valley that made him do such a thing. He gets in contact with Deidre, Jerrys ex-wife. Hear he learns more than imagined. The film then takes place in the past where Jerry and Deidre lived a beautiful life together, but money was low. Jerry was dealing with alcoholism, chemical dependency, and his father (John Hurt) being a victim of parathyroid cancer. Jerry was a changed man after this, which led to the affair Deidre had with her psychiatrist (Tucci). Never did Jerry know after he left her she conceived his child (Musso). Jerry left all he had behind, but left what he knew to Luke, saving Luke from ever truly knowing the meaning of life, to live it at the fullest, and be grateful for the things with and ahead of him.

What the press would say:

My hats off to the emotion packed gut wrenching drama with many symbolic meanings and forceful performances, "The Angel in Hells Alley". The two stories are told behind two persons eyes, Luke and Deidre. One of which is full of hope, happiness and warmth, while the other is full of agony, deception, and torment. William Sadler is terrific in this film, and whom happens to be the only connection with both stories. The first half of this feature is a kind gentle hearted individual, while the second we see character development that flies off the charts. Sadlers performance is one to not be taken lightly and should create some serious contention. Adam Zolotin touches our souls in his performance in "Jack" and yet saddens it in "The Angel in Hells Alley". The scene after Deidre tells her story and we see Zolotin in the car ride home letting all his emotions out, knowing what he has now is a mark in this young actors career, and he will be remembered for it. Fiennes brings out his old Schindlers List character (less violent of course) as the uptight father urging his son to be something he doesn't want to be, a supporting role nomination would be fit. Remember Casino? Remember Stone? Yeah, forget about it, the less annoying character she plays in Angel blows anything she's ever done out of the water. a lovable wife that is caught up in all her husbands emotions which eventually leads to more frustration from her actions afterwards. Take time in life to learn and appreciate every day life experiences, lovable or tragic, and go see this film. "The Angel in Hells Alley" delivers, and delivers hard!

Possible Nominations:

Best Picture - Anthony Minghella and Tim Bevan
Best Director - Stephen Frears
Best Actor in Leading Role - William Sadler
Best Actor in Supporting Role - Adam Zolotin
Best Actor in Supporting Role - Ralph Fiennes
Best Actress in Supporting Role - Sharon Stone
Best Original Screenplay - Anthony Minghella
Best Film Editing
Best Original Score
Best Original Song - "Further Between Us" - Trent Reznor