Mena Suvari braces for impact in STUCK(2008).
© THINKFilm

Mania Grade: A-
Movie: Stuck
Reviewed Format: Theatrical
Starring: Mena Suvari, Stephen Rea, Rukiya Bernard, Russell Hornsby
Written By: Stuart Gordon, John Strysik
Directed By: Stuart Gordon
Distributor: THINKFilm

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STUCK

Director Stuart Gordon perhaps will always be best known for 1985's cult horror classic Re-Animator. This, of course, is a testament to how revered his feature debut is in certain circles, but also speaks to the fact that nothing he's done since has excited moviegoers in nearly the same way. But now, more than 20 years later, Gordon is back with a film that should take its rightful place alongside Re-Animator as one of the director's best efforts. At the very least, Stuck is destined for a long life as a midnight movie attraction.

Gordon packs tension, gore and a macabre sense of humor into a potent, economic package. He trims all the fat, making every scene count and deliver a bigger punch as the film progresses. The most intense sequences warrant total viewer investment, enveloping you in an atmosphere that threatens to spin out of control, but is always reeled in by Gordon's firm grasp on the material. As much as the movie's quick pace creates excitement, the director's ability to ease up on the gas pedal at just the right moments is as a big reason for its success.

Based on a true story, though details have been liberally altered, Mena Suvari plays Brandi, a nurse working at an assisted living care facility in Providence, Rhode Island, who is faced with a severe dilemma when she hits a homeless man named Tom (Stephen Rea) in an episode of reckless driving.   What makes the situation so complicated is Tom gets stuck in the now bloody vehicle's windshield, his head and torso trapped in the car, while his legs dangle on the hood. She flees the scene unnoticed and makes it into her garage where the still conscious man, who was spending his first night on the streets, pleads for her help. 

Brandi knows what the right thing to do is in this case, but if she reports the incident, the police will discover that she was on her way home after a night of hard "celebrating" with her co-worker Tanya (Rukiya Bernard) and drug dealer boyfriend Rashid (Russell Hornsby).   And that means she'll likely forfeit, among other things, a potential promotion at work. The more Brandi assesses her predicament, the tougher the decision becomes.

The evolution of Brandi's character over the course of the ordeal is unexpected but believable. Though Brandi's reluctant to help the dying man (ironic given her profession), she gradually views herself as the victim, wondering why Tom has decided to emotionally torture her. Suvari plays the role most effectively the closer she nears to a complete breakdown, which is also when the film hits its amusing notes. Tom is sympathetic by default, but Rea's expressiveness makes his pain tangible, though not unbearable. As Rashid, a man who likely talks a bigger game than he plays, Russell Hornsby almost steals the show from his bigger name co-stars, especially when faced with situations that call for him to back up his words with action.

Unlike many films that explore this kind of savage misfortune, Stuck doesn't punish its audience excessively. There are a few extremely ugly moments, yet the mood is surprisingly upbeat. Gordon obviously revels in jolting viewers and making them squirm in spots, but it's evident that the stranger-than-fiction elements of the story are what mainly appeals to him. He's able to wholly transport you into a bizarre, paranoid world for the 90 minutes the movie is on screen.

The film ends on just the right note, not overstaying its welcome by a single frame. It may sound peculiar to call a movie about the trials of a horrifically wounded man fun, but those who don't have an aversion to unrelenting, offbeat entertainment should find Stuck to be an irresistible thrill ride.