Movies / Home Theatre

Five Dollars a Day

By Hervé St-Louis
September 14, 2010 - 22:49

Nat is a die-hard con man who engineers the firing of his son so they can go on a buddy trip across America from New Jersey to New Mexico for one last trip before he dies of cancer. But on the way to Albuquerque, Nat’s son’s Flynn wonders if the entire story is another scam by his dad or if it’s all real. On the way to New Mexico, perform a series of swindles to stay for free at hotels and have free wireless phone coverage. Will Flynn learn that there is more to life and his dad than he thinks?

I didn’t know what to expect from this movie at all as I refused to read the synopsis. I’m glad I did because I enjoyed the film even if quickly I knew what to expect. The fact that I knew Sharon Stone was gonna play a part in the film probably raised expectations and made me guess what part she would play in it. The movie is short at only 98 minutes and the story is not complicated and over the top although there are many twists and funny ploys on screen. It’s a movie about a son rediscovering his relationship with his dad and his past and how much that affects his current life. Flynn doesn’t want to become his dad, but it seems impossible not to.

Christopher Walken in the role of Nat is of course perfect. I was amazed at how he has aged and can now perform roles of elder statesmen, although in this film he was a petty man with a great mind. Alessandro Nivola as Flynn brings that simplicity of character and honesty that was required for the film. Neither overacts. Walken doesn’t take over the screen in an overbearing way the way one would expect Walken to do. There’s a lot of silence and small talk with both characters and more is said through gestures and short scenes than through profound moments.

The humour in this film is not exaggerated either. It is retrospective and subdued. It’s a not about jokes or the great heist that one laughs about. It’s about the funny situations that occur out of simple moments. The simple moments make the movie run very fast and by the time one is at the end, it feels amazing. It seems like the plot is quite simple, but looking back a lot was accomplished in the brief moments on screen. The other good thing about this film is that it’s not too intellectual and complicated. It’s just the story of a couple of hustlers trying to get by. If the viewer wants to intellectualize every scene, it’s possible, but it’s not necessary to enjoy this film.

The cinematography is clean and well done. Although in the extras, it is mentioned how much highway 66 was a part of the movie, I didn’t feel that part of the film step up so much as to be something memorable. There were small dinners and motels, but nothing that would look different than the average North American vista.

There are very few extras in this film. Besides the still galleries, there’s the brief interviews where somehow we learn more about the characters and what the intent of the director Nigel Cole. Many of the interviews focused on him as a director and he is the first to contribute something to the interview section. Perhaps I am an sacrilegious viewer who doesn’t get Cole’s greatness, because my first reaction when finishing the film was not to focus on who the director was. I still felt the movie worked though. Perhaps that’s a greater compliment to a director.

Bonus features on $5 A Day DVD and Blu-ray™ include:
•    Director and Cast Interviews
•    Still Galleries
•    Trailer

Rating: 9 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12