Watch Buffalo '66

Buffalo '66 is a poignant independent drama directed and written by Vincent Gallo, who also stars in the lead role alongside Christina Ricci and Ben Gazzara. The film follows the story of Billy Brown, a troubled young man who is just released from prison after five years of incarceration. He devises a plan to seek revenge on the man he believes is responsible for his conviction while also trying to reconnect with his estranged parents.

The film is set in the winter of Buffalo, New York, and starts with Billy being released from prison on a snowy day. In the first few minutes of the movie, it is established that Billy has a strained relationship with his parents, who have not visited him once during his sentence. As he walks out of the prison, he meets Layla (Christina Ricci), a young woman who mistakes him for her photographer boyfriend. To get away from her, Billy kidnaps her and takes her to his parents' house without any explanation. Billy's parents are surprised and shocked to see him after all these years, especially since they never received any notice of his release.

Billy's father (Ben Gazzara) is not pleased to see him and is unable to forgive him for all the trouble he has caused in the past. Billy's mother (Angelica Huston) is sympathetic, but she is emotionally distant and unable to relate to her son's struggles. The dynamic between the three characters is uncomfortable and tense, as they struggle to come to terms with their past mistakes.

As the story unfolds, Billy's motive to take Layla home with him is revealed, and the viewer realizes the depth of his loneliness and despair. He is driven by his desire to prove to himself that he is capable of having a stable relationship with a woman. In many ways, he sees Layla as his last chance for redemption, and he tries hard to impress her by pretending that his parents are not abusive and cruel to him.

The narrative of the movie is slow-paced and melancholic, and the characters are flawed and relatable. Billy is portrayed as a tragic figure, whose life has been shaped by the cruelties he has experienced in the past. He is unable to let go of his anger and resentment towards his parents and the man he believes set him up for a crime he did not commit. At the same time, he is also sympathetic, as he tries hard to come to terms with his feelings and move forward with his life.

Christina Ricci's character, Layla, is portrayed as vulnerable but strong-willed. She is initially terrified of Billy, who kidnapped her, but as the story progresses, she starts to understand his motives and empathizes with his struggles. Layla's character serves as a foil to Billy's brooding and desolate personality, and her youthful exuberance provides a much-needed balance to the otherwise heavy and depressing narrative.

The cinematography of the movie is beautiful, and the shots of snowy Buffalo set the mood perfectly. The color palette of the movie is primarily composed of muted and somber tones, which reflect the desolate lives of the characters. The director has also utilized different camera angles to highlight the emotions of the characters and create a sense of intimacy between them.

In conclusion, Buffalo '66 is a beautifully shot and well-acted drama, which explores themes of loneliness, estranged relationships, and redemption. The movie is not for everyone, as its slow-paced narrative and bleak tone may put off some viewers, but for those who appreciate indie cinema and character-driven stories, it is a must-watch.

Buffalo '66 is a 1998 drama with a runtime of 2 hours. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.4 and a MetaScore of 68.