Cocaine Angel (2006)

Synopsis: Michael Tully makes an assured feature film-directing debut with COCAINE ANGEL, a provocative portrayal of a young man's downfall as he struggles with cocaine addiction. Shot with gritty frankness in digital video, the film captures... Michael Tully makes an assured feature film-directing debut with COCAINE ANGEL, a provocative portrayal of a young man's downfall as he struggles with cocaine addiction. Shot with gritty frankness in digital video, the film captures the anomie of its location in the Florida suburbs, while the use of mostly non-actors lends it the immediacy of a car crash. Damian Lahey, who also wrote the screenplay, stars as protagonist Scott, an addict whose boyish mien belies the depth of his needs, both chemical and emotional. Finding himself fired after going to work hungover one too many times, Scott goes in search of his girl and a fix, with his desperation visible as he struggles to keep it together along the way. Scott's occasional girlfriend, Mary (Kelley Forester), is a no-nonsense, crack-addicted prostitute with a child in Texas whose birthday is approaching. Scott promises that he will get her there for the celebration, and the pair embark upon a doomed journey marked by events that spiral ever more seriously out of control, leading to inevitable tragedy. The film carries its heavy subject matter with a success that's rare in no-budget indies, and adds a taste of humor that only plays up the melancholy. Lahey brings much to the film, endowing his character with a stammer, numerous tics, and a persistent strain of optimism, all of which charm even as his self-destruction frustrates. [More]

Starring: Damian Lahey, Brenda Benfield, Adonis Boyd, Jamie Dawson

Starring: Damian Lahey, Brenda Benfield, Adonis Boyd, Jamie Dawson, Richard Dawson, Kelly Forester, Blanca Franco, Charles Riley, Anne Knowles, Christina Ward

Director: Michael Tully

Director: Michael Tully
Screenwriter: Damian Lahey

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