Club Life (2015)

Genre

Drama

Director

Fabrizio Conte

Country

USA

Cast

Jerry Ferrara, Danny A. Abeckaser, Jessica Szohr, Robert Davi, Ryan O'Nan, Tovah Ferguson, Jay Ferguson, Anne Gibbons-Brown, Al Sapienza, Brian Tarantina, Allegra Carpenter, Ethan Russell, Angela Bellotte, Glenn Wein, Jay Giannone, Gregg Bello, Annalaina Marks, Jennifer Missoni, Busta Rhymes

Storyline

When Johnny D. (Jerry Ferrara) is forced to take on his family's financial troubles, he turns to the Manhattan club scene to make some fast cash. As he falls under the wing of a veteran nightlife promoter (Danny A. Abeckaser), Johnny quickly rises through the ranks, but soon finds that not everything behind the red rope is full of glitz and glamour. 

Opinion

Inspired by former New York City club promoter Danny A. Abeckaser, who acts here and co-wrote the script with Ryan O'Nan and Ryan Vallan, Club Life is a flat drama with a lot of wasted potential that doesn't quite hit you.

There is no story here: as the film goes on, the already-seen feeling grows in you constantly, and even forgetting about the clichéd and completely predictable rises and falls, it is shallow.
They did try their best though to give Johnny D., the main character, a good reason for diving into this new life: his father, former limo driver with no pension or health insurance, has had a stroke, so he needs the money.
Unfortunately, Johnny's complicated relationship with his father isn't developed as it should have, his relationship with his mother and his sister isn't developed at all, and the other characters are completely shadowed by the main character.

The acting is so so. While Jerry Ferrara gives a mediocre performance as the main character, being charming when needed, but lacking of emotions throughout the whole film, Danny A. Abeckaser gives a believable performance as nightlife promoter Mark - not unexpected though - and Robert David is wonderful and steals each scene he is in.

Good effort though.

Quotes

Mark: You act like you got the power. Even if you don't.