The ultimate poster boy for the rise and fall of 1970s auteurism in Hollywood, Hal Ashby made a passel of unique and unforgettable films (“Harold and Maude,” “Bound for Glory,” “Being There,” etc.) before losing his touch and, ultimately, his life as the artist-friendly culture succumbed to its own self-indulgence and the corporate mentality of the 1980s prevailed. The turning point for Ashby was the Jon Voight comedy “Lookin’ to Get Out,” which was filmed in 1980, but remained unreleased for two years before becoming a notorious financial and critical flop. Ashby never made another worthwhile film.
The director’s defenders have always protested that “Lookin’ to Get Out” was edited without Ashby’s approval, and that the version released wasn’t what he had in mind. Shortly before his death in 1988, Ashby secretly re-edited the film, and when these reels of film were recently discovered, Voight (who also co-wrote the screenplay) spearheaded its release onto DVD, the first time the movie’s ever been on any home video format.
Unfortunately, it’s still not very good. Voight plays Alex Kovac, a gregarious, garish gambler who wins $15,000 at the races, only to find himself $10,000 in debt to some nasty thugs by the very next day. With his best pal and partner in crime Jerry (Burt Young), Alex absconds from New York City to Las Vegas ahead of his creditors and the pair con themselves into a luxury suite at a casino. There they run into Patti (Ann-Margaret), Alex’s former flame, who’s now involved with Bernie Gold(Richard Bradford), the casino’s manager. Dodging the East Coast thugs, Alex recruits a legendary card sharp now working as a room service waiter into a scheme to win back the cash he need to pay off his debts and then some.
It’s a standard tale of schmucks run amok, with the primary drawback that the lovable losers at its center just aren’t that lovable. Instead of seeming like a rascally, devil-may-care roué, Alex comes off as a bratty, selfish dolt who can’t plan any farther ahead than the end of his nose; he’s the sort of guy who imagines himself getting by on pure charisma, when in fact he somehow manages to survive despite his lack of it. The long-suffering Jerry is somewhat more sympathetic, but that’s probably just because Young is so good at playing the eternally patient sycophant type.
Even as a period piece, the film lacks value. The 1980 fashions, hairstyles, and décor are universally terrible. As a tour of the glories of late Carter-era Vegas, it serves up scene after scene of topless dance reviews which make “Showgirls” look like “Swan Lake.” One minor saving grace is a brief glimpse of a vintage Siegfried and Roy routine, but that’s small consolation in the midst of this reminder of a once-great talent tarnished.
1982 release, 105 minutes, rated R, viewed on DVD.
Grade: C
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