lIoDd.,., April 24, 1978 SIGNAL. 27
Dustin Hoffman "'ares a rare, happy moment with Theresa Russell. Hoffman's Performance Keeps His 'Time" Straight
By Cathy Foster Dalton with Jenny, a young The remainder of the film employment agency clerk, focuses on a menagerie of Straight Time is a rather ho- stunningly depicted by crimes perpetrated by Dembo, hum film saved from obscurity Theresa Russell. But Max is who becomes increasingly by the moving performances still unable 0 adjust to society more callous. He appears of Dustin Hoffman and co-star as we know it, seemingly due "driven" toward his destiny as Dustin Hoffman strikes a beefcake pose while in Theresa Russell. to a mixture of bureaucratic a criminal, murdering a pursuit of crime and lots of money. Criminal life It deals with a variation of injustice and fate. cowardly friend and alienat- proves too much a lure for parolee Hoffman, so he the old "shoot 'em up" motif: ing himself from his lover. As returns to the life he knows best. This includes cops and robbers, with the By midway through the the film ends, he is seen accoutrements like that gun in his pants. emphasis in this case on the movie, Hoffman has roman- speeding away from Jenny robbers. The film's perspective ticized his character to the and presumably from is somewhat more realistic point that it is difficult for the California. Meanwhile, mug than some since the movie is viewer to accept Dembo's shots flash across the screen of an adaptation of Edward violent rebellion against the his earlier convictions, Bunker's No Beast So Fierce, system. The scene in which he beginning when he was a teen. written while he was serving revolts, however, is one of the The movie is somehow time in prison; Bunker also film's few light moments: Max disturbing, but its lack of became technical advisor for handcuffs his parole officer uniformity in plot structure the film. (who is the traditional villain prevents its being commend- The plot traces a period in type) to a fence along an able. Yet, it does present a the life of ex-con Max Dembo expressway, leaving him there reasonably good handlingof a from the time he gets out of with his buttocks exposed to stock theme and some prison through a short-lived masses of Los Angeles excellent theatrical perform- parole, climaxing with his motorists. ances. return to crime. Hoffmhn portrays Dembo powerfully, arousing the viewer's sympathy for the hassles FORGREATFOODATGREATPRICES received by a parolee. Max does form one positive + link with the straight world in the form of his relationship
~ II/, UN~AN
\®\YIY.).l~//'~i<,."/"(I II," , " • "N.Y. Style" Pizza (by the slice or pie) .-r-; , OJ•.. \;'-..I'" I • Super Subs • Sandwiches ...II'. j ,''.1' / ,rr. • Salads • Soft Frozen yogurt ot/ / i,. I 0 Ladies Night on Every Friday Night Beer for the Ladies 25C .,II
" ," Fj Designer F~shions at Reasonable Prices Free Delivery Min. order $5 3031 Peachtree Rd., N.E. Across from Sears Call 881-1950 10:30 to 6:30 Mon-Sat. 231-1750