Matthew Modine and Dennis Hooper star in Abel Ferrara’s dark character study of guilt and addiction with his underappreciated nineties gem THE BLACKOUT
Modine plays the self-destructive Hollywood actor Matty whose alcohol and cocaine use spirals out of control after his fiancé Annie, a French actress starring in Hooper's sleazy exploitation videos, has an abortion and ends their relationship.
As is typical with much of Ferrara's work, The Blackout has a very raw and personal quality. The experimental editing and use of handheld digital footage aid the film’s feverish dream-like atmosphere as Matty's life mimics Ferrara’s own personal struggles with drug abuse and he descends further into depression and despair.
Friday Night Film - THE BLACKOUT

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