Eastside

CRIME DRAMA
Color, NR (language, violence, adult themes), 94 min., PPV 60 days, VHS rental price, DVD $24.98
Street: March 20, Prebook: Feb. 20
Cast: Mario Lopez (Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story), Efrain Figueroa (Desperate Measures), Richard Lynch (Strike Zone), Elizabeth Bogush (TV's Titans)
Director: Lorena David
ARTISAN

Story Line: Intelligent but misdirected ex-con Antonio (Lopez) becomes a henchman for a ruthless Los Angeles mobster and falls for a woman (Bogush) who works at a local community center. When Antonio is ordered to use any methods necessary to convince the center's good-hearted owner (Lynch) to sell his property, Antonio must come to terms with what he has become.

Bottom Line: This competent if unthrilling crime saga may be too good natured for its own good. The story moves along nicely but there's no anger or passion to drive the revenge motif. As such, the payoff is mild. The violence is limited to a few fights and gunshots, which may disappoint genre fans looking for the usual explosive action. Since the hero is a decent man of Latino descent, target Eastside to Hispanic audiences that will respond to the favorable characterization. --Buzz McClain
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