Stuck DVD Review

In his book Hollywood From Vietnam to Reagan, Robin Wood stated that “to study the evolution of a genre is to study the evolution of a national (un)consciousness,” and horror has always been a genre that is rich with political and social commentary, from Dracula’s representation of the struggle during the Depression to the uprising of the dead in Romero’s Night of the Living Dead during the Vietnam War. Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator, King of the Ants, Fortress) is a director that began making film in the 1980s, when there was a lack of revolution in the sequel crazy slasher films, and yet he still managed to be politically active in his films. This, however, is nothing compared to the lengths that Gordon goes through to make social commentary out of his latest horrific film. Stuck is based on a real event that took place in 2001 when a woman in Fort Worth, Texas was convicted for doing exactly what is depicted in Gordon’s latest social commentary via a horrific situation. The themes of an ordinary, if not admirable, individual capable of becoming a monster to feed their own selfish needs are common in the films of cult director Stuart Gordon.

It is apparent by the way we are introduced to Thomas Bardo (Stephen Rea) that very few people think very much of him. His landlord doesn’t trust him to come up with the rent, even forcing Thomas to sneak off with his few possessions. Forced to visit the employment offices with his meager belongings, Thomas is shunned by the inconsiderate receptionist and forced to wait regardless of his appointment. This simple interaction gives us all of the information that we need about Stuck. Thomas rushes to the appointment, worried that he has nearly been late, and yet the other end of the appointment has none of the same consideration. Thomas is stuck in a crowded waiting room which empties before he gets his chance, letting us know that none of the unemployed deserve consideration, appointment or not. When Thomas finally is called his name isn’t even pronounced correctly.

Brandi Boski (Mena Suvari) appears to be a part of the solution, working as a nurse in a retirement home, but her boss treats the home like any other business. In some way Brandi’s compassionate acts taking care of the elderly could be construed as just another person desperately struggling to get higher to the top, and Brandi even seems content to work Saturdays only because she thinks it will hinder her promotion if she doesn’t. Friday night is an opportunity for her to unwind before returning to work the next morning, but for Thomas it is a night trying to survive as a homeless man.

Not everyone Thomas encounters treats him as an inconvenience or simply irrelevant, but he is more likely to find a kind act from other underprivileged than any civilized member of society. He meets a friendly homeless man on a park bench late at night, who not only shares what little alcohol he has with Thomas, he shows compassion nobody else seems to have. Despite Brandi’s compassion at work, she immediately thinks of her own future when their lives collide. After an evening of drinking and drugs she unwisely decides to drive home, even distracted by making phone calls on the drive. When she crashes into Thomas and he becomes stuck in her windshield, she keeps driving. Almost immediately her reaction becomes self-protective, and instead of thinking of the quickest way to get him help she starts trying to find a way only if it means that she will not be punished for her crime.

The Blu-ray release contains an optional commentary track with director Stuart Gordon, writer John Strysik and actress Mena Suvari. There are also three featurettes and footage from an interview at the AFI Dallas International Film Festival. The featurettes each deal with extremely different subjects. “Ripped from the Headlines” shows footage of the actual case that inspired the film along with behind-the-scenes footage from the film, “The Gory Details” shows the creation of the gore in the film through special effects and make-up, and “Driving Forces” has interviews with Gordon and Strysik about the influences in the film.