Sweet Trash

Director - John Hayes (Tales from the Darkside)
Starring - Duncan McLeod (Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure), Marty McGee, and William Conners
Release Date - 1970
Genre - Crime/Drama
Tagline - "Some women are born to be sweet trash"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've watched my fair share of blaxploitation flicks this month and loved every minute of it.  After I have depleted my stash of blaxploitation flicks up for review, I decided to get a little sleazy.  Well, I got a lot sleazy.  I decided to venture to the Drive-In Collection from Vinegar Syndrome.  I decided to check out the John Hayes double feature with Sweet Trash and The Hang Up.  This is one I've had for awhile and thought it would be perfect for my Trashploitation series.  I decided to go with the first film in the set, obviously, Sweet Trash.  I was actually surprised by how well this sleazy classic was shot.  I really enjoyed it!

     The film follows a longshoreman who has a drinking problem and gambled himself into a big hole with the local loan shark.  The loan shark sends his thugs to break the longshoreman's fingers but he gets them first and goes on the run.  He meets a young prostitute who helps him at first but soon is found and has to fight his way out.  He then finds himself in the sights of another morally corrupt woman. He has to keep his morals at hand and his neck off the chopping block while trying to keep his home and get out of debt with the mob.  

     I knew I would be in for a sleazy good time but I actually had a good time when I found out it was a crime drama.  The film was very entertaining and the sex scenes are at a minimal.  The acting in this one is not that great.  The supporting cast does a solid job but they clearly are not one hundred percent involved in their role.  The needed some direction from the director and needed to be committed to their role.  With that being said, Duncan McLeod is great.  He is a very convincing Irish drunk that is hard to like.  He is loud mouthed, opinionated, and judgmental but he will brilliant at bringing this qualities out of his character.  The story for this one is not that original.  There has been countless crime dramas that follow a man on the lam from a loan shark or mobster for money he owes.  Hell, that is the basis for Bruce Willis' segment in Pulp Fiction.  With that being said, I can't think of a single one that is set on the back drop of sex like this one.  That addition of sex does make it unique but doesn't add anything to the delivery of the story.  Finally, this crime drama does have a little bit of action but nothing worthwhile or memorable.  The sex is softcore for the most part but is not really that entertaining.  Overall, Sweet Trash is a solid crime drama with some sexy scenes and one hell of a performance from Duncan McLeod.  If you want a 70s crime drama with a sleazy twist then you might want to check this one out!