Public Access

1993 "Is it wise to talk to strangers?"
5.2| 1h30m| R| en
Details

Brewster seems to be an almost too perfect example of idyllic small-town America, with everyone living in peace and harmony. So when newcomer Whiley Pritcher starts up his own local cable TV show with the question "what's wrong with Brewster?", there surely can't be any deep dark secrets in the town that are just waiting to come to the surface - or can there? And when the question becomes "who's wrong with Brewster?" things start getting seriously nasty.

Director

Producted By

Cinemabeam

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Trailers & Clips

Also starring Brandon Boyce

Also starring Margaret Kerry

Also starring Christopher McQuarrie

Reviews

MonsterPerfect Good idea lost in the noise
TaryBiggBall It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.
Scotty Burke It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review
Fulke Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.
sgcim I saw this film on WABC a week or two ago and was very impressed by it. I'm surprised that it hasn't been picked up by Sundance or IFC because it would probably appeal to that type of audience more than a mainstream audience.The ending is pretty open-ended, which seems to annoy some people, but I think it's pretty clear that Whiley represents a negative aspect of American society that has no tolerance for anything or anyone different from the consensus norm.At the end, he's just going to move on to the next town and do the same thing he did to Brewster.I was reminded a bit of that Twilight Zone episode where the aliens make the electricity go off and on in various small town residents' houses, causing them to turn on each other and kill each other off, one by one.Things haven't changed that much since then.
Infofreak Fans of the brilliant 'The Usual Suspects' will no doubt be curious to check out the first movie by its director Bryan Singer and writer Christopher McQuarrie. While no where near as assured as that movie or McQuarrie's subsequent underrated directorial debut 'The Way Of The Gun', it has enough going for it to make it worth tracking down. Ron Marquette's impressive performance as the enigmatic Whiley Pritcher is by far the best thing about the movie. He displays plenty of charisma and acting chops which makes his suicide a couple of years after the release of 'Public Access' all the more tragic. Pritcher is a stranger who moves into Brewster, a seemingly average small town and begins broadcasting a show on a local public access TV station. His probing into the dark side of Brewster causes a lot of debate and some hostility, especially when he aligns himself with the town's Mayor. So far, so good. The first half of the movie is very well done and makes fascinating viewing. After that, while the mood turns darker and more violent, it also gets increasingly less compelling, and to me ultimately very anti-climactic. Marquette is good throughout but can't salvage the uneven script which doesn't seem to explore the interesting premise enough to make this one anything special. The frequent comparisons to David Lynch circa 'Blue Velvet' are not entirely off-base, but unfortunately 'Public Access' flounders way before it finishes. Nice try though, and still worth viewing.
brodie bruce This is the debut film from Bryan Singer, director of The Usual Suspects, Apt Pupil and X-Men. It is the story of a drifter who wanders into a sleepy town and wakes it up. The central character is played wonderfully by Ron Marquette. Singers directing is exceptional, even more so when you consider it's his first feature. Fans of his later work should definitely try and track down a copy of this rarely seen masterpiece.
Mitch-38 Drifter rolls into town, and by way of a local access TV show, begins to touch nerves in smug "Smalltown, USA."Ron Marquette delivers a very strong performance as Whiley Pritcher, the enigmatic drifter. His portrayal is a mix of thoughtfulness and menace.The director, Bryan Singer, tells the story, slowly, deliberately, layer by layer. A keen eye for rhythm and pacing, for the building of suspense. I found the film a strong cautionary message, for those who foolishly abide blind faith in our elected "leaders."Compared to his future endeavors, PUBLIC ACCESS is lighter in intensity, yet still strong in effect.

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