Director Rachel Samuels, who cut her teeth as an alumnus of Roger Corman's esteemed school of filmmaking, takes a shoestring budget and manages to recreate the glitz of a 1930s jazz nightclub in this clever homage to the likes of Busby Berkeley and Mickey Spillane. Gabriel Mann (Life of David Gale, Bourne Supremacy) stars as Chaz Davenport, a nightclub owner and wannabe playboy who finds himself in over his head mixing it up with the mob and the IRS. His star attraction, Crystal (Bijou Phillips), is vying for his affection, but he soon finds himself distracted by a new vixen named Madelaine (Izabella Miko) who might not be as sweet as she looks. The story is narrated by the incredibly unique Toledo Diamond, whose varied performance is the standout of Dark Streets. The story lags at times and feels a bit convoluted, but the gorgeous visuals and exceptional soundtrack (including B.B. King, Dr. John and Etta James, to name just a few) combine to deliver a highly entertaining and dazzling piece of filmmaking.
ReelzChannel Rating: 