JL of Filmwatch writes:
Recently, I got a chance to interview a young up-and-coming director, Dan Glaser. Glaser wrote, directed and produced a cool little indie crime thriller recently entitled Pinching Penny. Pinching Penny very much has a Guy Ritchie vibe with a nice mix of Tarantino and Coen Brothers.
Here, Glaser talks about his recent film and the challenges of becoming a new director and making your first feature film. We also discuss his influences and other things.
"The film’s plot pushes themes of obsession, health and criminality while keeping a comical chemistry between the protagonist and supporting cast. Although the concept is both creative and compelling, some parts seemed to not fit with the story that was trying to be portrayed, which in-turn weakened some of the more sincere moments throughout the film." - Boolean Flix
CPC:
All in all, despite being a bit generic and sloppy, Pinching Penny is a fun stylish ride and does well enough as a genre film. Glaser and Molony show some definite promise. While the movie isn’t as intelligent or inspiring as it would hope to be, it still entertains. If you’re a fan of such movies as Snatch, Run Lola Run, Trainspotting, etc then this could be worth a rental one night when you’re looking for something new to watch. Don’t expect such greatness as those films, but it should provide a couple hours of entertainment for those that really enjoy those types of movies.
CPC:
Pinching Penny tells the story of a young British small-time criminal who finds himself trapped in the small town of Fargo, North Dakota. Driven by his compulsive addiction to spending money, the young man, Alex (played by Steven Molony), finds his life spiraling out of control as this addiction sends him down a road filled with theft, kidnapping and murder. Around every corner, Alex falls further into this dark hole. With every turn leading to something worse, it appears Alex’s addiction could very well be his untimely demise as he continues to spiral out of control with a crime spree meant only to feed his addiction.
I guess we just don't realize how much it takes to get started in the business of making movies. It would be very complicated and time consuming...not to mention the financial part of it. You also have to have people that work for you and with you that you can trust and rely on...it's a hard job but if you love what you do and want it bad enough....the sky's the limit.