This film is very special. Hinged to a single moment in time, it cleverly layers a variety of crimes and violent acts that Americans are growing numb to, then turns them on their head with a dose of innocent wisdom delivered by a most unlikely messenger. Turn on a news show in America and you're sure to get stories like these... Misunderstood teens and gang bangers using guns with no remorse. Elected officials debating torture laws. The motives of terrorists. There are times you'll even get a report concerning the homeless. "The Power of Few" presents an anthology of 5 short stories, that the viewer slowly discovers are taking place at the exact same time, all within a close radius in New Orleans. This film is honest about a new American culture. It's characters are raw and true and the film sugar coats nothing. The dialogue is at times absurd, but all you need to do is spend 5 minutes with a homeless man or a loving couple to find out how absurd a real conversation can really get. It uses some conventions made famous by films like Run Lola Run, Pulp Fiction, Magnolia and other non-linear/multi-perspective films. But what separates this film from all it's predecessors is that it is essentially a morality play. It's one of those films you will either love or hate, but can't deny it's truth. From all the reviews I've read, it doesn't seem like there's a clear consensus among it's viewers. When you mix so many different character types and remain true to them, you are going to get an odd mix of tone. And that may be the films only flaw, is that in staying true to each character's essence, the film seems to shift tone in an abrupt way. But that is why this is an original film and not a copy of anything I've ever viewed. If the director kept the tone consistent throughout, it might be a more steady film, but it would not be truth. Kudos to everyone involved in this gem.

The movie takes the story of an eventful New Orleans afternoon from five different point of views. The first is a robbery at a small drug store. The second has Dom (Jesse Bradford) on the run and Alexa (Q'orianka Kilcher) rescues him with her moped. The third has agents Marti (Nicky Whelan) and Clyde (Christian Slater) hunting down a mark who may be transporting lethal material. The fourth is two homeless guys Doke (Christopher Walken) and Brown (Jordan Prentice). The fifth is a black girl named Few (Tione Johnson). She rides along with Junkshow (Anthony Anderson) and Shamu (Juvenile) as they hunt down Dom.

The first 2 stories are a slow start to the movie. The third story with Whelan and Slater takes a turn into the ridiculous. The tone is completely different. It left me scratching my head. The fourth one has Walken trying hard to be quirky especially with a midget sidekick. It's more stupid than funny. The fifth story is much more connected to the second story. It's the best one of the lot.

I was intrigue about the talented actors in this movie. Writer/director Leone Marucci is a relative novice. This movie is maybe too ambitious for this guy. The message in the end is effective, but most of the rest of the movie isn't up to snuff.

In New Orleans, several dramatic and weird situations are entwined with a surprising conclusion.

The intriguing "The Power of Few" is a pretentious and pointless mess. The viewer sees deaths and accidents originated from multiple stories, most of them absolutely boring. Christopher Walken and Christian Slater, for example, are completely wasted with awful segments. When all the stories are finished, with a fatal ending, a girl named Few changes all the lives in a senseless and pointless conclusion. My vote is three.

Title (Brazil): "O Poder de Alguns" ("The Power of Few")