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| STRAIGHT TIME (1978) |
Of all the films in which Dustin Hoffman has starred, the one that constantly surprises me is the little seen crime drama “Straight Time” from 1978.
Helmed by Ulu Grosbard, a Belgian-born theater and film director, and based on the book “No Beast So Fierce” by ex-convict Edward Bunker, “Straight Time” gives us one of Hoffman’s most controlled, nuanced performances.
The story is simple: Hoffman plays Max Dembo, who at the start of the film is released from prison on parole. He vows to go straight, but finds himself ever-so-slowly unable to cope with his freedom, unable to hold a job and unable to avoid one more robbery.
This is a blistering, fascinating character study. Hoffman goes deep inside Dembo, showing us a quiet range that highlights his character’s confusion and frustration – both from dealing with a power-hungry, despicable parole officer and struggling with the lure of one more score.
