Utilities

I purchased this film off eBay solely due to Brooke Adams's presence, and I am disappointed to say this is a film so bad that even she does not look good in it. This film, with its plot revolving around a social worker waging a quasi-guerrilla war against a ruthless energy company, had the potential to be a great left wing black comedy. However, bad writing and needless racial stereotypes hamper it.

First of all, the romantic subplot between Hays's social worker and Adams's police officer is badly handled. Adams largely vanishes during the last third of the film as it focuses on Hays's struggle, only to resolve the romantic angle abruptly, with no development on the film's part.

More problematic, given the film's left wing slant, is the inclusion of racial stereotypes. The poor people that Hays defends are all 'good' white people. The only minority characters we see are a Hispanic hustler, an African American pimp, and an incompetent black security guard who dances compulsively. These stereotypes undermine the film's message, and date it needlessly.

Finally, although I'm a socialist, even I found the Hays character to be whiny and overly dramatic in his defense of the poor. Had the character been better written, he would have been far more sympathetic, and the film itself more watchable.