It's definitely not the worst movie out there but it just drags on and on with almost no purpose. It's like the scenes have just been pasted one after another without any real continuity and the characters are not developped enough for us to relate with any of them. Subsequently, we don't care what will happen to them at all. The plot is also a bit convoluted and the whole thing jut feels amateurish
28 Reviews
Pretty lame really
t-unknown-one6 October 2018
The characters make so many stupid mistakes I had to wonder if they weren't going for a Coen Brothers dark humor effect. It doesn't seem like it for most of the movie but the stupid mistakes made by the characters are just too stupid to be taken seriously. I suppose you could say it strikes a blow for exploited women but not in a very meaningful way. Watch it just to see if you like it, but don't spend much money to do so, I think you'll feel robbed.
Really bad but still a little entertaining
calicut1102 January 2021
This movie has two Oscar winners but it's really sad to see what bad writing and direction does with talented individuals. The plot is awful and the direction is down right amateur. That said, there were a few interesting things they did for this type of genre. Also the young love interest stole the screen when she was on it which was some nice eye candy.
A sweetness named desire
TheLittleSongbird22 January 2019
Even with the low rating and not so good reviews, the cast for 'Bayou Caviar' seemed too good to resist (Cuba Gooding Jr, Famke Janssen and Richard Dreyfuss, interesting too to see how 'American Idol's' Katharine McPhee would fare in her latest acting endeavour) and it sounded like it would be a somewhat halfway serviceable if not particularly original film.
Despite being severely let down and not finding it a good film at all, there are far worse films out there than 'Bayou Caviar'. It didn't strike me as an irredeemably bad film, then again this is coming from somebody who tries to not consider any film that (that is not to say they don't exist, far from it) and tries to see the good in everything they see. There are however a lot of faults in 'Bayou Caviar' and there is a constant feeling of Cuba Gooding Jr (starring, writing and directing) biting off more than he could chew and running before he could walk, really struggling to make any of them good on their own.
One thing that 'Bayou Caviar' has in its favour is the scenery, which is lovely.
Generally found the production values overall acceptable actually, with a nice gritty style to some of the photography in places.
Everything else, not so lovely or acceptable. Inexperience shows badly in Gooding Jr's direction, which has very little momentum or flavour and while there is nothing cheap here as such it all feels bland. At best the music is forgettable and there are instances of choppiness in the editing. The cast elsewhere individually have shown they can be good, they just have very little to work with here in 'Bayou Caviar' and they don't seem very engaged.
Not that they can be blamed in this respect though. None of the characters are developed well at all, with very little learnt about them or their motivations, and the way they behave frustrates and irritates to an intelligence insulting degree. 'Bayou Caviar' is full of inane dialogue that one cannot in any way take seriously, no matter how hard they try, and the story feels incoherently cobbled together, very little makes sense and it drags hard from all the numerous going nowhere stretches.
On the whole, very bad film but not irredeemable. 2/10 Bethany Cox
Despite being severely let down and not finding it a good film at all, there are far worse films out there than 'Bayou Caviar'. It didn't strike me as an irredeemably bad film, then again this is coming from somebody who tries to not consider any film that (that is not to say they don't exist, far from it) and tries to see the good in everything they see. There are however a lot of faults in 'Bayou Caviar' and there is a constant feeling of Cuba Gooding Jr (starring, writing and directing) biting off more than he could chew and running before he could walk, really struggling to make any of them good on their own.
One thing that 'Bayou Caviar' has in its favour is the scenery, which is lovely.
Generally found the production values overall acceptable actually, with a nice gritty style to some of the photography in places.
Everything else, not so lovely or acceptable. Inexperience shows badly in Gooding Jr's direction, which has very little momentum or flavour and while there is nothing cheap here as such it all feels bland. At best the music is forgettable and there are instances of choppiness in the editing. The cast elsewhere individually have shown they can be good, they just have very little to work with here in 'Bayou Caviar' and they don't seem very engaged.
Not that they can be blamed in this respect though. None of the characters are developed well at all, with very little learnt about them or their motivations, and the way they behave frustrates and irritates to an intelligence insulting degree. 'Bayou Caviar' is full of inane dialogue that one cannot in any way take seriously, no matter how hard they try, and the story feels incoherently cobbled together, very little makes sense and it drags hard from all the numerous going nowhere stretches.
On the whole, very bad film but not irredeemable. 2/10 Bethany Cox
Horrible
cburgess-494604 January 2019
Nah...
hansseitenschwinger7 October 2018
Despite the lush Louisiana setting and a plausible story this movie fell flat. Predictable plot, predictable acting, everything just dragging along. I was just watching to see the ending, note really gripped by the film.
I Liked It
Easygoer1028 December 2019
Overall, I go e a mild r dumbs up to Cuba Gooding, Jr. Considering this is his first time directing a film, I put him some slack. The fasting is very good. It was nice for him to give Richard Dreyfuss a role, as he has been pretty much invisible lately. Frank's Potente is terrific as always. The first time I saw her was in the short film "Run Lola Run" (1988). She then got a huge break in "The Bourne Identity" (2002); the first (and best, I think) of all the Jason Bourne series of movies. They were wildly successful. Regardless, this film does work, albeit with some flaws. Much license is taken with the "Russian Mafia" aspect. Still, its worth a watch.
Good and bad.
bombersflyup7 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Bayou Caviar is a seedy yet engaging film, though lacks grit.
Cuba Gooding Jr's directorial debut isn't outstanding in any way and there are odd scene and casting choices, but the realism's there and the film's made with purpose. He will always be one the greats acting-wise and I look forward to seeing more of his future work. Dreyfuss playing a villain is different and non impactful, he's neither bad nor great. Lia Marie Johnson a Miley Cyrus lookalike, doesn't shine in the spotlight.
Cuba Gooding Jr's directorial debut isn't outstanding in any way and there are odd scene and casting choices, but the realism's there and the film's made with purpose. He will always be one the greats acting-wise and I look forward to seeing more of his future work. Dreyfuss playing a villain is different and non impactful, he's neither bad nor great. Lia Marie Johnson a Miley Cyrus lookalike, doesn't shine in the spotlight.
Better than the reviews it gets.
deloudelouvain21 May 2019
Apparently every reviewer here has a very low opinion about this movie and I wonder why? I won't say Bayou Caviar is a masterpiece, very far from that, but it entertained me for a couple hours and that's all I was looking for. The cast with Cuba Gooding Jr., Femke Janssen and Richard Dreyffus was already something to look forward to, and they all did their job like they're supposed to so absolutely no complaints from me for that. The story could have been better, even though I thought it wasn't bad at all, maybe a bit too long but that's about it. All in all this movie deserves better than the reviews it gets.
Swell slowburn neo-noir thrills
I_Ailurophile29 May 2021
The great thing about watching a movie that slipped by under the radar, and that one watches without so much as checking a one-line premise, is that it can be viewed with as much objectivity as is possible.
We meet a lot of characters, and get a lot of hints of activity, from the start, but there's no meaningful suggestion of plot until 29 minutes in, and up to that point it's much wondering of "Well, okay, but what is this for?" 'Bayou caviar' happily takes its time to go anywhere. One could call it a slow burn, but it's more like the gradual rot of a dead body in the oppressive Louisianan heat - and it never truly picks up.
And like that sweltering decomposition, the story being told here is unseemly, and reeking of murder, conspiracy, sex, and exploitation. It's not particularly pleasant, and the characters herein are at best dubious if not altogether slimy. Yet it's hard to not keep watching to see just exactly where it all ends up.
The cast embodies their characters well, believably portraying the muck their roles swim in. Cuba Gooding, Jr.'s turn as washed-up boxer Rodney is a portrayal of aggrieved sleaze quite different from anything he's done before. I especially enjoy Famke Janssen as hard-bitten photographer Nic; the spite and desperation she puts across is one of the most immediately noteworthy elements of the whole picture.
That's not to say that 'Bayou caviar' is bad. Far from it - I quite liked this movie. But it's distinctly understated, with every act of sex and violence, and many of the performances, captured on film with the cold calculation of a distant neutral observer. We see the events transpire, yet there's little emotional attachment to the miasma on show - save, perhaps, for inherent disgust at the treatment of young Kat (Lia Marie Johnson).
I understand that this was Gooding Jr.'s first time serving as director, and his first writing credit, too. I do rather hope it's not his last: The subject matter, slow pace, and downplayed story beats mark this as a feature that won't sit well with everyone. But I think 'Bayou caviar' is a fine slow burn thriller, well worth checking out if one has the chance.
We meet a lot of characters, and get a lot of hints of activity, from the start, but there's no meaningful suggestion of plot until 29 minutes in, and up to that point it's much wondering of "Well, okay, but what is this for?" 'Bayou caviar' happily takes its time to go anywhere. One could call it a slow burn, but it's more like the gradual rot of a dead body in the oppressive Louisianan heat - and it never truly picks up.
And like that sweltering decomposition, the story being told here is unseemly, and reeking of murder, conspiracy, sex, and exploitation. It's not particularly pleasant, and the characters herein are at best dubious if not altogether slimy. Yet it's hard to not keep watching to see just exactly where it all ends up.
The cast embodies their characters well, believably portraying the muck their roles swim in. Cuba Gooding, Jr.'s turn as washed-up boxer Rodney is a portrayal of aggrieved sleaze quite different from anything he's done before. I especially enjoy Famke Janssen as hard-bitten photographer Nic; the spite and desperation she puts across is one of the most immediately noteworthy elements of the whole picture.
That's not to say that 'Bayou caviar' is bad. Far from it - I quite liked this movie. But it's distinctly understated, with every act of sex and violence, and many of the performances, captured on film with the cold calculation of a distant neutral observer. We see the events transpire, yet there's little emotional attachment to the miasma on show - save, perhaps, for inherent disgust at the treatment of young Kat (Lia Marie Johnson).
I understand that this was Gooding Jr.'s first time serving as director, and his first writing credit, too. I do rather hope it's not his last: The subject matter, slow pace, and downplayed story beats mark this as a feature that won't sit well with everyone. But I think 'Bayou caviar' is a fine slow burn thriller, well worth checking out if one has the chance.
Nice!
minunimion1 November 2020
Minor flaws, good directing and acting, nothing much to complain.
Cuba Gooding Jr is always good, now he's even a director and he works well. Richard Dreyfuss has a lot of experience and he can't fail.
The movie is not boring, the story works and more or less it's credible.
As usual, a lot of haters and sometimes I really wonder whether they didn't like the movie or they just gave a low score because they feel well thinking to have a power that in the real life they don't have at all. Anyway it's absolutely stupid to give 1 or 2 stars to a movie like this.
As usual, a lot of haters and sometimes I really wonder whether they didn't like the movie or they just gave a low score because they feel well thinking to have a power that in the real life they don't have at all. Anyway it's absolutely stupid to give 1 or 2 stars to a movie like this.
Good movie if you fast forward
cybeaux14 January 2021
Oy what a mish-mash!
joel-2806 July 2019
This is a trivial movie that tries to do too many things. The plot is a mish-mash, with a truly unlikely trigger, and some apparently random cutting back and forth in time adds nothing. Richard Dreyfuss, in full disguise as a Russian mobster mit a wery gutteral accent, what a waste!
If you go into it with low expectations, and don't pay to watch it, it's not a terrible way to kill some time.
If you go into it with low expectations, and don't pay to watch it, it's not a terrible way to kill some time.
I've Seen Worse
thospa19 February 2019
This flick isn't nearly as terrible as the other members ratings suggest. Cuba was believable as a hoodlum boxer. And everyone else did their part. It won't win any awards, but it's not a bad Sunday afternoon choice. Overall I gave it a 5/10.
A strong Debut.
zoiee22 August 2019
Being that this is Cubas' directorial debut, I can set my expectations to suit. Unlike some reviews that just trash talk as if the people writing them could do better, I would like to just look at the positives. The actors played their roles to their always splendid ability. The well cut editing and imaginative cinematography, lush locations and complex yet not confusing story that had branches of side story. Cuba Gooding Jr's acting carrer has returned to life in this film. He has now cut his teeth and I look forward to see what the future brings with him at the helm. 7/10
GEEZ, WHO WRITES THIS DREK?!?
coltsw-1080325 April 2022
Nothing original here. Though the cast is terrific, (particularly the love scene between the gracefully aging Famke Jansen and the lovely, underwear-clad Katherine McPhee) it's the lack of originality that torpedoes this loser. The dialogue is among the worst ever written, particularly those lines from fat little Richard Dreyfus posi g as a scary bad guy and speaking in an indistinguishable accent that's supposed to be Russian (the villains are always white Russians these days). And what movie set in Louisiana would be complete without a body being fed to alligators? They even leave the guy's red socks on his chopped up body so you can see that part was his lower leg and foot. SNOOZE!
Poorly told story
Gordon-1114 June 2020
Bayou Caviar is Suspense +
GCrawsings31 May 2019
I love New Orleans for the jazz bands ,creole delicacies and all its soup bowl mystery ... From Eve's Bayou to many other good suspenseful movies! So of course I was thrilled to see " Cuba Gooding's " co-written and debut produced work.
The plot is deep thought with some unforseen twist ... Picture yourself on a slow moving ride going up a coaster __then powwww it takes you on over the cliff, moving & jerking you just like a suspense movie do at best!
I call this one a chiller and it really shows how life is when your back is against the wall. You can become cruel better yet cold to ones around you. But hold on eventually the plot thickens, as it can be interesting seeing he's now trainer.
Excellent, we'll written independent film.
latinfineart5 June 2019
Kudos to Gooding for this effort. Credible acting, great editing, imaginative cinematography, great locations and a complex story that is layered with subplots. Gooding seems to have made a real comeback with his acting career. And a wonderful directorial debut. Hope Gooding keeps making films.
A bit of a boxing subplot which keeps up the interest.
A bit of a boxing subplot which keeps up the interest.
Not that bad!
sheast6 September 2021
Ran across movie on Hulu. Not the worst movie at all. Photography was great of New Orleans and had an overall meaningful story of exploitation, along with desire for celebrity at any cost. Slow start and build up but once you see where it is going, decent movie. Good first effort from director, Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Horrible
ajnif22 September 2022
There is not one aspect of this film that is redeemable. The characters do not behave in a way that makes sense. The scenes are boring, and usually pointless. The performances are god awful. There was not one actor that walked away from this unscathed.
The writing is boring, the plot is impossible to keep up with. It's hard to fathom how writer/director/producer Cuba Gooding Jr could have created something this abysmal after all his years of experience in the industry. Trying to pass himself off as 38 was really something, too.
Don't watch this movie. Go watch the emoji movie instead or something.
The writing is boring, the plot is impossible to keep up with. It's hard to fathom how writer/director/producer Cuba Gooding Jr could have created something this abysmal after all his years of experience in the industry. Trying to pass himself off as 38 was really something, too.
Don't watch this movie. Go watch the emoji movie instead or something.
Expected more
fsuelwood24 April 2022
Found this as it was recommended to me by a streaming service and thought it sounded good. Going by the cast and the location ( i live outside New Orleans) I was expecting this to be a great little film. Overall I think this film contained two fatal flaws with the first being how the film tries to be too clever with how the story-line is presented and the script just wasnt good. I wanted this to do well but I do think the best part of the film was the actual scenery with the graveyards/bridges/downtown. Watch if you have nothing else to do but avoid unless you have insomnia.
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