Thomas Jane (Deep Blue Sea, The Punisher) plays a hustler named Gary, working the streets of New York City. When he meets an adult film star that goes by the name of Valentino (Vincent D'Onofrio), they instantly hit it off. Valentino gets Gary a job at an adult phone company. Things are going great for Gary until he finds out about Mary Carmen (Salma Hayek), a waitress at the local donut shop who also happens to be Valentino's girlfriend. Very quickly, jealousy erupts between Gary and Mary and an expected rivalry ensues.

Soon, Valentino finds out he's HIV positive and has the AIDS virus. He's hospitalized and very quickly heading down a bad path, health wise. Mary and Gary put their rivalry aside and try to overcome their differences to make Valentino's last days a little brighter than they otherwise would be. Then Mary finds out she's pregnant with Valentino's child, and the cycle of life seems to repeat itself.

While the plot synopsis might make the film sound sugary or melodramatic, it's not at all. It is, in fact, a gritty slice of life drama that treats its subject matter with both respect and a very critical eye.

Aside from the story line though, you can't help but admire the visuals and the sounds that the director uses to totally suck you into the narrative. The characters are strong, and the script is decent, but it's the look and feel of the film that really grabs your attention. New York City is a character all on its own, even if it doesn't have any actual lines. It's all encompassing, it's massive, and at times it almost feels like it breathes right alongside the human characters in the movie. Likewise, the sounds that you hear really bring the city and its denizens to life, whether it be the scuffling sounds of the downtown core or the simple background music playing in the donut shop – careful attention has been paid to what you hear and when and it all further enhances the mood.

So while it's a quiet, character drive film that deals with some off the wall subject matter that is sure to alienate some viewers, The Velocity Of Gary is effective in its simplicity and is a film that really does deserve to be seen by a wider audience, specifically one that can appreciate how it works on many different levels.

Video:

Columbia has given the film a terrific looking 2.35.1 anamorphic widescreen transfer that is rich, detailed, and colorful. Aside from some slight shimmering and edge enhancement, this film looks great. Blacks remain solid and stable and flesh tones are cool and natural looking. Print damage is almost non-existent and the widescreen cinematography looks great on this transfer.