The stage is set early on in Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets that there is a dive bar known as The Roaring Twenties that exists on the outskirts of Vegas that many weary souls call a home away from home. Unfortunately for these people, this happens to be the last night that the watering hole will be open. In its final eighteen hours of existence, we will come to learn a great deal about this special place and the people who view it as a sanctuary from the world. It may be easiest for most audience members to go into the film believing it is an impeccably captured piece of fly-on-the-wall documentary filmmaking. The truth, however, is a bit more complicated. You see, The Roaring Twenties is not a real bar, and the film was actually shot on a closed bar set in New Orleans. The individuals who we are following have been cast in the roles of patrons and bartenders. This fact is never addressed in the film, but it is also something that has never been intentionally obscured by sibling directors The Ross Brothers. The duo have long had an idea to capture the authentic moments that spring forth in a bar environment, but no one location gave them everything they needed for their vision. Sometimes you have to make your own magic.
The Roaring Twenties seems almost out of time with its cramped interior and blazing neon signs offering a respite for those on the fringes of society. The friendly bartenders, Marc on the dayshift and Shay on the night, act as a caregiver of sorts to those who occupy the space. One of the standout narratives of the film is that of Michael, an aged failed actor who is none too eager to leave the safety of the bar. After Michael shaves and freshens up in the bathroom, he holds court over the establishment, offering words of wisdom to his comrades whether desired or not. There is a world-weary nature to most of the people present during the day, but the community bond is apparent. From a subtle pranking of the bartender to helping an overly sauced-up barfly try to make it to work, the familial aspect is on full display. As day turns into night, the dynamics expand even further and conversations get more emotional as alcohol is consumed in copious amounts. There are some genuinely hilarious moments such as a party girl patron owning her basic-taste for Fireball or an aging woman flashing her goods in an attempt to get some positive notices on how well they have held up. But there are just as many heart wrenching turns, such as when a veteran commiserates with another over the isolation they feel outside of the establishment. This may be a dirty bar to most folks, but this is a family to many of these people.
You may find yourself thinking, this is all well and good but why should I care when it is not real? Well, the individuals may be playing a part, but their conversations are very real and reveal a truth that is powerful whether delivered as a documentary or fiction feature. The directors manipulate the situation at points to keep them on the natural arc of the night, but none of the situations have been scripted. The Ross Brothers remove all of the performative moments from the film in favor of instances that you just know have not been manufactured. The romantic advice that one of the more experienced bar patrons gives to another is something that will be very familiar to anyone who has been around a certain type of drunk. As with any time when liquor gets flowing, there are also some manageable altercations between patrons. When a thirty-something man starts unloading his displeasure that the older generations, personified in this moment by Michael, have ruined things for the current one, it almost perfectly sums up the tensions that have been rising in the US that past several years. When you have a group of people speaking extemporaneously for almost an entire day, you are bound to stumble across some core truths about society.
The Ross Brothers really do not care how you want to classify their film. Documentary filmmaking has oftentimes become hemmed in by being conflated with journalism. Instead, we must remember that documentary is an art form that is meant to push boundaries in an effort to reveal truth. When one attempts to do something innovative, it can be uncomfortable to those who crave consistency. The brothers whittled down a mammoth-sized narrative into a brisk ninety-minute journey that allows you to witness a microcosm of America. There are some negative elements that crop up, but the film is largely composed of positivity in the form of community radiating outwards. By the time you reach deep into the night, a mostly-gone Michael attempts to encourage a younger compatriot to not get stuck in the life that has led him to his sad existence. There is still time for this young man, and his life might mean a bit more if he can help another. Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets is a film that deserves to be seen for the sheer daring it employs in its filmmaking. Through manufactured truth we understand the alienation of society a bit more while also finding a renewed sense of appreciation for communal bonds.
Video Quality
Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets arrives on Blu-Ray with a very strong AVC encoded 1080p transfer. The film is shot in a very specific way in dingy low lighting that does not lend itself to eye-popping wonder. There are some inherent limitations, but the transfer looks as excellent as you could hope for a brand new, low budget movie to look. There are not a lot of vibrant colors to showcase here, but the transfer captures the dour visual palette of the film accurately. Black levels are appropriately deep and give way to a nice amount of detail in shadows. This is a film that takes place nearly exclusively in the dark or in shadows, but the transfer thankfully avoids any substantial signs of crush. Skin tones appear very natural across the entire cast of characters, and compression artifacts and other such digital nuisances are not readily apparent. The Blu-Ray presentation is pretty wonderful in its technical accuracy.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with a stellar DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that captures this setting perfectly. Dialogue is the driving force of the film, and it mostly comes through crisp and clear without being clipped by any competing sounds. The main exception to this is when individuals who are heavily intoxicated or sport substantial accents attempt to speak. While you can mostly make out what they are saying, you may want to turn on the optional subtitles to get a full picture. The music of the jukebox is like another character in the film, and that sound is resolved well here despite not hitting as hard as it would if it was at the forefront of the mix. The chatter among all the patrons engage the surround speakers in a really pleasing way. Ambient sounds are precisely placed in the rear channels. The audio track is not pushed to the limit with this content, but it nonetheless proves to be an excellent sounding presentation for this feature.
Special Features
- Ross Brothers Teaser Trailer: A minute-long teaser trailer created by the directors which offers brief snippets and stills from the film featuring no dialogue over almost circus-like music. There are some fun creative flourishes thrown in that make it stand apart from other trailers.
- Official Trailer: A more traditional two-minute trailer that does a better job of showing what the film is about in a straightforward way.
- After Hours: A 36-minute featurette shot during COVID lockdown in which the directors host a bit of a virtual social hour with the cast of the film where they talk about the release of the film, quarantine life, experiences shooting the film and more. Despite the necessity of needing to conduct these interviews over Zoom, the Ross Brothers take the opportunity to make this a professionally shot featurette with some good production value. This provides a clearer look at the lines between fiction and reality. You also get conversation with Tim League from Alamo Drafthouse and a special performance from David Byrne.
- Las Vegas: A six-minute collection of additional unused material from the film featuring both new moments with the characters along with behind-the-scenes footage of the filmmakers actually capturing the footage and discussing the shoot in real time.
- Security Camera: A seven-minute audio conversation between the Ross Brothers and writer David Ramsey that plays over behind-the-scenes footage from the film shoot. The brothers discuss their process of capturing the material in greater detail.
Final Thoughts
Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets is a fascinating portrait of human interactions that blurs the line between fiction and reality in a really engaging manner. Those who are in this bar offer up very poignant moments along with laugh out loud times. Vinegar Syndrome has released a Collector’s Edition Blu-Ray with a wonderful A/V presentation and some worthwhile special features. If you are looking to check out a film that pushes the boundaries of what we know about filmmaking, this one will stick with you long after the credits have stopped rolling. Recommended
Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets is currently available to purchase on Collector’s Edition Blu-Ray and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Vinegar Syndrome has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
