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Film / Buffalo '66
aka: Buffalo Sixty Six

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Buffalo '66 is a 1998 indie film starring Vincent Gallo (who also co-wrote, directed, and composed the score) and Christina Ricci.

Billy Brown (Gallo) has just been released from prison and the first thing he plans to do is introduce his wife to his parents. The problem with that plan is he doesn't have a wife, so he kidnaps a ballerina named Layla (Ricci). After a brief struggle and a very awkward dinner, Layla decides to stay with him for a night of bowling and "spanning time". She soon learns that Billy plans on getting even with the football player who was indirectly responsible for his imprisonment. What follows is a dark comedy about depression, revenge, and finding love.


Contains examples of:

  • Age-Gap Romance: Assuming the film is set in its release year of 1998, then 32-year old Billy is romantically involved with a teenage Layla. His mother even comments on how young Layla is, saying she's "just a baby." Notably, 36-year old Vincent Gallo was twice the age of his 18-year old costar Christina Ricci.
  • Alliterative Name: Billy Brown.
  • And Your Little Dog, Too!: The bookie (played by Mickey Rourke) threatens Billy after he gets in debt with the mob and then briefly mentions his family as well to drive the point home that he means business.
  • Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: Billy's threat to Layla:
    "I'm asking you to come there and make me look good. Alright? And if you make a fool out of me, I swear to God, I'll kill you right there. Boom! Right in front of Mommy and Daddy. And I'll tell you something else, you make me look bad... I will never ever talk to you again, ever. But if you do a good job, well, then you can be my best friend. My best friend that I've ever had. You hear me?"
  • Aspect Ratio Switch: A couple of scenes like the prison flashback or the photobooth scene are shot in different formats. Or at least the footage is cropped differently.
  • Bathtub Bonding: A rare, non-sexual scene of a man and woman sharing the same tub. Although Billy tells her to get out eventually.
  • Bigger Is Better in Bed: In the beginning sequence, when Billy is desperately trying to find a bathroom, a man looks over from the stall beside him and reacts with awe at the size of Billy's member. Gallo actually showed it off in his next film, The Brown Bunny.
  • Big, Screwed-Up Family: The Browns. They can't even have a peaceful dinner without Billy's father accusing Billy of attempted murder.
  • Bland-Name Product: Due to the film's low budget, the word "Buffalo" is used in instances where you would expect to see the Buffalo Bills' logo, for which the NFL and the team might reasonably have been able to charge for.
  • Blatant Lies:
    • Billy is constantly telling obvious lies, such as that he works for the CIA, drives luxury cars, has had lots of girlfriends and knows martial arts. In reality, he's an unemployed and dateless loser who has very low self-esteem and is always trying to impress people. No one even bothers to contradict him.
    • It seems to run in the family as well since Billy's father claims to be a singer to the point where he lip-syncs to a record while pretending he is actually singing.
  • Bullet Time: A similar effect to The Matrix, which it preceded by a year. The violent climax is shown in a series of still images, which the camera pans around as if still hand-held.
  • Butt-Monkey: Billy's friend Goon.
    Goon: What, you think I'm retarded?
  • The Cameo: Mickey Rourke as the bookie and Rosanna Arquette as an old crush.
  • Cannot Keep a Secret: Layla reveals to Billy's parents that she is pregnant and asks them to keep quiet about it. When Billy returns his mother has nothing better to do than to spoil the surprise for him.
  • Character Shilling: Invoked by Layla when she talks about how great Billy is. According to her even the President is proud of him.
  • Cluster F-Bomb: Billy drops a lot of them as evident by some of the dialogue shown here.
  • Disproportionate Retribution: Billy went to prison to cover up a huge gambling debt. The gambling debt happened due to Scott Woods missing a field goal kick, resulting in the Bills losing the Super Bowl. Because of this, Billy decides to kill Woods.
  • Doesn't Know Their Own Child: Billy's mother offers him a choc donut not remembering that he is allergic to chocolate.
  • Driven to Suicide: Billy, but he gets better.
  • Driving Stick: Billy commandeers Layla's vehicle, but needs her to drive it. With disdain, he says he doesn't drive "shifter cars" because he drives fancy cars like Cadillacs, which "shift themselves." Of course, Billy is a pathological liar.
  • Earn Your Happy Ending: The last shot is of Layla and Billy in each others' arms, smiling.
  • Embarrassing Nickname: Billy's friend Goon. He hates the nickname and wants to be called Rocky. In a fit of rage, Billy says to him, "You know why they call you Goon? Because you're retarded. And you're ugly. You're an ugly retard. And they call you Goon because you're ugly and retarded. And you'll always be Goon... Goon, Goon, Goon. And that's what I'm gonna call you for the rest of your life, is Goon. Goon, Goon, Goon, Goon, okay? So fuck you."
  • Embarrassing Old Photo: Being Amazingly Embarrassing Parents, Billy's mother pulls out an old photo album for Layla to look at, much to Billy's dismay.
  • The End: The movie closes on a "The End" title card.
  • Extremely Short Timespan: Aside from the occasional Flash Back, the entire movie takes place within 24 hours.
  • Gilligan Cut: Billy firmly rejects Layla's request to come into the bathtub with him. Cut to the next scene with both of them seated in the tub.
  • Going to the Store: Towards the end, Billy leaves the motel room pretending to go for a coffee. Layla senses that this is actually a goodbye and asks him for a final kiss.
  • Hates Being Touched: Billy hates being touched... even if it's by Christina Ricci.
  • He-Man Woman Hater: Billy claims that he could have had girlfriends in the past but chose not to since he believes all women are deceitful. He warms up to Layla anyway.
  • Hilariously Abusive Childhood: Billy's dad ignored him and his mother was too concerned with Buffalo Bills' games to ever pay attention to him (his date of birth is a particular sore spot to her). It's also implied that Billy's dog was killed by his father.
  • Humiliation Conga: Even before the events of the movie, Billy had an abusive childhood, was teased at school, lost a lot of money to gamblers on a one-in-a-million field goal kick, and spent five years in prison. When he gets out, his parents aren't impressed by the fabricated life, and love his hot "wife" far more than they care for him.
  • Imagine Spot: A bored Layla tap dancing in the bowling alley. Suddenly, she is literally in the Dramatic Spotlight while a King Crimson song plays in the background.
  • Indulgent Fantasy Segue: The climax in the strip club where Billy shoots and kills Scott Woods, then turns the gun on himself turns out to be all in Billy's imagination.
  • Kick the Dog: Billy's dad didn't kick the dog, but it seems he actually killed it.
  • Lonely Piano Piece: "A Cold and Grey Summer Day" playing in the opening scene showing Billy all alone in front of the prison.
  • Love Epiphany: Billy has one at the end.
  • Manchild: Billy, very much so. He makes ridiculous lies to get people to like him, doesn't like physical affection, alternates between acting tough and trying to make friends, often within the same sentence.
  • A Match Made in Stockholm: A possible explanation for Layla warming up to Billy, although he only kidnaps her for a few hours and obviously does not have a weapon. She chooses to stay after that.
  • Meaningful Name: An in-universe example. It's likely that Billy's mother gave him that name due to her intense love of the Buffalo Bills.
  • Murder-Suicide: Billy's original plan for Wood and himself.
  • Never Going Back to Prison: During his talk with Goon in prison, Billy expresses his desire to kill Scott Woods and how he is gonna make it a Murder-Suicide because he won't go back to prison.
  • Never My Fault: Billy is on a vendetta against a player whose fumble lost him a bet, sending him to jail. The fact that its Billy's fault he gambled to begin with doesn't occur to him.
  • No Celebrities Were Harmed: Billy plans to kill a football player named Scott Woods because he missed a goal kick during the Super Bowl, which resulted in him acquiring a huge gambling debt. This is in reference to former Buffalo Bills kicker, Scott Norwood, who missed the game-winning field goal in Super Bowl XXV against the New York Giants in 1991.
  • No Name Given: The only other name Goon goes by is Rocky, likely another nickname. We never learn his real name.
  • Non-Nude Bathing: Billy jumps into the bathtub with his underpants on.
  • On Three: When it turns out that the car is a shifter car, Billy commands to switch seats with Layla on three. She fails to respond to his count up though.
  • Pet the Dog: Billy will insult or threaten Layla or Goon one moment and then apologize and say something sweet the next. In the end, Billy is overcome with optimism and love for Layla. He buys her a heart-shaped cookie, confirming that it is for his girlfriend, then buys one for a complete stranger's girlfriend as well. This all confirms that Billy has overcome his Jerkass facade.
  • Photo-Booth Montage: Billy and Layla in the photo booth trying to get a decent photo for his parents.
  • Potty Emergency: When Billy is released from prison, he suddenly has to use the restroom. He tries to go back inside the prison to use the facilities but they don't let him back in. He spends the next 10 minutes or so trying to find a restroom, which is how he eventually meets Layla.
  • Shrinking Violet: We learn almost nothing about Layla's own background, family or home life. Judging by the way Christina Ricci portrays her, Layla is both very compassionate and very lonely.
  • Skewed Priorities: Billy's mother wished she never had him because she missed the Buffalo's 1966 championship game giving birth to him.
  • The Social Expert: Despite being abducted by a complete stranger, dragged to his house and forced to act like his wife to his dysfunctional parents, Layla skilfully endears herself to them. They actually like her more than they do their own son.
  • Suddenly Shouting: Billy's father gets loud when Layla doesn't stop nagging him about another song performance.
  • Trophy Room: Billy's locker at the bowling place is packed with his trophies.
  • Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: Whether or not you find Vincent Gallo ugly, Billy is clearly a loser. Whether or not you find Christina Ricci attractive, Layla is lusted after at least by Billy's father and wears a fetish-tastic dancing outfit.
  • "Well Done, Son" Guy: Billy hates his parents but still wants their approval.

Alternative Title(s): Buffalo Sixty Six

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