Bucko!
26-Feb-2019
Gloria plans to catch the bus from Chinatown back home to her native Virginia, but along the way, she runs into old friends and bad habits. Directed by Deni Cheng, “Bucko!” is an edgy naturalistic drama carried by the captivating Eloisa Santos as Gloria (aka Bucko). Her suitcase is packed but she needs $40 for a bus ticket. Scoring a used phone from a friend, she looks to turn it into cash, while she says her final goodbyes to the crew who don’t seem to register she’s leaving, or aren’t convinced it’s for real. Shot with a dated miniDV camera and no artificial lights, there’s a timeless feel to the film that places it in a raggedly venerable tradition of NYC street cinema not concerned with production value. Alongside Santos, Cheng’s film features a dead-on authentic supporting cast of characters who keep the film darkly funny and consistently engrossing. -KA. Written, directed, and edited by Deni Cheng. Starring Eloisa Santos. Director of Photography: Abdul Kircher. Assistant Camera: Danny Peña. Sound: Ian Eckstein. Produced by Kirchercheng and Daniel Silberstein.