American Trash is the first directorial effort of actor-producer Robert LaSardo and his second screenplay. Adrian Milnes handled some revisions, though which scenes or parts he directly contributed to, I do not know. The film starts as a drama and seems to be heading down revenge road after a certain point. But it maintains being a drama, preferring to examine how grief affects people versus offering catharsis through cinematic vengeance.
Milles (LaSardo) listens to Charles Manson speeches while cleaning up riverbanks and the like. This quirk endears him to free-spirited environmentalist Melissa (Lorelei Linklater), and soon, the two are living together. Milles, a veteran with PTSD, is a dishwasher and does everything he can to keep it together. But all that is shattered when Melissa is tragically killed. Now, Milles must rely on his friends more than ever while searching for the killer. Luckily, Detective Anderson (Costas Mandylor) and Detective Kelly (Tom Sizemore) want to find justice as well.
American Trash is set in and around Los Angeles, and the city is a character unto itself. But this isn’t the Hollywood scene or other tourist traps. No, LaSardo seeks to capture the grime and positivity of the metropolis that has captivated him so. There are a good number of outdoor sequences that capture the ragged beauty of the brick and steel in the sunlight.
“…Milles must rely on his friends more than ever while searching for the killer.”
LaSardo brings the intensity he’s known for while being more sincere and grounded than he’s previously been allowed to be. This could very well be his best acting, as Milles’s love for Melissa is never in doubt, but his struggles, heartache, and violent nature are also on full display. Mandylor always delivers, and here is no exception. It’s bittersweet seeing Sizemore in his final role (one of them, at least), but he’s rock solid, with an energy missing in some of his late career projects.
Impressively, American Trash never goes the revenge route. Instead of avenging his lost love, Milles tries to get to the truth while living his life in a way to honor Melissa. It is the mature way to handle the material and gives LaSardo time to delve into how grief blinds even the most well-meaning people. The ending is pitch-perfect, bringing the themes of love, desperation, and grief full circle.
With American Trash, LaSardo has transformed from a dependable yet underrated actor into a director to watch. He has something important to say and does so with beauty and grace. The filmmaker’s performance is the best of his career, and an excellent supporting cast surrounds him. As a love letter to the City of Angels, the picture is dirty, maybe even a little ugly, but it finds beauty and hope in the most unexpected of places.
"…LaSardo has transformed from a dependable yet underrated actor into a director to watch."
