Savages is not perfect – but it’s pretty, pretty good.

Bill Condon asked my opinion about 2012’s Savages – never saw it – so I looked it up – but negatively disposed as soon as I saw the three stars – Blake Lively (26 credits), Taylor Kitsch (28 credits), & Aaron Taylor-Johnson (47 credits).

Never saw any of them in anything – never heard of the two guys – heard of her but couldn’t remember why – looked her up – an elitist lib who likes to spout off like she’s important.

IMDB describes 2012’s Savages like so: “Pot growers Ben and Chon face off against the Mexican drug cartel who kidnapped their shared girlfriend.”

Started watching the movie – but quit 32 minutes into it because I didn’t want to invest two hours with these three twits.

BUT – my gal Salma Hayek (81 credits) is in it – Benicio Del Toro (65 credits) is in it – John Travolta (86 credits) is in it – and Oliver Stone (32 directing credits) directed it.

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So I started over last night – watched it all the way thru – and, for the most part, liked it – sexual repression apparent – Lively has sex with one of the guys – then she has sex with the other guy – and then she has sex with both of them – but her top never comes off – huh? – not the way I do it.

Later Sandra Echeverria (39 credits) plays Salam Hayek’s daughter – could easily pass as her daughter – but she has sex with her dress on – huh? – not the way I do it.

Come on, Ollie – that’s not the way most of us do it – what’s your problem?

One mistake – characters are supposed to be introduced when they enter the movie – and be dismissed when they appear for the last time.

Now, they make a big deal of sending a character named Frankie to bodyguard Lively when she goes to the mall – he gets stopped by a cop – looks like a traffic stop – but the cop shoots and kills him – yet none of his entourage ever mentions him or the fact he disappeared and never returned.

I liked the plot – involved – convoluted – ups and downs – keeps you guessing – right up until the amateurish fake ending – come on, Ollie.

I especially like the gangland violence – it validates the gangland violence in my work-in-progress Cocaine – my characters are blowing people away just like that.

My girl Salma’s always good – and she looked pretty good for 46.

Benicio’s always good – especially ruthless in this – but Travolta’s a stooge – a DEA or FBI agent on the take.

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I got used to the guys – watched the movie – liked the movie – but you can have her.

I’m America’s Best Crime Writer

and I approve this message.

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The story takes 21 years to play out – with many twists & turns – an amalgam of Sons of Anarchy & Breaking Bad – but these outlaw bikers make the Sons look like Cub Scouts.