Strays (1997 film)
Strays is a 1997 American drama film written, directed, produced by, and starring Vin Diesel, which follows a drug dealer and hustler who is fed up with the repetitious life style he leads and begins looking for meaning in his life. It marked Diesel's feature film directing debut and takes a hard look at his own adolescence and upbringing in New York City.
| Strays | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Vin Diesel |
| Produced by | Gordon Bijelonic Vin Diesel T.J. Mancini Jean Claude Nedelic Robert Panaro John Sale Stephen Schmidt Jill Silverthorne George Zakk Robert Bigelow |
| Written by | Vin Diesel |
| Starring | Vin Diesel Suzanne Lanza Joey Dedio F. Valentino Morales Mike Epps T.K. Kirkland Darnell Williams |
| Music by | Julius Robinson |
| Cinematography | Andrew Dunn |
| Distributed by | First Look International Revolver Entertainment (UK) |
Release date |
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Running time | 105 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $10,000 |
Synopsis
Frustrated by the repetitious grind of one-night stands and aimless hustling, Rick (Vin Diesel) is looking for meaning in his life. Like his testosterone-tweaked buddies, Rick is a stray looking for a traditional family structure and wrestling unconsciously with his own father's absence. He sells small amounts of marijuana to cover the expenses of his own use but insists that he is not doing it for a living.
When he meets Heather (Suzanne Lanza), the girl next door, he suddenly perceives a new avenue and an opportunity for a new, committed relationship. Trying to assimilate into Heather's world, Rick takes heat from his perpetually adolescent cohorts whose ambitions are restricted to riding fast, toking slow, and ditching hard. Though the chemistry between the couple is immediately charged, Rick's street chic and volatile aggression threatens to extinguish their relationship before it has ever begun.
Cast
- Vin Diesel as Rick
- Suzanne Lanza as Heather
- Joey Dedio as Fred
- F. Valentino Morales as Tony
- Mike Epps as Mike
- T.K. Kirkland as Rodney
- Darnell Williams as Keith
- Mihaela Tudorof as Danielle
- Eugene Osborne Smith as Willie
- Temple Brooks as Amy
- Loni Sabrina Stuart as Nicole
- Deangela Parrish as Suzanne
- Marko Kalfa as Chris
- Joey Iovino as Kenny
- Louis Albert von Steidl as Jerry Saperstein
- Sean M. Silverstein as Timothy (voice)
- Helen M. Mitchell as Bookstore Clerk
- Freddie Pendavis as Arthur
- Denise Carrasco as Tanya
- Taquana Harris as Melba
- Marlo Morales as Kiki
- Rudy "Rush" McCallum as Sevon