A disappointing effort from Nicolas Cage in his directorial debut, Sonny doesn't have much of a story, isn't acted particularly well, and is written in a way that repeatedly telegraphs the next scene or line. Early on in the film, it's made very clear to the audience in a conversation between the lead, Sonny (James Franco), and Henry (Harry Dean Stanton), that there is something about their relationship that Henry hasn't expressed to Sonny. This turns into a dramatic revelation to Sonny near the end of the film, but it's not news to anyone in the audience. In the same way, one can often guess what a character is about to say before they say it. Perhaps the film's only surprise is a brief appearance by Nicolas Cage as a gay, cocaine-snorting pimp. It's among the worst and most pointless scenes in the film. Brenda Blethyn and Mena Suvari often seem to be struggling with TV movie writer John Carlen's cliché-laden script which requires that they scream, yelp and cry throughout the film. However, Harry Dean Stanton overcomes the material and is excellent as a lowlife thief and gambler with just a touch of class.