TRUE ROMANCE
A film review by Z_RIDGEJE@CCSVAX.SFASU.EDU
Copyright 1993 by Z_RIDGEJE@CCSVAX.SFASU.EDU
CAST: Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette DIRECTOR: Tony Scott SCREENPLAY: Quentin Tarantino RUNNING TIME: 1:57 RELEASE: September 10, 1993
The road picture is just about the ultimate medium for action movies. I mean, where else do you get the chance to visit so many different places and meet so many different kinds of people? Of course, along for the ride should be at least two interesting people with whom we, the audience, can do all that and leave the theater in one piece--and perhaps be entertained in the process. Such is the case with TRUE ROMANCE.
The film opens in a bar, where we first meet Clarence. He is near drunk, talking to no one in particular about his idol (yeah, you guessed it ... Elvis). He goes to a movie theater to watch some kung fu flick, and it is then that we meet the other protagonist of the piece--Alabama.
It's love at first sight. They talk in a diner, visit his workplace, and then--before you can say the S word--they're at his apartment doing the nasty under a light blue hue. Afterwards, Alabama tells him that she's been a prostitute for three days. "I'm completely monogamous. When I'm with a man, I'm with *him* and nobody else," she tells a confused Clarence. Obviously, her job didn't work out. And to make things worse, she's in love with Clarence now. Guess what happens.
Clarence and Alabama get hitched. After that, Clarence feels it his duty to retrieve his wife's suitcase of clothing. So, he goes to the residence of Alabama's pimp, Drexel (played by Gary Oldman). He ends up killing the pimp, grabs the suitcase and runs. He and Alabama later open the case, and find it filled with cocaine. "Those aren't my clothes," Alabama laughs. But Clarence doesn't find the situation so funny. What are they gonna do? They do what any two normal kids on the run from the mob and the police and drug dealers would do--they attempt to sell the stuff. Things don't turn out so great.
Like I said before, I like road movies. And this *is* a road movie if nothing more. But there's a lot more. As far as characterization and plot go, this film has it's head in the right direction. Too bad it fails t make Clarence or Alabama interesting people. Sure, we care about both of them. But they're really just one note harped and harped and harped til we get a headache. The characters that *are* worth your time are the supporting players: Gary Oldman goes way over the top in his role; Christopher Walken has the best cameo; Dennis Hopper does his usual thing as Clarence's dad, who is reluctant to help his son; and Brad Pitt is quite funny as a totally stoned beach bum who couldn't care less about the world. The soundtrack is kickin', the direction and production values as slick as they come, and the writing by RESERVOIR DOGS dude Quentin Tarantino combines just about every action film cliche in the book.
There is testosterone pumping at all times throughout the film, and there is also a message. Violence is wrong, but it happens and we just have to deal with it. There also exists a theme of what would two immature kids do in a situation like the one that Clarence and Alabama are in. I'm not sure if TRUE ROMANCE gets all its messages across clearly, but they *are* there--just dig deep. Take your time with this movie, and have a wild ride too. Enjoy.
CRITICAL RATING: ***(1/2) RATED R, for Violence and Profanity like you wouldn't believe
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