"That's a nice-a donut."
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
True Romance (1993)
Back in the old days, before Quentin Tarantino was a love-him or hate-him egomaniac, he wrote a little story called True Romance. Despite what the title may lead you to believe, it's not a traditional romance - in the mold of a Cary Grant film or a Julia Roberts picture. In fact, many people won't even think of it as a romance, or in any way romantic. But it really is. From director Tony Scott, who has had a mixed bag of success working on a variety of action movies in his career like Top Gun and Spy Game, True Romance is a very effective blend of many elements of film such as humor, crime, chase, action, suspense and, yes, romance.
One night in lonely old Detroit, Elvis and kung-fu fan Clarence Worley (Christian Slater) meets Alabama (Patricia Arquette). It doesn't matter that she is actually a call girl who had been hired by his boss to give him a special little birthday present; they hit it off instantly and soon marry. Things get a bit chaotic, though, after that. Clarence goes to visit Drexl (Gary Oldman), Alabama's pimp, in order to set things straight. It ends up in a bloodbath, and Clarence ends up inadvertently taking a suitcase full of uncut cocaine. So the newly married couple head for sunny California to stay with his old friend Dick Ritchie (Michael Rapaport), who may be able to help broker a drug deal for them through weasely Elliot Blitzer (Bronson Pinchot). But in order to complete the deal, they must contend with other competing factions including the real owners of the cocaine, and law enforcement.
With the trademark Tarantino dialogue and banter, the tone is set for a straight-up fun movie. The action is very good, and it especially helps that humor is so effortlessly infused into the violent scenes. A couple of these scenes in the movie involve several classic soliloquies, including a very un-PC essay on the origins of Sicilians, and how killing someone for the first time is always the hardest.
The soundtrack includes a mix of rock tunes, in the same vain as those found on subsequent Tarantino movies, along with an unusual instrumental theme that is reminiscent of circus or carnival music. It's an unusual choice, for sure, but helps give it a fairy tale vibe that seems to make the story even more interesting. The movie is very violent in several scenes, though to its credit is more of the "ballet of violence" nature, and not too gory. There is a far-reaching, all-star cast - some of whom would not make it big for a few more years, with bit parts from Sam Jackson, Brad Pitt, Tom Sizemore, and a much younger and thinner James Gandolfini.
What ever happened to Christian Slater anyway? It's really a shame, as his once promising career has turned very far south and he's been reduced to the straight-to-video and C-movie fare, and the occasional TV guest appearance. But he has never been better than in True Romance, and his screen time with Arquette is just right. Clarence and Alabama are two lovebirds that would do anything for each other, and you believe it. It would have been interesting to see if (and how) the movie would have been different had Tarantino directed it himself, but that's really just an irrelevant parlor game. Scott acquits himself well. Few movies are more pure fun.
The Verdict: A-.
Michael Bentley 12:39 PM
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