True Romance movie review- Bonnie and Clyde on Cocaine
Bringing an arrested adolescents fantasy to the big screen
Director: Tony Scott
Writer: Quentin Tarantino, Roger Avary
Cinematographer: Jeffrey L. Kimball
Cast: Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Gary Oldman, Christopher Walken, Dennis Hopper, Brad Pitt
Year: 1993
True Romance is a quintessential Quentin Tarantino movie, even though he didn't direct it.
The movie revolves around the comic-book fanatic and Elvis enthusiast, Clarence (the mesmerising Christian Slater) and Alabama, the prostitute hired by Clarence's boss (the brilliant Patricia Arquette), who fall deeply and madly in love after spending only one night together. Clarence breaks the news of his newfound love for her pimp (the breathtaking Gary Oldman) and ends up killing him. Filled with panic, he grabs a suitcase of cocaine on his way out, believing it to be a case of Alabama's clothing. The two hit the road for California, hoping to sell off the cocaine, but the mob seems to be right behind them. This elaborate and elongated fantasy sees a quiet and nerdy shop assistant transform into a vengeful vigilante, a great lover and, in the end, a smooth criminal. There are no emotional or moral consequences; it's a joyride of unfathomable events: the hero's father is killed by the mob, the heroine guns down a cop during a drug deal gone wrong, but in the end, they drive off into the sunset happily, unmarred by the chaos and mayhem which has surrounded them on their journey.
True Romance makes us question what we are seeing and how we feel; I feel as if films have always been an art that makes us reflect on ourselves. Are we supposed to like and relate to these self-absorbed homicidal maniacs? Are we meant to buy into this bloody fairy tale? In the end, the answer is yes, because the ideas and wishes being achieved here belong to the original nerdy shop assistant, Quentin Tarantino. He has the talent to carry out his own vivid fantasy with characters spouting from himself and his classic dialogue. This is shown through the rooftop confession and declaration of desire and love by Alabama, the confrontation with Drexl and Virgil at the motel and the Sicilian scene are all prime examples of both Tony Scott's directions and Quentin Tarantino's superb writing. Even with a wonderful screenplay ready to bring to life some extraordinary characters, a film like this needed the right director. Who better to direct than the director of Top Gun to bring an arrested adolescent's fantasy to the big screen? Scott gives the movie relentless energy that never lets the audience tie to really think and analyse the absurdity of what is happening on screen. True Romance is not only extremely entertainingly violent but genuinely and humanly romantic at times. I had first heard of True Romance when a very good friend of mine recommended it to me, exclaiming that it was his favourite movie, so I decided to give it a shot. I have to say my friend has some good taste in the department of movies, as I actually thoroughly enjoyed this sort of roller coaster ride unfolding in front of me. It has Tarantino written all over it, and I do have to admit my eyes were glued to the screen for the 2hr run time.
Every single performance in this movie is amazing, outstanding and breathtaking. It's fun, it's young, and it's just all too good to be true. Despite earlier reservations, Brad Pitt signed on to play the stoner flatmate; the notoriously fastidious Gary Oldman surprisingly picked up the role of the racially-confused pimp; Chris Penn, Tom Sizemore and Samuel L. Jackson all play small bit parts. Then the addition of Christian Slater, who is a serial chooser of psychotic roles, and Patricia Arquette is added to the mix, and there, you have a star-studded and extremely talented cast. But True Romance's best moments are centred around Dennis Hopper, James Gandolfini and Christopher Walken. The dialogue, at times, can be a little controversial, but overall, it has the snappy and sparkly attitude that is needed to draw back the attention of the audience. I want to elaborate more on our hero Clarence (Christian Slater); I think he's the best unconventional hero I've seen in a while, modelled on Tarantino himself; I believe Slater's performance is absolutely perfect. I've always loved the 80s-90s Christian Slater movies, and this movie solidified that reason, he demands attention, and we give it to him.
With the stylish addition of ultra-violence, True Romance is every comic book lover's dream, as splashes of vibrant colour clash perfectly with over-the-top performances and dialogue. True Romance is one wild and crazy ride, yet by the end, I still felt a little unfulfilled, but maybe that might just be the point. Move over, Romeo and Juliette. I want what Clarance and Alabama have!
Rating: 3.5/5
Favourite Quotes:
"I always said, if I had to fuck a guy, I mean if I had to, if my life depended on it, I'd fuck Elvis."
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