I can still remember when I first rented this film from my local store several years ago (1993 to be precise). My husband took one look at the title and said ‘oh no – a chick flick’. Having read the blurb on the box I told him to watch it before he made any comments. After watching the film, he apologised!
So, what is the film about? Well, as the title suggests, it is about a romance between the two lead characters –Clarence and Alabama. However, it is much more than that – it is also about stealing, cheating and killing!
Clarence – played by Christian Slater (Broken Arrow), works in a record store and has an obsession with Elvis. Every year on his birthday he goes to the movies to watch his favourite martial arts films. This year is no exception and it is while at the movies he meets Alabama.
Alabama – played by Patricia Arquette (Stigmata), has been a call girl for 4 days. She has been hired by Clarence’s
boss to meet him at the movies.
After meeting, eating pie reading comics and talking about Elvis, the pair fall in love and get married the next day. Clarence decides to visit Alabama’s pimp to retrieve her clothes. While there, he gets into a fight with Drexl (the pimp) who does not want to let Alabama go. Clarence ends up shooting Drexl amongst others. Clarence eventually ends up with a suitcase – but it does not contain Alabama’s clothes. It turns out that the suitcase contains drugs belonging to the mob, so Clarence and Alabama head to Los Angeles to try and sell the drugs so that they can start a new life. Unfortunately for Clarence, he leaves his drivers licence behind and very soon the mob are on his trail. It is then only a matter of time before the police are involved as well.
True Romance is an excellent movie that contains action as well as some funny moments. Some of my favourites include the conversation between Christopher Walken and Dennis Hopper, the scene on the rollercoaster and the scene with Alabama and the corkscrew (if you’ve seen the movie you’ll know what I mean – if you haven’t, watch out for them!) Some of the scenes are quite violent, but it is all within the context of the story and works well – it is not gratuitous violence for the sake of it. And through the whole film is the underlying theme of the romance between the two main characters – it works so well because you know that they are doing what they are doing out of their love for each other.
The performances from Slater and Arquette are outstanding. The chemistry between them works really well and the characters are very believable. Slater comes across as quite streetwise, but also quite naïve in some situations. Arquette is perfect as the country girl in the big city who just wants a better life. Her narration of the film throughout also works well to link scenes together and give Alabama’s thoughts on what is happening to them both.
There are a host of well-known actors with small roles in this movie – Gary Oldman - Drexl, the pimp. Hardly recognisable with dreadlocks. Dennis Hopper - Clarence’s dad. Playing the good guy for once. Christopher Walken – mobster. At his evil best. Brad Pitt – druggie flatmate of Clarence’s friend. Has some funny moments. Val Kilmer – Elvis. I didn’t realise it was him until the credits rolled! Chris Penn – FBI agent. Solid performance. Samuel L Jackson – colleague of Drexl. Blink and you’ll miss him!
The film also has an excellent soundtrack containing music from, amongst others, Chris Isaak, Robert Palmer, Charles & Eddie (!) and Hans Zimmer.
The film was written by Quentin Tarantino and it was watching this that prompted me to watch other Tarantino films (maybe I’ll get round to writing some opinions on them one day!). It was directed by Tony Scott (The Last Boy Scout), younger brother of Ridley Scott of Gladiator fame. Running time 116 minutes.
I highly recommend this film to anyone who has seen other Tarantino offerings and enjoyed them. Also, anyone who likes a film with a lot of action – this doesn’t let up for a minute.
And anyway, couldn’t we all do with a bit more romance occasionally!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 1996 - Action/Adventure - Director: Tom Clegg - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Daragh O'Malley, Oliver Cotton, Jason Durr, Sean Bean, Allie Byrne
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Production Year: 2008 - Action/Adventure - Director: Christopher Nolan - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Maggie Gyllenhaal, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine
Production Year: 1977 - Action/Adventure - Director: Clint Eastwood - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring:Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Pat Hingle, William Prince, Bill McKinney
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
I absolutely love this film and have just wrote an op on my top 10 films in which this came first. Brilliant opinion.
wiggglypufff 10.10.2001 23:44
I have this on video - the main reason I bought it was due to Christian Slater being in it. Having watched it a couple of times though (to drool over him) I have to say it is actually a pretty good film. Great op Julie, thanks, Karen
nightchild 10.10.2001 13:00
I love this film too, and you definately did it justice with your review
Thanks for a great read
Dawn
It was directed with energetic skill byTop GunTony Scott, but this breathtaking 1993 ... more
thriller (think of it as an adolescent crime fantasy on steroids) has Quentin Tarantino written all over it.True Romanceis really part of a loose trilogy that includes...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
It was directed with energetic skill byTop GunTony Scott, but this breathtaking 1993 ... more
thriller (think of it as an adolescent crime fantasy on steroids) has Quentin Tarantino written all over it.True Romanceis really part of a loose trilogy that includes...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
In 'True Romance' two lovers (Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette) are thrust into a ... more
dangerous game of high-stakes negotiations and high-speed adventure. The pair come into unexpected possession of a suitcase of mob contraband. They flee to Los Ang...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
![True Romance (1993) [DVD]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78537458.jpg "True Romance (1993) [DVD]")
Oct 9th, 2001
very helpful by (98%):
helpful by (3%):
