Review of River's Edge (1986) by Tristan P — 28 Jul 2008

What could have been a standard 80's teen flick, albeit a dark one, is made into something else entirely by one of Crispin Glover's most crazed performances. Let's ignore the plot and just focus on Glover, OK? With almost any other actor doing what Glover does here, you'd have an awful performance; his eyes bulge out of his head as he shreiks and cackles and seems to be channeling RIVER'S EDGE co-star Dennis Hopper (who's own bizarre performance here is easily overwhelmed by Glover's) with his frequent, drawn out uses of the word "man" (pronounced something like "maaaaa-yunnn"). But there is something about Crispin Glover that makes even (especially?) his weirdest performances his best. Compare him here to FRIDAY THE 13th PART 5, where he tones it down... which performance is more memorable? Crispin Glover may be rivalled only by Christopher Walken for the title of weirdest Hollywood actor. Good for him.

If I've ignored the plot of River's Edge, that's because the plot barely held my interest. Without Glover this would have been a mediocre, badly written 80's teen drama with an odd supporting turn by Dennis Hopper. Maybe that's all it is even with Glover. I honestly can't imagine watching the film all the way through again, although I could certainly see scanning through and watching some of Crispin Glover's scenes again. Especially his reaction at the end...