Review of Track 29 (1988) by David J — 13 Mar 2011

One of George Harrison's few endeavors as a Producer through Handmade Films was this very interesting thriller, "Track 29".

It's a very off-beat, but thematically tight, story of a son looking for his mother. Americana from the vantage point of Nic Roeg is very Lynchian and sexualized. It borrows its likeness from "Lolita" and "Psycho" -- but much funnier.

Gary Oldman's performance was thoroughly entertaining and unsettling. His magnificent portrayal of a man-child was both manic and funny. Theresa Russell also carried her character well as this pseudo-mother/daughter. All performances around were tough to tackle, but they all did a magnificent job.

What interested me most about this film was how much distance it created with its uncomfortable closeness. Instead of getting closer to these characters, Roeg creates a gap between you and the absurdity. This helps the comedic aspects all around.

When it reaches its boiling point, the extravagant conclusions are found with a sly wink. "Track 29" is a macrolook into the mommy/daddy issues we all suffer at the heights of creating our own realities - be it film, music...or model train sets.