Review of True Romance (1993) by Caesar B — 06 Nov 2014

Before Tarantino directed Reservoir Dogs, he wrote a little script called True Romance. Tony Scott brings the script to life with comic book-style bravura, and uses a truly eclectic cast of talent as leads and supportive players.

Slater plays Clarence Worley, a Travis Bickle-type loner who's pre-occupied with Elvis and Kung Fu movies. One night, a sexy call girl named Alabama (Arquette in her breakthrough performance) falls into his lap and before sunrise, the two are madly in love.

Clarence confronts Alabama's pimp (a dread-locked Gary Oldman), which turns ugly. Clarence makes off with a suitcase of Alabama's posessions, only to discover that it instead contains a large amount of cocaine.

The two young lovers head off to LA to try and sell the dope, unaware that cops and gangsters are on their trail. This all makes for an inevitable Mexican stand-off in true Tarantino fashion. This film has everything.

Slater and Arquette are perfectly cast as the heroes, Oldman is brilliant despite limited screen time, while Walken and Hopper have arguably the films best scene in a one-on-one showdown of acting. A pre-Sopranos Gandolfini shines as a phylisophical sociopath, Brad Pitt has scene-stealing work as a scuzzy dope-fiend, and also look for dependable pro's like Tom Sizemore, Saul Rubinek and an un-seen Val Kilmer, who appears as Elvis' ghost, dispursing advice to Clraence at critical junctures.

Overall, this is a treat from beginning to end, and works even better with repeated viewings. About as good as it gets for the capabilities of 90's Hollywood.