Review of True Romance (1993) by Craig E — 27 Mar 2014

True Romance sounds exactly like my kind of film from literally every angle because it benefited from the direction of Tony Scott and an early Quentin Tarantino screenplay he had deemed to be his finest.

True Romance has all the zany feeling of a true Quentin Tarantino atmosphere because it combines a legendary soundtrack with the dramatic elements on screen which leave the audiences perplexed about how to feel. It keeps things from ever falling into a single genre category such as refusing the drama from falling into melodramatic territory. And the atmosphere is constantly changing as is the story.

The story in True Romance is completely unpredictable. There is no way to tell what is going to happen next, and since it is a Quentin Tarantino-penned film that is the best way to take it. Thanks to Tony Scott's most tense direction in which he creates an atmosphere which is both intense and comedically energetic while still being constantly energetic and entertaining. The film is kind of like if Natural Born Killers omitted most of its kills and was then made right instead of being a sh*tty drug trip and a terrible sitcom, and it goes into a lot of territory which touches upon themes similar to Bonnie and Clyde as well. True Romance is like a modern version of the story where the crime isn't so much about robbery as it is about drug dealing, and the way that the film romanticizes so many themes in a gleefully gritty and gory fashion just goes to show what true romance is. It stays true to its title, and while at certain points I had a feeling that the quantity of themes jam packed into the film had a little bit of overkill, it never felt like too much to take in and it made for thoroughly entertaining cinema which showed off some of the greatest talents that both Quentin Tarantino and Tony Scott have as filmmakers.

True Romance is incredibly well written and benefits from Quentin Tarantino's skill for pitching incredibly intelligent dialogue which comes from the actors' mouths so naturally that you wouldn't be able to suspect that it had to be written in the first place. The screenwriting skills that would later win Quentin Tarantino two Academy Awards give savvy fuel for True Romance to run on, and it takes that and runs far thanks to Tony Scott's direction. Tony Scott capitalizes on the passionate and sadistic energy of the story in True Romance which renders it a very well paced romantic crime comedy which is shot very well on some awesome locations and is packed with a theme of true grit, and frankly the role director Tony Scott plays has the exact same skill that only Quentin Tarantino himself could give to the film, so some of Tony Scott's finest directional skill rides True Romance and keeps it intact through all of its theme exploration.

Frankly, Tony Scott has proven twice to be the best film director to be working with Quentin Tarantino when he made True Romance and later when they worked together on Crimson Tide, and he manages to turn True Romance into an enjoyable and energetic thrill ride which boasts a lot of entertainment and an exceptional cast.

Christian Slater's lead performance in True Romance is definitely one of his career best. His lead performance in True Romance is the fine line between over the top and excessive in his most intense moments, and at other times it is just naturally charismatic. Christian Slater's lead performance in True Romance makes him perfect for the part because his swift and sharp line delivery is fuelled by his tight edged tenacity, and it gives him an edge to his performance that is really needed to keep the sadistic fun of True Romance alive. Christian Slater is a dead on great cast member in True Romance.

Patricia Arquette makes a fine lead as well because she has a lot of passionate drama in her line delivery which she delivers without problem, and she has a smile which simply lights up the screen in True Romance. Her chemistry with Christian Slater is also excellent, so the two of them make a really good team in True Romance. Patricia Arquette is in one of her much younger role in True Romance, and her charisma is just terrific.

Christopher Walken's small time on screen allows him to bring out some of his darkest elements as an actor which completely nails the dramatic aspects of the film. He brings a certain level of sophistication to his role as the Sicilian Vincenzo Coccotti which is sharp and tense, and his scene with Dennis Hopper is excellent because of the powerful chemistry they share.

Dennis Hopper proves time and time again to be a great actor, and in True Romance he delivers a monologue about Sicilians which Quentin Tarantino said to be potentially the greatest thing he had ever written, and it is full of ripe intensity and strength which he as carried for many years as an actor and proves once again as a cast member in True Romance.

Gary Oldman's performance is one of the most oddball of his career. He is unrecognisable in his role of because he looks like a realistic and humane version of the character portrayed by John Travolta in the worst film of his career, Battlefield Earth. But doing something John Travolta could never do, Gary Oldman makes his character nuts and goes overboard without going ridiculous. Within his brief screentime, Gary Oldman establishes that he is flawlessly able to step into the role of an absolute sociopath.

Brad Pitt's young performance shows off some of the charisma which would later get him nominated for several Academy Awards by showing off just what he can do in a small and laid back roll, and the performances of Chris Penn, Samuel L. Jackson, James Gandolfini and Val Kilmer added a nice touch to the film.

So True Romance may be a little much for some viewers, but benefiting from Quentin Tarantino's excellent screenplay and some of Tony Scott's most powerful direction it proves to be sharp and rich entertainment which is intense and funny at the same time.