Review of Wild at Heart (1990) by Asli B — 02 Dec 2009

Ever wanted to know what it felt like to skydive over the land of Oz with Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps singing in one ear while Willem Dafoe whispers "Fuck me" in the other? No? I'm the only one? Huh.

"Wild At Heart" is an anomaly of a construct of a movie. So, it's a David Lynch film, but one that is quite, well...linear in comparison to some of his later work.

This is a rollercoaster of a movie with equal parts insanity, cartoonish characters and dark intensity, definitely not one for the faint of mind, let alone heart.

Nicolas Cage has one of his finest moments in this film and the always awesome Laura Dern plays his lover and co-pilot on a road trip to the very heart of hell. In speaking of hell, there are plenty of unforgettable demons lurking here. Willem Dafoe plays the Black Angel, Bobby Peru (yes, just like the country). Diane Ladd (Laura Dern's real life mom) plays Laura Dern's psychotic, manipulative mother who's hell bent on keeping those crazy kids apart - by any means necessary.

I could go on for hours about the incredible cast of character actors, the fucking bad ass soundtrack (Powermad with Them, the aforementioned Gene Vincent, New Orleans jazz and the fantastic Angelo Badalamenti) and the absolutely gorgeous cinematography and sound design. This is a feast for the senses. In speaking of senses, this film has some of the hottest lovemaking scenes you can catch without clicking three times on your computer. Seriously, it's good! It even furthers the plot and character development. Honestly! Fine, go look up your Brazilian fart porn. Uncouth mother fuckers...

Anyway, if you're looking for something that speaks to that wild, dark side of your bad self, give "Wild At Heart" a chance. Especially if you need a symbol of your individuality and your belief in personal freedom.