Review of Wild at Heart (1990) by Eric R — 29 Mar 2008

***Contains Spoilers***.

Lula sobs, "this whole world, wild at heart and weird on top" expressive and emotional. Her anguished introspection, caused by a grotesque encounter wtih the rotten and stumpy-toothed Bobby Peru, who abusively seduces her, leaving her wracked with undeserved guilt.

The most shocking moment of Wild at Heart is also the most challenging, but not even near the sequence that emotes so beautifully as there are so many.

Sailor (Nicolas Cage) is the deliquent, dangerous, romantic, snakeskin jacket-sporting musical lothario besotted by Lula (Laura Dern) and her expressive ways. Despite his malevolent tendencies (bank robbery and man slaughter) he is the perfect man for her. An adrenaline fuelled man who still manages to be her knight in shining armour.

Lynch's most exciting and playful film, we are treated to Wizard of Oz parallels (such as references to Toto, Emerald City and the late appearance of Glenda the good witch) and a whole host of strangely comic acting roles. The highly unstable Marietta (Lula's mum) to the assured and malevolent Black Angel (Donny Peru).

What seperates this Lynch from others is the complete shifts in tone that combine metal music gigs as quality entertaining and romantic hard lovemaking scenes, contrasted by the despicably demonic underbelly of counter-culture unsheaved in Donny Peru's criminal underworld.

As icons akin to Elvis & Marilyn Monroe, Lynch paints the two protagonists favourably where other directors would simply moralise their tale as dystopian. Why should this be acceptable? Within the construct of cinema, it is a glorious representation of 90's art at its most progressive. Why follow everything by method when you can simply do-it-for-fun!

Of all his work bar maybe Twin Peaks, David, "you marked me the deepest".