At Any Price

Directed by Ramin Bahrani and written by Bahrani and Hallie Elizabeth Newton, At Any Price is the story of a father and son at odds when the latter wants to pursue a career as a race car driver while the former deals with an investigation over his farming business as it goes into chaos. The film is an exploration into the world of father and son and the sacrifices they make. Starring Dennis Quaid, Zac Efron, Heather Graham, Kim Dickens, Clancy Brown, Chelcie Ross, Ben Marten, Red West, and Maika Monroe. At Any Price is an engrossing drama from Ramin Bahrani.

The life of a farmer often endures changing times in order through modern life as the film is about a farmer hoping to keep up with the times and ensure that it will be in the right hands once its inherited to his two sons. Unfortunately, his eldest son hasn’t returned from a personal journey to Argentina while the youngest wants to become a race car driver. The tension between Henry (Dennis Quaid) and Dean Whipple (Zac Efron) is at the heart of the film as Henry tries to be in Dean’s life but Dean wants to be on his own. It’s a film that is an exploration into pride as Henry does things to keep up with the times and ensure the future of his farming business. Yet, his activities would get him in trouble forcing Dean to step in and find out who had been going after his family where both father and son would pay big prices for their sins.

The film’s screenplay doesn’t just explore this growing schism between Henry and Dean but also Henry’s own foolish ambitions as he is convinced by the people he’s working with to expand or die. The film’s opening scene after a montage of home video footage of the Whipple family has Henry talking to Dean about closing a deal as they’re attending a funeral where Henry is hoping to buy some acres of land from that family. It’s that scene where it showcases what kind of man that Henry is but also set the seeds for all of the trouble that he would create for himself and his family. While Henry sells himself as a farmer who likes to charm people and make sure he can help them. He’s a man that cheats on his wife Irene (Kim Dickens) with a mistress named Meredith (Heather Graham) who would also have a tryst with Dean as well as someone who will also cheat his way to get what he wants.

Dean in some respects is like his father as he also has ambitions but in the world of racing as he wants to make it as a race car driver but he is also a troublemaker as he drinks and steals while likes to have his girlfriend Cadence (Maika Monroe) around. Though Dean does help out in the farm and knows how to do things that makes him the more likely candidate to take over the family business that’s been passed from generation to generation. He’s not interested in taking over as he despises his dad for being very pushy as he believes that’s why his older brother Grant (Patrick W. Stevens) has left home. It’s one of the aspects that adds to the drama that makes it very engaging though things do get a bit messy in the third act when both Henry and Dean try to figure out who had put them through this mess where it would add not just trouble but also guilt in both of their parts.

Ramin Bahrani’s direction is very simple in the way he approaches the film though it is different than his previous films which were more about outsiders on the fringes of American society. Still, he manages to convey some idea of realism into his story as it does explore the world of the American farmer who are also outsiders in some respects as they don’t live in big cities. Especially as they’re dealing with a world that is changing as Henry has to keep up with the times as the order is to expand or die. Henry takes up the former in order to compete with other farmers such as Jim Johnson (Clancy Brown) but at the expense of threatening his own family business as his father Cliff (Red West) is aware of the problems his son has caused.

Bahrani’s direction is always gazing into the world of the landscape as much of it is shot on location in Dekalb, Illinois in the U.S. as Iowa as it’s a land that is very rich with its corn and wheat fields. Even in the scenes set in the race tracks showcase a sense of vibrancy and intimacy in Bahrani’s direction though things aren’t well handled in the film’s third act where it does get a bit heavy. Largely as the film leans towards something that doesn’t fit in with the drama but Bahrani does still keep the film focused on the story of father and son as well as the sins they have to deal with. Despite the flaws in its third act, Bahrani manages to create a compelling film about the world of farming and the relationship between father and son.

Cinematographer Michael Simmonds does fantastic work with the film‘s gorgeous photography with the look of the landscape in the film as well as the use of lights for much of the film‘s interior and exterior scenes at night. Editor Affonso Goncalves does excellent work with the film‘s editing by using some rhythmic jump-cuts for some of the racing scenes along with a montage in the film‘s opening credits and some straightforward cuts for the rest of the film. Production designer Chad Keith, with set decorator Adam Willis and art director Jonathan Guggenheim, does brilliant work with the set pieces from the farms that Henry operates to some of the places he and his family go to.

Costume designers Tere Duncan and Sandy Lazar do terrific work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual and ragged to play into that look of small-town folk. Visual effects supervisor Andre Basso does nice work with some of the film‘s minimal effects which involves some of the racing scenes. Sound editor Abigail Savage does wonderful work with the film‘s sound to play into some of the natural sounds of the locations along with the layers of sounds in the racing scenes. The film’s music by Dickon Hinchcliffe is superb for its mixture of ambient and post-rock music that is the basis for the film score as the film’s music soundtrack from music supervisor Michael Hill largely consists of country and metal tracks where the latter plays into Dean’s world.

The casting by Douglas Aibel is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it includes some notable performances from Chelcie Ross as a seed farmer who needed Henry’s help only to tell Henry the severity of his troubles, Dan Waller as a young farmer Dean and Henry meets at the funeral in the opening moments of the film, Ben Marten as Jim Johnson’s son Brad who despises Dean, Stephen Louis Grush as Dean’s friend Torgeson, Patrick W. Stevens as Henry’s eldest son Grant who only appears briefly in the film’s opening montage credits, and Red West as Henry’s father Cliff who is unsure about his son’s plans as he realizes the trouble that Henry is causing. Clancy Brown is terrific as Henry’s rival Jim Johnson as a farmer who has taken one of Henry’s territories causing Henry to fire back.

Heather Graham is pretty good in an underwritten role as Henry’s mistress Meredith who helps Henry out with his moves while also having a tryst with Dean. Maika Monroe is amazing as Dean’s girlfriend Cadence who helps Henry out with regaining a territory of his while dealing with some of the issues that are causing trouble for both Dean and Henry. Kim Dickens is fantastic as Henry’s wife Irene as she is the bookkeeper of Henry’s work while being the most grounded person in her family as she also knows about Henry’s affairs. Zac Efron is superb as Dean Whipple as a young man eager to make it as a race car driver while having a hard time dealing with his father’s presence as well as the pressure of taking over the family business. Dennis Quaid is incredible as Henry Whipple as a man of great ambition who tries to keep up with the times only for his selfishness and greed would get him in trouble as he faces the sins that he’s created for himself and his son.

At Any Price is an excellent film from Ramin Bahrani that is highlighted by the performances of Dennis Quaid, Zac Efron, and Kim Dickens. While it is a more polished and accessible film in comparison to Bahrani’s previous works. It is still a captivating piece that explores the world of farming and its clash with modernism as well as an intriguing tale about fathers and sons. In the end, At Any Price is a fantastic film from Ramin Bahrani.

Ramin Bahrani Films: Man Push Cart - Chop Shop - Goodbye Solo - Plastic Bag - 99 Homes - (Fahrenheit 451 (2018 film)) - The Auteurs #55: Ramin Bahrani

© thevoid99 2014

Boogie Nights

Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, Boogie Nights is the story of a young man who catches the attention of a porno filmmaker in the 1970s. After becoming a star and part of a family, his life goes into a downward spiral during the 1980s which affects himself and the people he calls his family. The film is an exploration of the world of the 1970s porn film industry and the people who were part of it. With an all-star cast that includes Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore, Heather Graham, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ricky Jay, William H. Macy, John C. Reilly, Don Cheadle, Robert Ridgley, Nicole Ari Parker, Luis Guzman, Melora Walters, Philip Baker Hall, and Alfred Molina. Boogie Nights is an exciting yet lively film from P.T. Anderson.

Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg) is a 17-year old kid who works as a busboy for a club owner named Maurice Rodriguez (Luis Guzman). One of the club regulars is Maurice’s friend and renowned porno filmmaker Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds) who hears that Eddie is well-endowed. After meeting Jack and his longtime girlfriend/porno actress Amber Waves (Julianne Moore), Eddie feels like he’s got a chance to make something himself away from the verbal abuse of his own mother (Joanna Gleason). After an audition with one of Jack’s actresses in the young Rollergirl (Heather Graham), Eddie succeeds as he meets actors in magician/musician Reed Rothchild (John C. Reilly) and a stereo salesman named Buck Swope (Don Cheadle).

Renamed Dirk Diggler, Eddie immediately becomes a star with Jack guiding him as he makes Eddie part of a family that includes cameraman/editor Kurt Longjohn (Ricky Jay), actress Becky Barnett (Nicole Ari Parker), soundman Scotty (Philip Seymour Hoffman), and assistant director Little Bill (William H. Macy). Jack hopes to get some respect outside of the world of the porn industry where he, Eddie, and Reed come up with a series of films that become popular. After a New Year’s Eve party to end the 1970s ended in tragedy, Jack’s hopes to become legit crashes when his longtime financier Colonel James (Robert Ridgley) is arrested. Having to work with another producer in Floyd Gondoli (Philip Baker Hall) who forces Jack to switch from film to video, Jack’s world starts to fall apart as Eddie becomes addicted to drugs.

For Jack and the people around him, things become tough in the 1980s as Buck and his wife Jessie St. Vincent (Melora Walters) hope to start a stereo business for themselves. Eddie and Reed are unable to get their music career going due to their own addictions while Amber finds herself going through child custody issues with her ex-husband (John Doe). With all of the turmoil surrounding Jack, Eddie, and their splintered group of friends, Eddie and Reed would face a troubling encounter with a dealer in Rahad Jackson (Alfred Molina) when their friend Todd Parker (Thomas Jane) tries to make things complicated in a deal gone wrong.

The film is about a group of dysfunctional people who form a family in an industry that doesn’t get a lot of respect as they hope to be accepted for who they are. In this family, there’s a wide group of people that are diverse and unique. Leading the pack is a porno filmmaker who sees his films as art as he tries to put some substance into his work. At his side is a porn star who is the mother of the group as she acts as a maternal figure to the younger stars while dealing with the fact that she doesn’t get to see her own kid. Then there’s this young kid who has a big penis that hopes to find something he can be proud of and not deal with his cruel mother.

It’s part of what Paul Thomas Anderson does as a storyteller in creating characters that are engaging but also striving to be somebody and feel proud of themselves. Jack Horner, Amber Waves, and Dirk Diggler are just among the group of people featured in this massive ensemble drama in the span of nearly a decade starring with the late 70s to the early 80s. The characters Anderson create are more than what they’re given as there’s a gay soundman who falls for Dirk, an African-American stereo salesman who loves country music, a high-school dropout who never takes off her roller-skates, and a porn actor that loves to do magic tricks and play rock n’ roll.

These are the kind of characters who don’t play to certain stereotypes of what many would perceive to be porn stars. In fact, there are a group of people who are quite intelligent that chooses to be in porn films because they want to be in porn films. Anderson doesn’t judge these people for who they are as they’re all quite flawed yet have something that the audience can be engaged by. The script is a classic rise and fall tale where a porn director, his top actor, and the people they’re with start to make something where it becomes a success and everyone seems to have a good time. Then comes the fall in the 1980s as excess, mismanagement, bad choices, and prejudice would test and splinter these people as they would all struggle with themselves and things they would encounter.

Anderson’s direction of the film is definitely vibrant in the way he shows the film as more than just an exploration into 70s porno chic. From the opening tracking shot where he has the camera walk into the club to the tense meeting Dirk, Reed, and Todd would have with Rahad Jackson. There is never a moment in the film that is dull or unimportant as Anderson makes sure that scenes of simple conversations, porno shoots, and troubling circumstances say something. There is a lot of style that Anderson chooses to go for as he utilizes these long tracking shots to either introduce characters or to capture an atmosphere of the location. The overall work that Anderson does is truly magnificent as he creates a very hypnotic and engrossing film.

Cinematographer Robert Elswit does an incredible job with the photography from capturing the vibrant and colorful lights of the discos and the sunny Californian exteriors for the scenes of the 70s. For the 80s sequences, the look remains the same but has a darker feel as there’s a lot of material shot at night to exemplify the tough circumstance the characters face throughout the film. Editor Dylan Tichenor does a brilliant job with the editing to maintain a leisured pace throughout while creating wonderful montages to exemplify the excitement of the 70s as well as the struggles the character go through in the 80s where the editing shifts what circumstance the characters go through.

Production designer Bob Ziembecki, along with set decorator Sandy Struth and art director Ted Berner, does a sensational job with the set pieces created such as Jack‘s lavish home and Maurice‘s disco to the stylish but eerie home of Rahad Jackson. Costume designer Mark Bridges does a fantastic job with the costumes created from the bellbottoms, hot pants, and the stylish clothing of the 70s to the more grimy look of 80s fashion. Sound editor Dane A. Davis does an excellent job with the sound from the way the parties are captured to the intimacy of Dirk’s first day working on a porno set.

The film’s score by Michael Penn is very wonderful for the array of moods created such as the soothing yet playful harmonium piece for the first half performed by Jon Brion to a more intense yet haunting score for its second half. Music supervisors Bobby Lavelle and Karyn Rachtman create an amazing soundtrack that is filled with lots of music from the 70s and 80s from acts like the Emotions, War with Eric Burdon, Electric Light Orchestra, the Commodores, Hot Chocolate, Rick Springfield, Night Ranger, Nena, and many others.

The casting by Christine Sheaks is superb as the ensemble cast that is created is truly one of the best casting jobs ever assembled. In small but notable roles, there’s Joanna Gleason as Eddie’s abusive mother, Nicole Ari Parker as Buck’s former girlfriend/porn star Becky Barnett, Jonathan Quint as a young porn star who threatens Dirk’s star power, X vocalist/bassist John Doe as Amber’s ex-husband, Kai Lennox as an old classmate that Rollergirl knew, Channon Roe as a guy Dirk meets in the film’s second half, Michael Penn as a music producer Dirk and Reed work with, and a couple of wonderful appearances from porn legends Nina Hartley and Veronica Hart with Hartley as Little Bill’s adulterous wife and Hart as a judge in Amber’s child custody case. In a small but chilling performance, Alfred Molina gives a scene-stealing performance as crazed drug dealer Rahad Jackson.

Other notable yet brilliant small supporting roles include Philip Baker Hall as the brash yet sleazy producer Floyd Gondoli, Ricky Jay as Jack’s filmmaking collaborator Kurt Longjohn, William H. Macy as Jack’s assistant director Little Bill, the late Robert Ridgely as Jack’s old financier/producer Colonel James, Melora Walters as Buck’s new porn star girlfriend Jessie St. Vincent, and Luis Guzman as the funny club owner Maurice Rodriguez. Philip Seymour Hoffman is excellent as the sensitive yet caring Scotty who is in love with Dirk while John C. Reilly is great as the upbeat Reed Rothchild while bringing some great humor to his character. Don Cheadle is excellent as the sensitive yet country music-loving Buck Swope who is accused of not being black enough while just trying to be an all-around nice guy. Heather Graham is wonderful as the sexy yet innocent Rollergirl who likes to have fun while hoping to be accepted as a smart girl.

Julianne Moore is amazing as Amber Waves, a veteran porn star who tries to deal with her own custody issues while being the maternal figure to everyone around her. Burt Reynolds is superb as porn director Jack Horner as the man trying to make everyone feel proud of themselves while hoping to be respected while having to deal with changing times. Reynolds’ performance is definitely the best thing he’s done in his career as he displays a man that is trying to keep everything together. Finally, there’s Mark Wahlberg in his breakthrough performance as Eddie Adams/Dirk Diggler where Wahlberg brings charisma and a boyish innocence to a young kid that wants to feel like he’s accomplished something while dealing with the anguish of losing his stardom and dealing with his drug addiction.

Boogie Nights is a remarkable film from Paul Thomas Anderson that features a truly outstanding ensemble cast. For anyone new to P.T. Anderson’s work will definitely see this as the best place to start for the way he can present scenes and handle a large ensemble cast. Featuring great technical work and a fun music soundtrack, it’s a film that revels in what was great about the world of 70s porn in its emphasis to be just as creative as any kind of film. In the end, Boogie Nights is a tremendous yet captivating film from Paul Thomas Anderson.

Paul Thomas Anderson Films: Sydney/Hard Eight - Magnolia - Punch-Drunk Love - There Will Be Blood - The Master - Inherent Vice - Junun - Phantom Thread - Licorice Pizza - One Battle After Another

Related: The Short Films & Videos of P.T. Anderson - The Auteurs #15: Paul Thomas Anderson

© thevoid99 2011

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 12/10/08 w/ Additional Edits.

After scoring a critical hit with 1991's My Own Private Idaho, that also became a hit in art-house film circuits, Gus Van Sant had become the leading voice of the emerging New Queer Cinema movement. Hoping to make a bid in going mainstream, Van Sant decided to make his first big-budgeted film that had the full financial backing and support of a major studio. For this project, Gus Van Sant turned to an obscure yet celebrated novel by Tom Robbins about a young woman with large thumbs who travels around the country while exploring free love and homosexuality. The novel entitled Even Cowgirls Get the Blues was beloved in the gay community that it comes as no surprise than to have Gus Van Sant to do the film. The resulting film would have repercussions for Gus Van Sant's career as he struggled to find mainstream acceptance.

Written for the screen and directed by Gus Van Sant, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues is a road film about a woman with large, mutated thumbs who travels around the country while trying to find love in a world that's rapidly changing. During this journey, she encounters many strange people while going through transformations politically and sexually. With the novelist Tom Robbins serving as narrator, the film explores Van Sant's themes of homosexuality and desperate love that echoes such earlier work as My Own Private Idaho and his 1985 debut film Mala Noche. Starring Uma Thurman, Lorraine Bracco, Noriyuki "Pat" Morita, Angie Dickinson, Keanu Reeves, John Hurt, Sean Young, Crispin Glover, Udo Kier, Buck Henry, Ken Kesey, Roseanne Barr, Ed Begley Jr., Carol Kane, Heather Graham, Lin Shaye, Edward James Olmos, Rain Phoenix, and in one of his final film appearances, River Phoenix in an un-credited role as Pilgrim. Even Cowgirls Get the Blues despite its efforts, is a messy, baffling, and incoherent film from Gus Van Sant.

Ever since she was a child, Sissy Hawkins (Uma Thurman) had always wondered what power her large, mutated thumbs had until the day she hitch-hiked herself into a car. By the early 1970s, Sissy is now a traveler who constantly goes on road journeys with her magic thumbs. Yet, she briefly had success as a model when she got called by her former boss known as the Countess (John Hurt), a transvestite, feminist hygiene product mogul. Traveling through New York City via riding on cars and trucks, Sissy meets the Countess who had hoped to have Sissy meet with Native American water-colorist Julian (Keanu Reeves). The meeting turned into a disaster after Julian had an asthma attack while Sissy got seduced by a couple of Julian's entourage in Howard (Crispin Glover) and Marie (Sean Young).

After that disastrous encounter where her thumbs her due to her anxieties, Sissy is sent on a modeling assignment to a ranch he owns that's ran by Miss Adrian (Angie Dickinson). Going to the ranch, Miss Adrian is dealing with the increasing control from a group of cowgirls led by Bonanza Jellybean (Rain Phoenix). Sissy finds herself attracted to Jellybean and her wild ways which included lesbianism. When the modeling job involves doing something involved with whooping cranes, it doesn't go well due to dueling factions between the Countess and the cowgirls that included the peyote-taking Dolores (Lorraine Bracco). Torn between her love for Jellybean and loyalty to the Countess, Sissy flees to the mountains where she meets a Japanese-American recluse named the Chink (Noriyuki "Pat" Morita). After her strange counter with the Chink, Sissy returns to New York where she had a falling out with the Countess.

Fearing that her thumbs has now caused trouble, she turns to her childhood doctor Dr. Dreyfus (Buck Henry) for help. What happened would change her persona while hearing about the revolt from the cowgirls as they're protecting the whooping cranes from the government. Joining the cowgirls, she helps them in their fight while discovering her own true identity for the first time in her life.

The film is about a young woman's journey to self-discovery yet, with its themes of feminism, social politics, and such. It gets lost in its translation from book to novel but then again, the book is considered to be too strange to be adapted. Robbins story of self-discovery is filled with a lot of characters that often are too eccentric for their own good. Yet, the fault is largely due to Gus Van Sant and his attempts to turn it into a film and the result is very messy. He brings a film where not much makes sense, a lot of it becomes very self-indulgent, and overly pretentious. While the film has themes about homosexuality that were explored in his earlier films. Not much ground is covered in this one because it's often overshadowed by its political leanings towards animal activism which doesn't have much depth either.

Another problem with the film is that with most adaptations, something is missing in the adaptation. The film in its original running time of two hours in its initial premiere at the 1993 Toronto Film Festival received an overwhelming negative response. Therefore, Van Sant and editor Curtiss Clayton were forced to cut thirty-minutes of the film for its official 1994 theatrical release. Yet, something got lost as it's clear that some appearances must've been cut from the original film along with characters who seem to have a much bigger impact. Therefore, if Van Sant was trying to improve the film by shortening it and to simplify the story. He didn't succeed as it's lost in its rambling, incoherent plot while Tom Robbins' narration doesn't really help things either. Some insert shots of Sissy fantasizing and such doesn't feel right and the end result overall is a messy film from Gus Van Sant.

The cinematography of John J. Campbell and Eric Alan Edwards, two of Van Sant's early, regular cinematographers create an interesting look in a lot of the film's exterior shots of sunlight and evening shots. Yet, in comparison to their previous work with My Own Private Idaho, it lacks the atmospheric quality of that film as well as other early Van Sant features. Despite its look, it isn't actually inspiring nor does the editing by Van Sant and Curtiss Clayton that really doesn't have much style with the exception of stock footage of flying whooping cranes. Production designer Missy Stewart along with set decorator Nina Bradford, and art director Dan Self do create an interesting look of the Rubber Road ranch as well as the New York City art scene.

Costume designer Beatrix Aruna Pasztor also does some interesting work with the costumes, notably the cowgirls with their chaps, hats, and shirts to have them look masculine in a cool way. Sound designer Kelley Baker does some nice work in the film's battle sequence and road scenes though it's nothing spectacular in comparison to Van Sant's other films. The film's score by k.d. lang and Ben Mink is a highlight with its smooth, country style score and mix with rock where lang was hot at the time as her score and soundtrack is actually one of the best things in the film.

The casting by Sharon Bialy, Debi Manwiller, and Richard Pagano is interesting but distracting due to its slew of appearances from actors that are really just strange cameos. Appearances from Roseanne as a fortune teller, Grace Zabriskie and Ken Kesey as Sissy's parents, William S. Burroughs as himself, Udo Kier as a commercial director, Edward James Olmos in an un-credited appearance as a musician in a barbeque, Lin Shaye as a ranch maid, Heather Graham and alt-folk musician Victoria Williams as a couple of cowgirls, Ed Begley, Jr. and Carol Kane along with Crispin Glover and Sean Young as Julian's snobby entourage, and the late River Phoenix in one of his final film appearances as a pilgrim. Keanu Reeves makes an extremely bad appearance as Julian with an awful tan to make himself look Native American while sporting an even more wooden performance where he has no clue what he's doing.

Buck Henry is good as a doctor who helps Sissy while Treva Jeffryes is also good as the young Sissy. John Hurt gives a strange, stylish, yet overbearing performance as the Countess with a Southern-British accent that doesn't work while at times, some of his physical performances don't really work. Angie Dickinson isn't very good either as Miss Adrian as she isn't given much to do but complain and act all shocked. Noriyuki "Pat" Morita is pretty good as the Chink, a recluse from the mountains who is very eccentric and fun despite his aversion to politics. Lorraine Bracco is good in a strange yet hilarious role as Dolores, a peyote-taking cowgirl who claims to have all of these weird, psychedelic visions. Rain Phoenix is somewhat decent though not overall brilliant as Bonanza Jellybean as while she is memorable. Her performance doesn't leave much of an impression as she's just there to talk in a drawl and look good in chaps.

Finally, there's Uma Thurman in one of her early leading roles. While it's not a bad performance, it's nothing worth celebrating either. While Thurman can portray being beautiful and naive while having this kind of drawl in her accent. There's not much she's given throughout the film despite being the lead character yet Thurman seems lost and unsure of what to do as the lead. Some of that fault can be due to Van Sant's direction though Thurman does manage to have some fine moments.

Despite its intentions, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues is a messy, incoherent failure from Gus Van Sant. While fans of Gus Van Sant might see this for their own interest, it's clear that this isn't one of his great films as he's already becoming one of cinema's premier directors. Yet, for all of his great films that he's made like Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho, To Die For, Good Will Hunting, Elephant, Last Days, Paranoid Park, and more recently, Milk. Even Cowgirls Get the Blues is an interesting failure showing where someone as revered as Gus Van Sant can stumble. In the end, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues is a film that doesn't work despite Gus Van Sant's attempts to bring Tom Robbins' unique, eccentric cult novel to the big screen.

Gus Van Sant Films: Mala Noche - Drugstore Cowboy - My Own Private Idaho - To Die For - Good Will Hunting - Psycho (1998 film) - Finding Forrester - Gerry - Elephant - Last Days - Paranoid Park - Milk - (Restless)

The Shorts & Videos of Gus Van Sant - The Auteurs #4: Gus Van Sant

(C) thevoid99 2011

Drugstore Cowboy

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 11/15/05 w/ Extensive Revisions.

1980s independent American cinema helped open doors for films of all subject matters. One of them was drug abuse were many independent filmmakers took a more realistic, documentary-like perspective into the drug culture. One director in the late 80s went full-on for a dramatic approach in his exploration on drugs and his name was Gus Van Sant. After helming his 1985 debut feature Mala Noche, Van Sant had been hailed as a new visionary yet wasn't ready to move into the Hollywood circuits as he wanted to remain independent in his vision. No matter what subject he wanted tackle, even after a brief stint with Universal that failed. Van Sant moved to Portland, Oregon to create his tale of the drug world with 1989's Drugstore Cowboy.

Based on an unpublished novel by James Fogle, Drugstore Cowboy is a chronicle about four young drug addicts in 1971 Portland who scam their way into stealing pharmaceuticals at drugstores to feed their addiction. While evading a cop and staying at an apartment to plan their next heist, tragedy emerges as their leader tries to stay clean despite his wife's continuing addiction and the world he tries to leave behind. Adapted into a script by Van Sant and Dan Yost, the approach is more cathartic tale of four young, dysfunctional people living as a family while dealing with their addictions. Starring Matt Dillon, Kelly Lynch, James LeGros, Heather Graham, James Remar, Grace Zabriskie, Max Perlich, and Naked Lunch novelist William S. Burroughs. Drugstore Cowboy is a gritty, off-the-wall masterpiece from Gus Van Sant.

Longtime drug addict Bob (Matt Dillon) has made a career stealing and using pharmaceutical and prescription drugs with help from his wife Diane (Kelly Lynch). With help from a couple of young addicts in Rick (James LeGros) and Nadine (Heather Graham), they have been successful as Nadine fake seizures while the rest steal. Using these drugs for themselves, Bob also tries to deal with a fellow dealer named David (Max Perlich) who is trying to rise up in the game. Bob is also trying to avoid a cop named Gentry (James Remar) who often checks for any of the drugs Bob and his gang has stolen. During a visit to see his mother (Grace Zabriskie), Bob and Diane ponder their own future as they also try to find a new home.

When Nadine asks Bob about getting a dog, Diane reminds her about the superstitions that Bob has where he believes that a dog or a hat on a bed would curse them for some time. After a prank on Gentry during a police assignment, Bob and the gang leave Portland where another heist is foiled by Nadine's clumsiness. Forced to hide out again, Bob finds a drug he had stolen as he makes another attempt at a hospital that was almost successful. The jinx that Bob claims is happening finally hits someone forcing Bob and Diane to leave only to be trapped by a nearby sheriff's convention prompting Bob to go straight.

Returning to Portland, Bob goes into treatment as a counselor (Beah Richards) takes him in where he befriends a former priest named Tom (William S. Burroughs) whom bob knew as a kid. Tom's wisdom prompts Bob to lead a straight life as he gets some unexpected help from Gentry. Yet, Bob's past would come to haunt him as Diane makes a chilling return along with some old adversaries.

Most films about drugs would either glorify or just attack the culture yet in Van Sant's approach, the film is not really about drugs. From his view, it's really about a family and their dysfunctions while feeding their habits in stealing from drug stores. It's also a story about a man who lives a certain lifestyle only that he realizes that it's not cracked up to be only to try and straighten up. The script Van Sant and Dan Yost come up with is excellent for its realism as well as surrealism in Van Sant's direction that includes fantasy backgrounds in whenever Bob is getting high or is feeling elated about something. While the film has a sense of doom in the second act, the third act is where the story shifts into a story where Bob finds himself in a room full of addicts. The conversation is about drugs yet there's no judgement towards them since Van Sant is really viewing them as human beings.

Everything that Van Sant comes up with is very well, even with the ending where in Bob's narration, it has a sense of irony. The narration really brings a perspective in what Van Sant wants to say, especially since it's from the words of James Fogle, the story's original novelist. The narration is unique while the film starts and ends in the same place and same time. The structure is pretty original in how it builds up a story, especially in the death scene where the emotions are mixed on how Bob and his team react. A lot of the credit goes for Van Sant for not glossing anything or being exploitive at the same time.

Helping Van Sant with his outlook and arty visual style is cinematographer Robert Yeomen who brings a dreamy yet gritty look of the film in the exterior scenes in Portland while in the interiors, brings a wonderful intimacy with his lighting and camera work. Production designer David Brisbin and art director Eve Cauley also bring an authenticity to the look of the hotels and homes since the film is set in 1971 along with Beatrix Aruna Pasztor on the costume design, particularly for the clothing of Kelly Lynch and Heather Graham. With wonderful layers of cinematic visuals done by editor Curtiss Clayton, the film has a nice, multi-dimensional look in the dream backgrounds of Bob while it's nicely paced throughout the film. Composer Elliot Goldenthal brings a wonderful score to the film for its dramatic moments and dreamy sequences while the film features a nice soundtrack of late 60s/early 70s music.

Then there's the film's wonderful cast that is filled with realistic and powerful performances including memorable ones from Max Perlich as the naive drug dealer David who gets caught up in his power, Grace Zabriskie as Bob's strict but loving mother, and Beah Richards as a wise drug counselor. The most eerie performance of the entire film is late Beat novelist William S. Burroughs who gained notoriety for his drug novel Naked Lunch. Burroughs gives a mesmerizing and disturbing performance as a former priest who continues to use drugs while providing some strange insight into its culture and roots. James LeGros is excellent in his performance as the doltish but resourceful Rick who manages to find his way and help out Bob while being the only real supporter for his young, naive girlfriend Nadine. James Remar is also brilliant in his role as Gentry, a cop who is willing to do anything to bust Bob. Remar might seem like a villain but he brings a lot more sympathy for Bob in trying to help him straighten out and when Bob does go straight, Remar becomes an unlikely supporter.

The film's most surprising performance goes to a young Heather Graham as the naive, innocent Nadine. With her winning smile and naive behavior, Graham makes herself into a believable character who is new to the game while learning and after a series of screw-ups, Graham takes her character to new dramatic heights as her performance is the film's real breakthrough. Kelly Lynch is also great in her role as Diane, a veteran junkie who is aware of the traps of the game but remains very upbeat on all levels, even as Bob leaves to go straight. There's never a moment in which Lynch gives a dull performance as she graces the screen with her amazing beauty and intelligence.

Then there's Matt Dillon who gives probably the best performance of his career, especially at the time when he had fallen off the radar for a while after his great moment in the early 80s. Dillon brings a lot of complexity and charm to his role as an addict who seems to know everything. Even when it comes to superstitions and how to create a perfect scam and heist. When Dillon goes straight, we see him trying to struggle with his upcoming role only to become content right till the end. This is truly one of the best performances of the decade and a real reason in why Matt Dillon is one great actor.

Drugstore Cowboy is a wonderful yet provocative film from Gus Van Sant that features a great cast and superb imagery. While Van Sant's best work is yet to come with the gay road drama My Own Private Idaho, it's this film that put him into the map of the independent film movement. While more mainstream fans will find this interesting, it's more likely they'll enjoy To Die For and Good Will Hunting more though fans of his recent work will definitely love Drugstore Cowboy. For a film with a lot of grit, surrealism, great performances, and a wonderful style, Drugstore Cowboy is the film to see.

Gus Van Sant Films: Mala Noche - My Own Private Idaho - Even Cowgirls Get the Blues - To Die For - Good Will Hunting - Psycho (1998 film) - Finding Forrester - Gerry - Elephant - Last Days - Paranoid Park - Milk - Restless - Promised Land

The Shorts & Videos of Gus Van Sant - Auteurs #4: Gus Van Sant

(C) thevoid99 2011

The Hangover

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 12/26/09 w/ Additional Edits.

Already known for such comedy hits such as Old School and a film version of the hit 70s cop show Starsky & Hutch. Todd Phillips is one of the new breed of comedy directors who delves into the world of raunchy humor. 2006's Schools for Scoundrels with Billy Bob Thornton and Jon Heder wasn't a hit film with audiences or critics that put a dent of Phillips' streak of hit comedies that began with 2000's Road Trip. In 2009, Phillips rebounded in a big way with what turned out to be the biggest hit comedy of that year about a group of guys trying to figure what happened one night in Las Vegas through a slew of mayhem entitled The Hangover.

Directed by Todd Phillips and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore with un-credited rewrites from Phillips and Jeremy Garelick. The Hangover tells the story of four guys going to Las Vegas to celebrate a man's upcoming wedding. The next day, three of the men are hung-over as they find a tiger in their bathroom suite, a baby, and memory loss as the groom is missing. Meanwhile, they encounter a stripper, a gang of Chinese gangsters, and other strange occurrences in a crazy weekend. Starring Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha, Heather Graham, Sasha Baresse, Rachael Harris, Ken Jeong, Mike Epps, and Jeffrey Tambor. The Hangover is a witty film that doesn't reach a lot of laughs despite an excellent concept.

Doug (Justin Bartha) is about to get married his longtime girlfriend Tracy (Sasha Baresse) as he decides to go out on a weekend to Las Vegas. Joining him is Tracy's socially-awkward brother Alan (Zach Galifianakis) who is excited to go on the trip. Even as he will be taking the vintage Mercedes owned by Alan's father (Jeffrey Tambor). Joining them on the trip to Vegas is Doug's friends Phil (Bradley Cooper) and Stu (Ed Helms). Phil hopes from a break from his family life and work as a schoolteacher while Stu plans to propose to his longtime but very strict girlfriend Melissa (Rachael Harris). Arriving into Vegas where they stay at a luxurious suite, everyone is having a good time as they drink a shot of alcohol on the roof of the hotel they're staying.

The next morning, no one knows exactly what happens as Alan finds a tiger at a bathroom along with a baby in the closet, a hospital bracelet in Phil's wrists, and Stu missing a tooth. Doug is also missing as they also learn that they had stolen a police car that the valet gave them as they go to the hospital where they have traces of roofies in their blood stream. Learning that they were at a wedding that crazy night where Stu learns he has married a stripper named Jade (Heather Graham), they go to a wedding chapel where they encounter a couple of Asian gangsters shooting and beating up the police car. After finding Jade at her apartment where she's revealed to be the mother of the baby. They are suddenly caught by a couple of police officers (Rob Riggle & Cleo King) who are the original drives of the police car.

After taking part in a police exercise in exchange for their freedom, they also got back the Mercedes where on their way back to the hotel. They find someone in the trunk as it's revealed to be a naked Asian man (Ken Jeong) who beats them up as their day gets worse as Alan reveals the source of where he got the roofies thinking it was ecstacy. Returning to their hotel room, they get a surprise visit from Mike Tyson who was looking for his stolen tiger demanding that they give it back to him. Returning the tiger to Tyson proved to be troubling as they tried to drug the tiger only to wake up at the Mercedes while Tyson reveals the tape of what happened that night. After getting attacked by Asian gangsters that was led by the naked man who is named Leslie Chow. Chow demands $80,000 that he was owed or else Doug will be killed. With Doug's life in the hands of Chow, it's up to Alan's knowledge of card-counting to help them get the money with help from Jade as they succeed but end up with a surprise of their own as they wondered what the hell went wrong.

The story about three guys trying to find their friend while figuring out what the hell happened on a night they don't remember at all is definitely a great idea for a comedy. The problem is that it doesn't entirely work in its execution. There's some moments that are humorous and engaging to watch while the script is well-structured in its set-up. It's just that the script doesn't set-up the comedy as well as it should've been. There's time where the audience knows what will happen and it's not executed in a great way. At the same time, director Todd Phillips goes for moments of raunchy humor but it doesn't really hold itself together as a film. The better moments of Phillips' direction is when there's a surprise cameo from Mike Tyson that is funny along with scenes where Phil, Alan, and Stu are just trying to figure out what's going on in such a subtle presentation. Despite a lot of its flaws and shortcomings, Phillips does create a film that is watchable and engaging in its premise.

Cinematographer Lawrence Sher does nice work with the colorful look of the film, notably the nighttime flashy exterior of Las Vegas including some dark colors for the interior scenes at the home of Mike Tyson. Editor Debra Neil-Fisher does fine work with the editing in creating fast-paced moments to keep the film going along with the comedic moments while it's mostly leisurely paced for the most part. Production designer Bill Brzeski with set decorator Danielle Berman and art directors Andrew Max Cahn & A. Todd Holland do some good work in the look of the suite that the guys stay along with the look of the wedding chapel that they go to. Costume designer Louise Mingenbach is also good for the dresses that Jade wears and the casual clothes that the men wear. Sound designer Tim Chau does some fine work in the sound for some of the film's action-like sequences and location scenes.

The music by Christophe Beck is pretty good for its funk-keyboard style and comical musical sequences. Yet, the film's soundtrack is mostly filled with party songs and such from the likes of the Baha Men, Phil Collins (with singing by Mike Tyson), Wolfmother, Usher, Kanye West, T.I. & Rhianna, the Donnas, the Belle Stars doing Iko Iko in a funny reference to Rain Man, Danzig, and members of the cast singing their own original songs which are quite funny. Another notable soundtrack regular of Todd Phillips work is the Dan Band performing raunchy version of some 80s classics.

The casting by Juel Bestrop and Seth Yanklewitz is pretty good with some cameo appearances from Wayne Newton, Carrot Top, and most of all, Mike Tyson as himself in a very funny performance. Small roles like director Todd Phillips as a creepy guy in the elevator, Ian Anthony Dale and Michael Li as Chow's henchman, Mike Epps as an inept drug dealer, Bryan Callen as a wedding chapel owner, Sasha Baresse as Doug's fiancee, Matt Walsh as a doctor, and Jeffrey Tambor as Alan's dad are pretty good. Rachael Harris is intense as Stu's girlfriend Melissa though she doesn't have much to work with. Cleo King and Rob Riggle are funny as two angry cops who decides to abuse Stu, Phil, and Alan in front of kids at the expense of their amusement. Ken Jeong is kind of funny as an effeminate Chinese gangster in Leslie Chow that Jeong does go overboard with his performance at times.

In a role that was originally slated for Lindsay Lohan, Heather Graham is pretty good as Jade. A stripper with a heart of gold who helps the guys win money while helping Stu loosen up. Justin Bartha is decent as Doug, the groom who goes missing though he doesn't get much to do but be calm and then disappear throughout most of the film. Ed Helms is also good as the straight-man of the group in Stu, a man fearful of his girlfriend's anger as he loses a tooth and deal with the fact that he has to grow some guts in order to be a man. Bradley Cooper is excellent as Phil, a man wanting some freedom from his stressful family life as Cooper plays it straight for the most part of the film while saying some funny lines. Zach Galifianakis is alright as Alan, Doug's soon-to-be brother-in-law who is socially awkward as he tries to fit in where Galifianakis provides some funny moments. Mostly without pants.

While The Hangover doesn't have some of the off-kilter humor of Todd Phillips' previous films, it is still a decent comedy from the director with a good cast and premise. Fans of raunchy comedy will definitely enjoy this in what has definitely been a very down year for comedies. For anyone that wants something wild and fun to watch, The Hangover is the film to go see. Audiences with a much broader idea of comedy might best go for something else.

(C) thevoid99 2011

Nowhere

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 6/9/07 w/ Additional Edits.

When controversial Japanese-American director Gregg Araki came onto the indie film scene with his confrontational, nihilistic 1992 feature The Living End. The film was hailed as a landmark for the New Queer film scene while giving Araki an audience of disaffected youth, notably those who are homosexual. A year later, Araki embarked on his most ambitious project to date on a trilogy of film relating to teen angst which was known as the Teenage Apocalypse Trilogy. 1993's Totally Fucked Up and 1995's The Doom Generation won fans among the young and disaffected Generation X audience but was hated by more conservative film critics. In 1997, Araki completed his trilogy with a film that not only heralded the end of Generation X but the era of angst for his film Nowhere.

Written and directed by Gregg Araki, Nowhere tells the story of an alienated young man dealing with problems with his girlfriend as well as his own sexuality. Meanwhile, during this strange day, an entire group of young people deal with all sorts of troubles leading up to a party that would signify their own doom. Described by Araki as he quoted, "Beverly Hills 90210 on acid", the film is an exploration of pop culture, celebrity, and such featuring numerous cameos and appearances from then-unknown stars and such. Nowhere, despite its stylish imagery and quirky characters, falls into its overwhelming sense of angst as the days of 90s teen-angst comes to an end.

Taking a shower and masturbating at the same time, Dark (James Duvall) is fantasizing about his relationship with not just girlfriend Mel (Rachel True) but also his new classmate Montgomery (Nathan Bexton). The dream becomes more intense with the involvement of a couple of sadomasochistic women named Kriss (Chiara Mastroiannai) and Kozy (Debi Mazar) as Dark is woken up by the knocks of his mother (Beverly D'Angelo). Dark is an aspiring filmmaker wanting to finish a project for a class while dealing with his already failing relationship with Mel. Later getting picked up by Mel and her best friend Lucifer (Kathleen Robertson), they meet up with Montgomery as they eat breakfast at a coffeehouse. Learning that a party by a guy named Jujyfruit (Gibby Haynes) is being held tonight, Dark and his friends including Dingbat (Christina Applegate), Egg (Sarah Lassez), Alyssa (Jordan Ladd), and Cowboy (Guillermo Diaz) are excited. Cowboy is feeling frustrated by his boyfriend Bart (Jeremy Jordan) and his growing addiction to heroin.

While in the bathroom, Egg finds herself meeting up with a former teen idol (Jaason Simmons) while Alyssa leaves with her big, biker boyfriend Elvis (Thyme Lewis). With Dark, Dingbat, Ducky (Scott Caan), Lucifer, Mel, Montgomery, and Cowboy deciding to play a drug-version of kick the can later on, the day gets stranger when Dark sees a trio of Valley girls (Traci Lords, Rose McGowan, and Shannen Doherty) get zapped by an alien. Egg meanwhile, has a conversation with the teen idol only to have their romance become violent. Bart's descent into pain and addiction leads him to a drug dealer named Handjob (Alan Boyce) furthering his break with Cowboy. With the party happening later tonight, Mel's little brother Zero (Joshua Gibran Mayweather) is hoping to go bringing along his young girlfriend Zoe (Mena Suvari).

After a pre-game sex with Mel, Dark ponders his loneliness as Mel scoffs off his own feelings as they leave for the kick the can game with Dark providing Ecstacy. High on Ecstacy mixed with alcohol, the game ensues into something stranger when Montgomery encounters an alien. While looking for directions into Jujyfruit's party, Zero encounters Alyssa's nihilistic brother Shad (Ryan Phillippe) and his girlfriend Lilith (Heather Graham) going into a game of nihilistic sex. Zero eventually finds the direction as he tries to follow a trio of drag queens before getting his mom's car stolen by a trio known as the Atari gang. Egg and Bart, each descend further into their own troubles as they watch a preacher (John Ritter) on TV spreading his message.

After the game of kick the can, the rest of the gang minus Montgomery go to Jujyfruit's party where things become confusing. Dark’s melancholic behavior and Mel's desire for more open relationships only trouble Dark's behavior and the party later on. When Handjob arrives and news about Egg and Bart are revealed, things begin to fall apart on this day which was claimed by Alyssa to be the apocalypse. For Dark, the young man ponders about his own existence and wondering if he'll ever find true love.

While the film is directly inspired by Bret Easton Ellis' novel Less Than Zero, Araki chooses to go more into the world of 90s teen angst where by the time of its production, it's clear that angst was out. Despite some wonderfully stylish dialogue, intense direction, and such. The film lacks a very central plot where there's all of these little stories but some of them don't gel well together. The most interesting story surrounds Dark who is really the central character of the film and the film's main protagonist. The other stories, as interesting as most of them are, tends to make the film feel a bit episodic and uneven. While Araki definitely goes for ambition in this ensemble-driven, Altman-like style, it doesn't work as a whole.

Then there's Araki's ode to pop culture where at times, it's fun for whatever the characters are referencing and such. Yet, at the same time, it feels a bit distracted and being that it's in set in the mid-90s. A lot of these references feel very dated. There's no doubt that Araki is into style, even with his script, editing, and direction. There is a tendency where the film does feel like it's style-over-substance. It's not entirely his fault. It's just that he had set his ambitions to high where the film, like the title itself, goes nowhere on some parts. Yet, it does become a bit interesting in the third act where an act of violence and the aftermath surrounding Dark's behavior reveal a sense of loss in a world that's definitely changing. Despite a lot of the film's flaws, Araki does bring in some redeeming moments along with some memorable characters.

Cinematographer Arturo Smith creates a wonderfully colorful, stylish look to the film with its use of filters to reveal the mood of where the characters are at. Smith’s photography is definitely a highlight of the film that is vibrant and intense as Araki's unique style. Araki serves as the editor where despite the numerous storylines, does create some unique cuts, even the use of jump-cuts for a film with a running time of 82 minutes.

Production designer Patti Podesta and art directors Dan Knapp and Pae White create some great sets in the rooms some of the characters are in. Whether it's the polka-dots that Mel lives in, the room with Babyland lyrics that Bart lives, even the coffee house that the gang hangs out looks unique. Costume designer Sarah Jane Slotnick even goes for the film's unique style from the grunge-like clothes that the guys wear to dresses that Mel wear and wigs that Lucifer wears as well. Sound designer Mark A. Rozett does some excellent work in the sound from the noise of the alien blaster to the haunting sound during the kick the can game sequence.

A highlight in any of Araki's film is the soundtrack. Supervised by Peter Coquillard, Howard Paar, and Budd Carr. The film's soundtrack is a mix of Brit-pop, shoegaze, dream pop, industrial, and anything relating to the 90s alternative music scene. Featuring cuts by Suede, 311, Marilyn Manson, The The, Slowdive, Catherine Wheel, Hole, Babyland, James, the Cocteau Twins, Filter, Daft Punk, Nitzer Ebb, Sonic Youth, Curve, Blur, Mojave 3, the Verve, the Future Sounds of London, Ruby, Portishead, Jesus & Mary Chain, Coil, Elastica, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, and Nine Inch Nails doing a cover of Soft Cell's Memorabilia. It's a killer soundtrack of what was the mid-1990s.

Finally, we have the film's cast that includes cameos from My So Called Life's Devon Odessa and Step By Step's Stacy Keenan as two girls whose respective names are What and Ever, The Brady Bunch's Christopher Knight and Eve Plumb as Bart's Swedish Parents, Charlotte Rae as a fortune teller, Denise Richards as Lucifer's sister, David Leisure as Ducky & Egg's dad, video director Stephane Sednaoui as a photographer in the party, Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers, Traci Lords, Rose McGowan, Shannen Doherty, Chiara Mastroianni, Debi Mazar, and Beverly D'Angelo.

While most of these cameos are fun to watch and such. They tend to be a distraction of sorts where the audience it's like "Hey, there's you-know-who" and such. While it worked in Araki's last film The Doom Generation to some extent, it doesn't work this time around though it was funny to hear Chris Knight and Eve Plump talk in Swedish. Another cameo from the late John Ritter as a preacher is also a hoot to watch.

Former Baywatch star Jaason Simmons brings an unsympathetic, over-the-top performance as a teen idol who is really violent and such. Then again, it's not a performance until he becomes violent and not a very good one. Alan Boyce is good as the drug dealer Handjob whose dealing eventually leads him into trouble. Ryan Phillippe and Heather Graham give excellent, over-the-top role as nihilistic lovers who just love to have sex.

Jordan Ladd is nice as the luscious Alyssa while Thyme Lewis is good as the submissive, tough Elvis. In her film debut, Mena Suvari is good as Zoe while Joshua Gibran Mayweather is also good as Zero. Scott Caan is good as the stoner Ducky while Sarah Lassez is also wonderful as Egg, whose life crashes down after a violent encounter with the teen idol. Former teen-pop idol Jeremy Jordan gives a fantastic yet harrowing performance as the self-destructive Bart.

Guillermo Diaz is really good as the despondent Cowboy who mulls over Bart's self-destructive behavior. Nathan Bexton is good as shy, different-eye colored Montgomery who becomes an unlikely companion for the melancholic Dark. Kathleen Robertson is excellent as the cynical Lucifer who hates Dark and loves Mel yet only shares Dark's heartbreak over Mel's open lifestyle. Christina Applegate gives an excellent performance as Dingbat, who is really one of the rare observant characters in the film who tries to understand what's going on with the people around her.

Rachel True is one of the film's weak points not because of her performance but the character itself. It's understandable that she want an open relationship and such but her character really feels like it belongs in a different film. Then there's Araki regular James Duvall who is good in playing the despondent, depressed Dark who is trying to deal with relationship problems and such.

The film was released in 1997 in a lot of anticipation among Araki's fanbase. Being the third and final film of his Teenage Apocalypse Trilogy, it's often considered to be the weakest of the three. Especially for the fact that the film came out around the time 90s alternative rock was pretty much over with the rise a teen-pop movement. Another controversy surrounded over the fact that Araki briefly dated co-star Kathleen Robertson despite the fact that he was gay. Even as the two collaborated again for Araki's 1999 love-triangle romantic comedy Splendor.

In the end, despite some great performances, stylish imagery, and a great soundtrack, Nowhere is a good but messy affair by Gregg Araki. While more hardcore, independent audiences will enjoy his earlier work and more mainstream audiences will enjoy his recent feature, 2004's Mysterious Skin. Nowhere is a film that unlike some of his features, is a film that might be a nostalgic trip to watch now but a trip that won't be a total joy.

Gregg Araki Films: (Three Bewildered People in the Night) - (The Long Weekend (0' Despair)) - The Living End - Totally Fucked Up - The Doom Generation - (Splendor) - (This is How the World Ends (TV)) - Mysterious Skin - Smiley Face - Kaboom - (White Bird in a Blizzard)

(C) thevoid99 2011