True Romance
He’s a quirky comic book geek with a thing for Elvis. She’s a naïve southern girl and first time hooker.
When she’s sent to him as a birthday present, they fall in love and marry but as with any story penned by Tarantino, the action doesn’t end there. Clarence (Slater) indulges in some male bravado and goes to get back his new wife’s belongings. He has a run in with her violent pimp Drexl (Oldman) which culminates in a spectacular fight scene of the calibre we have grown used to from Tarantino. Amidst the confusion, Clarence ends up with a suitcase full of cocaine instead of Alabama’s (Arquette) clothes. The couple travel to LA to sell the white gold while, unknown to them, the rightful owners are hot on their heels and out for revenge. The film is worth watching for the fantastic last fight scene alone which is full of twists, turns and dead bodies. The only question is… who will be left standing by the end?
This film is a must see for all Tarantino fans and for fans of romance without a floppy haired hero in sight. A whole host of huge names often in small or cameo parts make this film all the better but without taking away from the fantastic individual performances and chemistry of Slater and Arquette as the central couple. Brad Pitt’s performance as Floyd the terminal stoner and Val Kilmer’s as the spirit of Elvis who guides Clarence through the whole ordeal are notable appearances.
This film bombards the audience with brilliantly shot images of blazing guns, brutal beatings and lots of gushing blood as well as a witty script and bags of style which combine to make for an extremely interesting tale. It is not a film which pretends to be something it isn’t and Tarantino sticks to what he knows best: violence and, as it has often been termed, “gutter poetry”, without trying to delve too deep into the psyche of the characters, leaving the film to stand alone as a piece of pure entertainment.
After watching this film, I was left echoing the words of Alabama… “You’re so cool.”
A true piece of movie escapism – you must see this movie.
Lucy Cadman
