Acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino has been turning out unorthodox style films with ensemble casts and gratuitous violence since his breakthrough in the early ‘90s. One of Tarantino’s earliest projects came as the writer for the 1993 action packed film “True Romance,” which also features one of the most unbelievable ensemble casts in the history of cinema. Fans of Tarantino’s work will quickly recognize similarities between scenes and concepts in “True Romance” and his most popular films “Reservoir Dogs” and “Pulp Fiction.” Like every Tarantino movie, “True Romance” also contains a horde of violence wrapped around an interesting story.
“If you gave me a million years to ponder I would never have guessed that true romance and Detroit would go together” narrates Alabama Whitman (Patricia Arquette) to open the story. Alabama has just moved to the cold streets of wintery Detroit from her home in Tallahassee and has gone to work as a call girl (though in four days she’s only had two clients, therefore deeming herself “not damaged goods.”) Alabama has been hired to perform congress with a socially awkward comic book store clerk named Clarence Worley (Christian Slater) for a birthday present but the two immediately fall in love with each other, get married at a courthouse and get matching tattoos in honor of their undeniable love.
Clarence’s idol Elvis Presley (Val Kilmer) appears as an apparition, urging Clarence to kill Alabama’s former pimp, a physically abusive drug dealer named Drexl (Gary Oldman.) After an altercation, Clarence returns with Alabama’s suitcase only to discover that the wrong one was taken, and he and Alabama are now in possession of millions of dollars worth of cocaine. After seeking advice from his father (Dennis Hopper) Clarence decides the best move is for him and Alabama to drive to Los Angeles where Clarence’s lifelong best friend Dick Ritchie (Michael Rapaport) is a fledgling actor and will have the necessary Hollywood connections to unload the coke. Pursuing Clarence and Alabama is mob boss Vincenzo Coccotti (Christopher Walken) and narcotics officers Nicky and Cody (Chris Penn and Tom Sizemore) as the young couple try to do whatever it takes to unload the drugs and start a new life with the cash.
A readout of the rest of the cast sounds more like a Fantasy Baseball lineup, with Brad Pitt, Bronson Pinchot (of TVs “Perfect Strangers” fame) Saul Rubinek, Victor Argo, and Tarantino fave Samuel L. Jackson making appearances to name just a few.
“True Romance” also houses several great scenes, a few of which are all time legends. The first most memorable one is the interaction between Clarence and the scoundrel Drexl. Gary Oldman, nearly unrecognizable as the one-eyed dreadlocked pimp delivers a memorable performance in his brief screen time, culminating with the dialogue fencing between he and Slater. Trumping that is a scene a short time later between two Hollywood titans, Christopher Walken and Dennis Hopper. Both are scenes you will want to rewind and re-watch multiple times as all players deliver breathtaking portrayals.
One of the best scenes I have witnessed in a film occurs when Alabama returns to the hotel room to find mafia thug Virgil (James Gandolfini) armed and waiting. What unfolds then over the next handful of minutes is a thing of cinematic beauty.
The real reason I wanted to watch and review “True Romance” was to pay proper homage to James Gandolfini, one of my favorite actors, who passed away recently at the young age of fifty-one, taken far too soon. While Gandolfini will always be synonymous with his groundbreaking role of Tony Soprano, Gandolfini was truly an artist at his craft of acting, lauded for his abilities to take on and become a character on screen.
Appearing in some fifty films, Gandolfini was never a leading star in a movie but rather an always powerful supporting character in such movies as “Crimson Tide,” “Twelve Angry Men,” and “Zero Dark Thirty.” But Gandolfini will always be remembered for the HBO television series “The Sopranos.” When I started watching “The Sopranos,” I quickly became mesmerized and in reverence of its undeniable impact on the history of television and with Gandolfini’s role as the antihero star of the show. “The Sopranos” was groundbreaking in its movie-like portrayal and led the way for other popular shows like “24,” “The Wire,” Breaking Bad,” “Prison Break,”…the list goes on. Bryan Cranston, star of “Breaking Bad” summed it up with a perfect tribute tweet. “I’m saddened by James Gandolfini’s passing. He was a great talent and I owe him. Quite simply, without Tony Soprano there is no Walter White.”
Growing up in relative poverty, Gandolfini never thought of himself as elite or above the fans. Always shying away from interviews, Gandolfini was well renowned as a regular guy who happened to be a terrific actor. “I’m an actor. I do a job and I go home. Why are you interested in me? You don’t ask a truck driver about his job.” he once said to the press. When “The Sopranos” ended, Gandolfini was able to do what so many other stars can’t seem to master; he left on top with people wanting more.
James Gandolfini wasn’t a movie star; he was simply a great actor.
– by Matt Christopher
3 Comments
The review was ok but need more depth maybe a little less focus on James and more on the film. If you want to talk about James’ films talk about all not just one.
Easily, the best work that Christian Slater has ever done! Add in the style of the all-star cast, an awesome movie that is in my top 10!
Thank you for the comments.
@Melvin 2580…the entire point of the review was to be a tribute to James Gandolfini. While a phenominal actor, Gandolfini never had a leading role in a film, and his performance in True Romance (in one single scene) demontrates how truely great a talent he was. I also loved his work in 12 Angry Men, but I had already reviewed that. Keep checking out The Buff and providing feedback, its always welcomed!