roujin's 5th verdict: taking back what's mine
River's Edge vs. Border Radio
River's Edge Tim Hunter, 1986
That one dude from
Lost randomly kills his girl. He leaves the body next to the river and goes back to the school and tells a few friends. Then he takes them back and they all see the body. This is their friend. Yet they barely have a reaction. The film is kind of about their non-reaction, about how seemingly desensitized they are to what should be something that is jarring. Interesting stuff, for sure. But do you really need an entire character (their teacher) lecturing to his students about this very topic? (he's more ranting against his students than anything and it's extremely annoying) The film boasts some solid filmmaking, but its continually screwed over by its acting and its writing. Crispin Glover is
awful in this movie. Just horrible. I couldn't stand to look at him, to listen to him, he's just
wrong; and because of this whatever emotional connection there could've been was pretty much impossible. On the writing side, Keanu's kid brother is just ridiculous. His little subplot with the gun (and the last minute reversal - maybe there's hope for this newer generation!) is just baffling. What is this doing in this movie? Anyway, I didn't really like this movie, but it's not all that bad. It shouldn't be in the 2nd round though.
Border Radio Allison Anders + Kurt Voss + Dean Lent, 1987
And
River's Edge wouldn't be in the 2nd round if this movie hadn't turned out to be awful. It's the story of... uh, what the CINECAST! is the story? I think it has something to do with some musicians who steal some money and run down to Mexico to hide for a while. But, it doesn't really matter cuz any interest in the happenings in the movie is ruined at any point by any of the following things: no pacing, awful semi-improvised dialogue, absolutely no form, no structure, just nothingness. The whole thing just blerghs along until it just stops. I'll be completely honest: I really wanted to turn it off about 30 minutes in. Aside from an insider's look at the 80's Los Angeles punk scene (and a great soundtrack), I do not see the positives. Maybe you had to be there. What the CINECAST! is this doing with a criterion release? The whole thing just reeks of student film nonsense.
River's Edge moves on, I guess.