Love and a .45

Yes, we should thank the movie God for PULP FICTION, but it shouldn't have made people forget about this little cult item here. It premiered at the same time as PULP FICTION. Which other reason exists for the few votes here?

Tarantino-esq action thriller which is worth a look and will not disappoint fans of Quentin's films particularly True Romance. It has (lots of ) violence, rapid gun fire, white trash characters and a large dollop of that comic book humour that has got Quent where he is today. It is easy to see that this film takes its inspiration from the aforementioned film, but it does stand on its own feet as the script and the action is good enough to entertain you throughout. Bellows and Zellwegger are good in the leads and the supporting Rory Cochrane is great fun as their psychotic madman 'friend' out to settle a few old scores. Peter Fonda is a standout as Zellweggers' dad. Highly recommended.

I saw this movie late one night and was pleasantly surprised at how very good it was. Of course, it lacked in certain areas, and could have been better developed but I believe that if the budget was better, it would have succeeded.

This movie has a decent plot, really well-developed characters and very creative screen shots. I recommend this movie to anyone who is interested in Tarantino's style but by a different director. Definitely a cult classic.

Writer / director C.M. Talkington doesn't go about trying to reinvent the wheel when it comes to "lovers on the lam" cinema. He merely tells a decent, straightforward story (albeit with some pretentious narration), with the usual amount of sex and violence, as well as humour, style, and some irreverence. The main hook is that the couple at the centre of this tale are not inherently vicious, violent people; they merely resort to it when forced into a corner.

Hell, our main protagonist, "Watty" Watts (handsome Gil Bellows) is a veteran robber who regularly uses guns that AREN'T loaded, in an effort to avoid bloodshed. But he has a problem because he still associates with a fellow ex-con named Billy Mack (a memorable Rory Cochrane), an utter psychopath with an itchy trigger finger. They attempt a robbery, it goes bad, and "Watty" flees with his gal Starlene (the enchanting Renee Zellweger); Billy, a pair of loan sharks (Jeffrey Combs, Jace Alexander), and the law pursue them.

"Love and a .45" is an amusing, visceral modern crime thriller with some fun touches. It acknowledges the debt that all movies of its kind owe to the granddaddy of them all, "Bonnie and Clyde". It also seems influenced by Tarantino, but in truth this was filmed *before* "Natural Born Killers", to which people often compare this one. It wouldn't work quite as well if we didn't like the two main characters to some degree, and "Watty" and Starlene make for a pretty engaging coouple. Granted, he does get annoyed with her towards the end, since it's clear she's enjoying her status as a "celebrity", and sometimes courts trouble.

The whole cast is great in this thing; it's too bad that Bellows and Cochrane never became bigger stars (of course, we all know that Zellweger went on to bigger things). They're supported by a variety of familiar faces. Peter Fonda is a hoot, well cast as a modern hippie who now has to speak using one of those voice generators. Michael Bowen, Jack Nance, Ann Wedgeworth, Wiley Wiggins, and Charlotte Ross round out the cast. It's particularly fun to see Combs outside the horror genre and delivering a flamboyant, priceless performance.

Aided and abetted by its soundtrack, "Love and a .45" is worth a look for those movie lovers who seek out efforts like this that never quite got their due.

Seven out of 10.

Some lazy and uninformed Critics and Reviewers can't help themselves and immediately lash out at this Movie's similarity to others Directed by Tarantino, Rodriguez, Stone, and Lynch. Truth of the Matter is that when Films are so near in release dates it is unfair and somewhat inaccurate to claim thievery.

It is more likely and a bit Metaphysical that these Creative Folks were all tapping into that Akashic Record thing or what may be called the Hundred Monkey Theory. Whatever. This is a very good, Fun-Frolic Road Movie with White Trash Anti-Heroes and a Kick-Ass Soundtrack. More quirky characters than have a right to exist in any one Movie and some Witty Banter that makes it all quite a Rolicking Ride.

It is over the top, around the bend, down the rabbit hole and off into outer space. Nutzoid and Naughty, Dirty and Delightful, with a Cast that cries out Cult Movie. It is proudly self-conscious, Violent, and Funny enough for it to become part of the Zeitgeist that was working in its Day and can not be ignored. This one will do nothing but gain Reputation and Admiration acquiring more Fans every Year.

It was an easy thing to miss and dismiss this in the Mid-Nineties but if nothing else, the Success of Renee Zellweger will have the curious seeking this one out as a Career Starter and while she is a standout here, this Movie has more to offer and does so with layers of interest far beyond anything as shallow as Star Power. It gets its energy from a Chemical Compound and a Cultural Milieu that is forever Fascinating.