Made in U.S.A.

With a young Chris Penn starring in this road trip film I was optimistic I was in for a good ride, but all the movie delivered was more like a boring Greyhound bus trip I once took, where all the roads looked the same, and the strange people along for the trip wore blank faces with zero personality. The chemistry between the three lead actors just never materialized and as I kept waiting for something, or anything even remotely interesting to happen on their road trip the film ended abruptly as if my bus had hit another flat tire and the bus driver told everybody to evacuate the bus and wait for the next bus to arrive without a timeline.

This was not a memorable film, and fortunately Chris Penn's career evolved an d he went on to make some great pictures before his life was ended prematurely. God rest his artistic soul. This movie may not have killed his career prematurely but it certainly did nothing to enhance his film portfolio either.

A meager 5 out of 10 rating.

Very forgettable road movie, that wants to provide an ecological message, but the only message I received was how boring this film is. The words meandering, aimless, and pointless, immediately come to mind when describing "Made in USA". The late Chris Penn in an early role is why I picked this one up, but his performance cannot save what is essentially one long lesson in irresponsibility. Two out of work friends from Pennsylvania's coal cracking region, stealing cars on their way to California, is not enough to maintain interest. Like Centralia Pennsylvania, and Times Beach Illinois, which are prominently featured, the entire film is a slow death experience. Not recommended. - MERK

Chris Penn and Adrian Pasdar leave their dying coal town in Pennsylvania and begin a road trip to California with a spree of petty thievery and car theft. When they pick up Lori Singer, the crimes grow larger.

There was some fighting between director Ken Friedman and the suits at Hemdale over the final cut. What survives is a movie about two dumb drifters who fall in with an equally ignorant but politically radicalized woman. There's contempt in this movie, not just for the principals, but the society which created them. It's beautifully shot by cinematographer Curtis Clark, particularly the landscapes in Arizona and New Mexico. The people, however, are all ugly, either physically or spiritually. The editing is also poor; there's a major subplot in which they steal a truck, the truckers organize an effort to find them, and that's the last heard of them.

Friedman apparently showed his own cut at Cannes, there were lawsuits, and this version trickled out on tape over the next few years. While it is possible his version was a better one, we can't know that. What survives is a movie about three dumb drifters who stick it to the Man to little purpose.

Made in USA i suppose is not for everybody. its simply about these two guys going cross country to of course California. listlessly, they drive through town after town until they bump into Lori Singer. she's a little crazy and i guess one of the better scenes of the the film is when she takes them to her house and they see the town she lives in and her mother...its not really a well deserved shock, but the film later becomes very interesting when their explorations leads to noble foolery.

Made in USA, takes you on a strange ride; although, it has its bumps and scratches, you will probably end up enjoying where you are dropped off.

Like most people I saw this movie by accident. I then hunted down a copy on VHS and found it in a bargain bin at my local Blockbuster. This film gets better on repeat viewing. As a fan of road movies this film is an unappreciated little gem. Like other lost films of the 80's, like Miracle Mile, I hope a DVD will be released eventually. Why is it worth checking out? 1. It stars the late, great Chris Penn and 80's bad boy Adrian Pasdar, of another 80,s cult classic, Near Dark ,fame. 2. The sound track arranged by Sonic Youth, inc. tracks by Timbuk 3 and World Party, like any good road movie ,is excellent, e.g. Wild At Heart and Easy Rider. 3.What makes this different, unlike most road movies, is that it shows the America not of wonderful scenery and natural beauty but of ecological and economic decline during the era of Reagonomics. 4. The cinema-photography is extremely powerful, showing us a normally unseen side of the American landscape. 5.With its unsympathetic characters, on the road, looking for redemption in one form or another,the film is a nod to Easy Rider. But this being the 80's they travel by stealing cars or trucks, pass through ecological disaster areas and the goal of their quest is a beach babe in a surfing magazine. The possible reason for the film's disappearance? 1.Lori Singer. Lori Singer. Lori Singer.Oh ,dear remember her? a flaky character played by Miss Kooky 1988. 2. The wolf.This story thread just does not make any sense at all. All cult films must have some moments of imperfection. But for it's bravery in going against the grain in the era of Rambo it deserves some recognition.