My New Gun

Everything in this movie seems to me to have evolved rather than being contrived as is so often the case in American comedies. The characters are all credible, and some are refreshingly likeable while the "bad" guys get what they deserve, but only that rather than the overkill typical of moralistic movies. Stacey Cochrane's debut as writer/director.

I LUV the pacing of this film - it just sails along completely untroubled by the constant irony - all the actors play off of each other with perfect timing and reaction - Diane Lane. Playing the central character, plays a young housewife consistently at a total loss but forging on nonetheless, Stephen Collins is, as always, solidly in role as the witless husband, and James Le Gros as the "Skippy" character is a bemusingly understated suburbia Rebel Without a Clue.

Director/Writer Stacy Cochran is in full control of the film - unusual for a Director/Auteur - and keeps the overall look, feel, timing, and timing of the whole thing in beautiful sync.

Favorite line: Diane Lane in marvelously modulated deadpan: "You're a fishy guy, aren't you Skippy."

Catch this one if you can, it's fun and a little camp, and lot of professional work and performances that are a pleasure to watch proceed through the narrative.

I really liked the movie "My New Gun." It is very original, funny, suspenseful, and crazy all at the same time. The characters are all portrayed wonderfully, but in my mind the best performance was by Tess Harper, who played Kimmy Hayes. Ms. Harper was the perfect actress for the role, and she made all of the pieces fit together. This is one of my favorite movies.

Dark comedy, more puzzling and inscrutable than satisfyingly quirky, centers on the ever-changing circumstances happening to a modern day suburban couple who bring a gun into their house. Writer-director Stacy Cochran seemingly has a lot to say about "internal and external regeneration," but never manages to put all her thoughts together (the people in her screenplay talk haltingly, measuring their thoughts between their words). As a result, we're drawn to Diane Lane's lovely, quizzical concern as the housewife to doctor Stephen Collins but not much else. The scenario is intentionally vapid, with these neighborhood weirdos living in a vacuum, but Cochran isn't able to make her sideways vision funny or interesting. *1/2 from ****

Overall I felt that this was an extremely well written movie. I had not heard of it the first time it came out, but a friend recommended it to me and I just loved it. I even suggested it to my in-laws who loved it as well, and they don't like anything. I loved the angle the writer used. The plot is not like all the other boring ones seen in the theaters today. You are never quite sure what will happen next, because everything that happened was not expected. The dialoge is smart and quick bringing in a plethora of one liners that provoke laughter. Best part....see Diane Lane at such a young age and still giving a great performance. This is a great date movie too because the sexual tension is done extremely well.