Lewis & Clark & George

Rose McGowen is one of those actresses who always have got me spellbound whenever on screen. For me it's the selling point of the dark, tongue-in-cheek neo-noir crossed southern cross-country road movie 'Lewis & Clark & George'. She radiantly plays George a mute, but her body language, kooky habits and that way she smokes that cigar is voluptuously presentable. It hard not to be infatuated, and there's one great sequence with her lip-syncing an old song number in the back of a pink Cadillac. Surrounding her are Salvator Xuereb and Dan Gunther as the two escaped cons. Xuereb brings random energy to his loose-wired, gun happy Lewis and Gunther's nerdy and squirmy take of Clark brings out the varying sides of the human nature between the three as they track down the hidden gold. Other than the three leading performances everything else falls down to being conventional even with its off-kilter and kinky strokes. The story (purely fantasy) is minimal with plenty of witty and trivial exchanges for comical effect (maybe they took a shine to Tarantino, but it reminded of the even better road movie that came out the same year 'Kiss or Kill') with numerous offbeat characters (look out for James Brolin, Paul Bartel, Aki Aleong and Art LaFleur) and fashionable objects. Even though it's thin on substance by virtually being tied up of bits and pieces, but it breezes by in no time nor does it outstay its welcome. It can get predictable (the usual mischievous and devious acts), but its relaxed vibe and stimulating character edge and chemistry are sure-footed. Writer / director Rod McCall uses some flashy, sped up (you know those hip) techniques (Michael Mayers smoothly rapid and inventive almost interpersonal photography style) and smartly inserts the rural locations into the action. Nothing about is fresh or stylish, but it's productively done for a slight production. The music soundtrack has a rock steady country swing that fits right in. A curious and involving low-key low-budget enterprise, but not without it lapses.

'Lewis & Clark & George' definately fits into a nitch- that of the black comedy road movie- but it does a good job of fulfilling the requirements of said nitch without becoming too generic. Rose McGowan is George, a gorgeous, deadly and mute young woman with a lot of tricks up her leopard-print sleeves. She has stolen a rare snake from a zoo, leaving her boyfriend to the devices of a mad bowler who proceeds to pursue her for the rest of the film. Not every character in this movie is a moron, as has been asserted. You can be pretty sure that George, at least, has a triple-digit I.Q. Lewis and Clark are a pair of escaped convicts, as different from each other as can be. Lewis is blond, illiterate, (it's a running joke that he keeps encountering and faking out other illiterate people,) and a cheerful murderer. Clark is dark-haired, a computer nerd, and would seem to have the sense of self-preservation Lewis lacks if not for the way he falls for George like a ton of bricks. They all share the desire to find a Mexican gold mine. There aren't any big mysteries here, except maybe how Rose managed to stay so pale shooting almost the whole movie in near-desert conditions. Fairly predictable things happen. It's a fairly predictable movie. Nonetheless, at least this predictable movie is fun while it lasts.

Road movie aren't found often today. Or maybe I should say, good road movies aren't found often today. This movie, with a short of cheesy plot, is fun to watch, especially if you enjoy Rose McGowan. It gives a whole new meaning to quality. Plus, you'd never guess the ending.

A bad Quentin Tarantino rip off, at least I hope that's what they were going for because at least then I could respect the director for admiring Tarantino. One scene a "singing" scene with Rose McGowan is far to well done and genius for this film and could have only been stumbled on by mistake by this director. So besides his Quinton inspiration and Rose McGowan and her one good scene this film sucked. Some of the crappiest dialogue I have ever heard, I'm willing to bet why McGowan doesn't speak much is because of how crappy her dialogue would have been. Tries to be funny, never is, tries to be dark and isn't, tries to be stylish and is just bland. Who dishes out the money to make movies like this, I'm hoping it was all the directors so no one else's money was wasted. If not for McGowan the whole cast is awful and when McGowan is your best hmmm, I gotta wonder.

The film starts out slow but changes as soon as Rose McGowan,a.k.a. George appears. The acting is pure brilliance. I have never seen anyone who could make such a character as believable as she has. The plotline was very,very thin but I believe that the acting saved the movie. If you're looking for great acting and to KILL a little time then this is the film for you.