Lewis & Clark & George

I've never understood why movie-makers are so fascinated by idiots who kill people for no apparent reason. Personally I find idiots who kill people for no apparent reason about as interesting as slugs, and there is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that this movie would have been *WAY* more interesting and rewarding if slugs had been substituted for all the principle characters.

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.

Movies of this ilk are built on the false conceit that just below the surface of the social fabric of life in the US there is a pervasive swamp of bizarre and outright murderous personalities erupting haphazardly but daily through the surface and giving evidence of the "true" dementia ready to cascade quite randomly into "everyday" existence. There may be eight million stories in the naked city but most are damned boring and far more subject to quiet desperation than to blatant murder and mutilation. This is a young film maker's early effort but, hey, how about a little originality. The reality is that there is nothing new to the filmatic depiction of escaped gun-toting idiots, whores, and the David Lynch-like presumption that surrealism is more real than reality. I guess its just difficult to make good, interesting movies out of the humdrum disasters, desires, tragedies, and triumphs of un-extreme, mainstream life. But that is why intelligence, perception, and creativity are the necessary concomitants of achievement. Everbody in this movie is a moron. This is not hyperbole. Everybody in this movie (apart for a dog and one Mexican) is an outright moron. Every waitress, mailman, passerby, and, especially, cop is a pinhead. Check out Treasure of Sierra Madre, Bogie's Desperate Hours, any of Cagney's criminals, or It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World for the roots of this lightweight kill-a-thon. My God, its so predictable.

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.

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.