Great mix of comedy, romance, and thrills

Rating: 9/10 (23 November 2016)

A fresh and exciting crime thriller which mixes romance with the old-fashioned gangster antics that writer Quentin Tarantino is best known for. This is a hugely satisfying movie, well-directed by Ridley Scott's brother Tony, and with some fine cinematography which really comes out in the excellent action sequences. Despite the onslaught of screen violence and bad language, the strong, old-fashioned story is what keeps this watchable and entertaining throughout and it's nice to watch a film which doesn't take its audience for granted.
As well as the catchy tune that plays throughout, TRUE ROMANCE is blessed with an ensemble cast who help to bring out the various character nuances. Christian Slater is here, doing his young man Jack Nicholson stuff, yet he's never been more likable than he is now. Similarly Patricia Arquette's hooker-with-a-heart is an endearingly "cute" character that you can't help but warm to despite her many faults. Dennis Hopper is on hand as Slater's father, excelling in a torture sequence which expertly mixes comedy with graphic horror to great effect. Endearing comic character support comes from Bronson Pinchot as the dim-witted go-between to whom Slater tries to sell the drugs and Michael Rapaport as Slater's goofy wannabe-actor brother, Dick. Unforgettably evil are Gary Oldman and Christopher Walken as the villains of the piece, whilst minor roles are filled out by the familiar faces of Chris Penn, Samuel Jackson, Brad Pitt, and Val Kilmer, who has a weird Elvis-inspired role as Slater's imaginary "mentor".
Two superbly-crafted sequences stand out in my mind after watching this movie - the first is an exchange in the hotel in which Arquette is systematically beaten and tortured by one of Walken's sadistic henchman, looking for his cocaine. The moment in which the worm finally turns and Arquette fights back is more violent than in your average gore slasher, yet the scene is just so powerfully done with so much atmosphere that its unforgettable. Then there's the finale which involves a shoot-out to end all shoot-outs, and what can I say but "eat your heart out John Woo!". Excellent stuff. Any film fan should watch TRUE ROMANCE to find out how such a thriller should be made.