Check it out

Rating: 8/10 (7 June 2005)

One can easily see the Tarantino influence in this film, with the stylized violence, the amoral/heroic characters, and the fixation on using the word "nigger." It's a pretty good script, but I think taking out of linear time, "Pulp Fiction"-style would have been a mistake. The cast collected for this film was awesome. Samuel L. Jackson in a very small part, almost a cameo. Dennis Hopper was tremendous in his last scene, as was Christopher Walken. Even James Gandolfini, who would have been relatively unknown then, put in a very good turn. Much of the rest of the supporting cast was also excellent, with the possible exception of Gary Oldman, who went just a little far over the top. Now, Christain Slater is a pretty good actor, and I've enjoyed some of his stuff. For that matter I enjoyed this one. But with these giants in the cast, Slater fairly obviously comes up short. And mention must be made of Patricia Arquette, who more or less stole the show. Her portrayal of Alabama's defiance in the scene with Gandolfini should be a cinematic classic. If you can stand the violence and profanity, I recommend checking this one out.