My #1 movie

Rating: 10/10 (22 August 2002)

Clarence Worley (Christian Slater) is a lonely, but pretty hip kind of guy. He works in a comic book store, is obsessed with Elvis Presley (he even talks to his ghost, whom of which is played by Val Kilmer), and has a thing for Kung-Fu films. Things take a turn for the better when Alabama (Patricia Arquette) walks into his life. They automatically fall in love and just days after they first meet, they decide to get married. Alabama, however, has a confession to make: She is a call girl and is determined to leave behind her old life in order to make a fresh start with Clarence. Even with all of this behind them now, Clarence still has something eating away deep inside him. It seems that he can't stand the fact that Alabama's former pimp, Drexl (Gary Oldman), who is also a white wannabe homeboy, is breathing the same air as he is. So Clarence decides to pay Drexl a visit. Drexl is not exactly anxious to let go of Alabama and so a shootout ensues which leaves Drexl dead and Clarence with a suitcase full of cocaine. Clarence walks away from the situation as a hero in the eyes of Alabama, but from this you can also conclude that he is very stupid, yet courageous. After the confrontation, Clarence hatches a brilliant scheme to go on a cross-country road trip to Los Angeles to sell the cocaine to a rich movie producer named Lee Donowitz (Saul Rubinek) and with the money, they can go anywhere in the world that they want. So Clarence reunites with his childhood buddy, Dick Ritchie (Michael Rapaport) and his slob of a roommate, Floyd (a very stoned Brad Pitt). Dick has setup a meeting with Lee through his connection with Elliot Blitzer (Bronson Pinchot) who is Lee's assistant. Clarence's plan seems perfect, except that what he doesn't know is, the cocaine that he stole actually belongs to a group of very p****d off mobsters who have come looking for it.
"True Romance" is now my all time favorite movie. The performances are excellent and with an all-star cast such as this one, how could it not be? Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette make a very good couple and you cannot help but praise their efforts for what they have to go through to start a new life with each other. Dennis Hopper and Christopher Walken have one great (and very offensive) scene together. Gary Oldman is totally off the wall as the wannabe homeboy, Drexl. Although he is only in two scenes, he does make a lasting impression. His first scene, which is during a drug buy with Big Don (Samuel L. Jackson), is amongst some of the best parts of the movie.
I cannot find a single fault with this movie. I have noticed that Quentin Tarantino has not received a lot of credit for this movie. That is most likely due to the fact that he did not direct this movie; that credit goes to Tony "Top Gun" Scott. Of course, since Tarantino DID write this movie, you can expect the following: witty dialogue, unbelievable characters, lots of dark humor, and at least two or more scenes of unsettlingly, brutal violence. To those who do not know what I am talking about, watch Patricia Arquette's encounter with James Gandolfini in the hotel room or watch the ever-famous "Mexican Standoff" at the end.
10/10