Product: Trouble Bound [VHS]
Rating: 2.0
Entertaining, over the top, risible and light road movie
Trouble Bound (1993) scores points for entertainment value and aconvincing dream-like quality to the story from a litany ofimplausible situations and risible events.It also has a hip and joyful soundtrack from start to finish,resminicent of numbers from Johnny Guitar Watson or Guitar Slim,other mini-moog and Miles Davis Quintet numbers, etc.This is a road movie, comprising various elements, ranging fromtexas hold'em poker games, provocative strippers, bar fist fights,a beating victim in the trunk needing to be disposed of, and atreasure hunt for a high roller's stash of cash, in between mobgang rivalry.The picture is also a comedy of sorts, not shy in actively urgingviewers see the lighter side of various absurd yet lethalconfrontations, some with gunplay, or concerning the rapportbetween Michael Madsen's character, (a decent card player), andPatricia Arquette chatterbox, 18 year old character, somehowshowing a juvenile set of mind, reminiscent in some ways to KateWinslet.Billy Bob Thornton and Seymour Cassel add texture to the story, andmore credibility.The humor does well, often from over the top situations, such asthe meeting held between Arquette and her grandma - the appearancealmost a parody of the original Godfather movie from itssuddenness or clear-break at a mansion estate in the context ofthe action. Another example is the exaggerated profanity which isrisible, especially in the gangland climax of the movie, and takenin context with a large number of comical earlier moments.This movie could have been improved with a wide-screen, but itisn't the case as it seems designed for the high school crowd basedon the dialog, although the story is more mature than that,centering on the underworld, gambling, showgirls, the mob, etc.In sum, this is an obviously entertaining Hollywood and TV stylemovie, underlining an imaginary world, comical, relaxed andappealing to the child in every man and woman. Worth seeing.