Nice effects though.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Jenny: You like Patsy Cline? I just love her. I wonder how come she don't put out no more new records. Bobby: Because she's dead. Jenny: Oh... that's sad. Don't that make you sad? Bobby: I've had time to get over it.

Bobby (Sean Penn) is on his way to pay off a debt to a gangster who has already taken two fingers. His car breaks down as he pulls into desert outpost Superior, Arizona in the middle of nowhere. He leaves the car with Darrell (Billy Bob Thornton) the mechanic. He hits on Grace McKenna (Jennifer Lopez) but she's actually married to Jake (Nick Nolte) who catches them kissing. After punching him, Jake drives him back to town suggesting a scheme to kill Grace. A robbery at the store ends with his bag of money shot to bits. Darrell has his car ripped apart and wants $150 for the trouble. He calls the gangster who is not happy and sends a thug. At the diner, he talks to Jenny (Claire Danes) which provokes her boyfriend Toby N. Tucker (Joaquin Phoenix). Bobby goes to Jake with a proposal.Director Oliver Stone is throwing everything onto the screen but not enough of it sticks. He fills this with crazy characters. The music and sound is deliberately wacky. He's trying so hard that it almost hurts to watch this. The style is so random that it all gets a bit tiresome. The characters are not compelling and Sean Penn doesn't make me care about his character. The temperature may be hot but there is no heat about any of this.

The drifter Bobby just wants to get to Las Vegas and pay off his gambling debt. On the road in the Southwest, however, his car breaks down. He gets to the nearby small town of Superior, AZ, and he tries desperately to get back out. He runs into every kind of trouble conceivable there. Half the people he meets cause problems for him. The married couple of femme fatale Grace(an extremely hot Lopez at her most seductive, who does OK when asked to do anything more than be sultry and desirable, which she, of course, nails, pun intended) and Jake(Nolte, undeniably the creepiest presence in this, and he has serious competition for that award) both want him to kill their spouse. Darrell(Thornton in what may be his least appealing role... no, really; he's dumb, cheap, nasty and the oil on his face really gets to you) is the only chance nearby for getting the ride fixed back up, and he isn't exactly... well, all there. Blind Man Jon Voight is eccentric. And teenage Jenny(Danes, convincing as a proper little Lolita-wanna-be) falls in love with every new male face she sees with the same eagerness as her ill-tempered boyfriend Toby(Phoenix) is to beat up everyone she as much as talks to. The characters are memorable, quirky and distinct(even though there are so many of them, they all get a good amount of screen time, and we don't forget any of them). The majority of the acting is spot-on, and this makes solid use of the considerable talent featured. This is shot rather well. The editing will get on some people's nerves(it's very clearly a Stone film, and it's one of his greatest ones, as far as entertainment value goes), and it does arguably try a little hard, if it does succeed in building an atmosphere of unbearable heat, constant new obstacles, mistrust, violence and dirt(literal and figurative). Every time you think the central issue has been resolved, something new pops up to delay it. This manages to not frustrate the viewer, at least not to the point where we are unhappy with the movie... instead, we sympathize with the people(in spite of none of them being likable, without them being obnoxious to the point where you turn this off... they're interesting jerks, and that makes up for it) and their situation. The music by Ennio Morricone is excellent, and really fits the mood and tone. There is a lot of disturbing content and strong language, a little blood, nudity and sexuality in this. The DVD comes with a trailer(for this). I recommend this to any fan of those responsible for making it, and/or of filthy crime-drama-thrillers set in the middle of nowhere. 7/10

Compelling characters & cast drive film noir into excellent sunset.Have you every felt down on yourself. Nothing goes right during the day? Hmmmm? SEE his movie.With twists and turns along the highway of deceit and corruption, this is a great film to watch. With great dialog, acting, characters, and sound track/score I can't understand why this film didn't make more money at the BO.This dark comedy film noir is a character and cast buffet of delightful snacks. Imagine a town with: Hero on the run from the mob stranded in town, the local filthy, goofy rip-off backyard mechanic, a ultra hot sexy femme fatale, tough local sheriff, really crusty old local perverted rich guy, crusty old poetic blind man, cranky & flirty troublesome young couple, Russian mob hit man chasing Hero.Stir, simmer for two hours add Ollie Stone. Yummy! a great stew to be savored with a nice glass of Cabernet SauvignonGuys will need a cold shower after watching femme fatale Grace seduce Bobby while she is hanging her new curtains. (Does the carpet match the drapes?)EXTERIOR: DAY – JUNK YARDDarrell convinces Bobby that it will be hard to fix a blown radiator hose on his 1964 ½ Mustang. (Great Scene)