In the late 80’s and into early 90’s, director David Lynch turned television on it’s head with his brilliant cult series Twin Peaks. For two seasons he showed America what they had been missing by sleeping on his films such as Blue Velvet, Eraserhead, and even the much maligned Dune. But sandwiched in between Twin Peaks and it’s cinematic sequel/prequel Fire Walk with Me, he treated us all to the lunacy of Wild at Heart.
The story itself is rather simple. Sailor loves Lula with all his heart, but her mother doesn’t like it one bit, so she sends a whole bunch of weirdos to kill Sailor as they trek across the southwest.
This film, which took home the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and netted Dianne Ladd (as Lulu’s mother), has all the trappings of a David Lynch film. For those of you familiar with Twin Peaks you’ll see numerous actors making their way onto this new stage. Angelo Badalamenti provides the score, but unlike his mood setting masterwork in Twin Peaks, he brings a hint of heavy metal to the proceedings, which appears to be the favorite music of Sailor and Lulu. We’ve got brutal violence, abrupt tonal shifts, melodramatic acting, and plenty of scenes that will leave you asking what the hell you’re watching.
Did I mention the melodrama? Anyone who loves Wild Eyed Over Emoting Nic Cage, well this is the film for you. Adorned in his snake-skin jacket, which is a symbol of his individuality and his belief in personal freedom. Whatever he thinks it means, he’s an absolute delight and the chemistry he shares with Laura Dern is magic in every scene they have together. Their journey is what propels the movie and its their trip through the land of Oz that will keep you glued to your screen.
However, when they aren’t highlighted, prepare to stare wide eyed at the parade of oddballs that come across the screen, from the always disconcerting Crispin Glover, to the calming presence of Harry Dean Stanton, to the absolute vileness of Willem Dafoe’s Bobby Peru.
I can’t even begin to describe the world of Mr. Reindeer, but lets just say it involves a lot of nudity.
Will this movie be for everyone? Absolutely not. But if you’ve got two hours to spare and want to see perhaps the weirdest road movie this side of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, then by all means pull up a seat.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
