list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around True Romance on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/True_Romance/36005/default.aspx Title: True Romance
Year: 1993
Director: Tony Scott
Plot: Quentin Tarantino scripted this wild and wooly blend of action and dark comedy, which reached theaters a year before his breakthrough hit Pulp Fiction. Clarence Worley (Christian Slater) is a well-meaning but socially unskilled comic-shop clerk whose idea of a big night out is catching a Sonny Chiba triple-feature at a downtown grindhouse. Clarence is celebrating his birthday in just such a manner when he meets a beautiful girl named Alabama (Patricia Arquette), and it's love at first sight for both of them. Clarence's enthusiasm isn't dampened much when he discovers Alabama is actually a prostitute who was paid by his boss to bump into him; she's only been in the business for a few days, and is more than eager to give up streetwalking to be with Clarence. However, Alabama is certain her pimp, Drexl (Gary Oldman), will not be happy; he's an ill-mannered sort with mob connections and a fondness for violence. Chivalrous Clarence offers to break the news to Drexl and collect her belongings, but he doesn't tell her he also plans to kill Drexl while he's there; a melee breaks out that leaves Drexl and his henchmen dead. Clarence grabs a suitcase that he thinks contains Alabama's clothes, but he discovers it instead holds five million dollars' worth of cocaine. The couple hits the road for California, planning to sell the dope and enjoy the good life in South America with the proceeds, but soon a group of very unhappy underworld characters are after them, as well as the police. True Romance also stars Dennis Hopper as Clarence's father, Christopher Walken as a mob boss who wants his cocaine back, Brad Pitt as a cheerful stoner, and Val Kilmer as the ghost of Elvis Presley. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 50
Number of Lists: 59
Number of blog posts: 4
Number of discussion threads: 10
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:31:01 GMTTrue Romance1993Tony Scott<a href="/players/P___113658/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Quentin Tarantino</a> scripted this wild and wooly blend of action and dark comedy, which reached theaters a year before his breakthrough hit <a href=/films/89494/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Pulp Fiction</a>. Clarence Worley (<a href="/players/P____66187/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Christian Slater</a>) is a well-meaning but socially unskilled comic-shop clerk whose idea of a big night out is catching a <a href="/players/P____12789/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Sonny Chiba</a> triple-feature at a downtown grindhouse. Clarence is celebrating his birthday in just such a manner when he meets a beautiful girl named Alabama (<a href="/players/P_____2423/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Patricia Arquette</a>), and it's love at first sight for both of them. Clarence's enthusiasm isn't dampened much when he discovers Alabama is actually a prostitute who was paid by his boss to bump into him; she's only been in the business for a few days, and is more than eager to give up streetwalking to be with Clarence. However, Alabama is certain her pimp, Drexl (<a href="/players/P____53946/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Gary Oldman</a>), will not be happy; he's an ill-mannered sort with mob connections and a fondness for violence. Chivalrous Clarence offers to break the news to Drexl and collect her belongings, but he doesn't tell her he also plans to kill Drexl while he's there; a melee breaks out that leaves Drexl and his henchmen dead. Clarence grabs a suitcase that he thinks contains Alabama's clothes, but he discovers it instead holds five million dollars' worth of cocaine. The couple hits the road for California, planning to sell the dope and enjoy the good life in South America with the proceeds, but soon a group of very unhappy underworld characters are after them, as well as the police. True Romance also stars <a href="/players/P____94825/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Dennis Hopper</a> as Clarence's father, <a href="/players/P____74206/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Christopher Walken</a> as a mob boss who wants his cocaine back, <a href="/players/P____56988/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Brad Pitt</a> as a cheerful stoner, and <a href="/players/P____38142/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Val Kilmer</a> as the ghost of <a href="/players/P___107032/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Elvis Presley</a>. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide50Tag Target (>10)594103http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/u37745b8jk8.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/True_Romance/36005/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/mbsgirl/archive/2009/11/10/44338.aspx Post By: mbsgirl
Post To: mbsgirl Blog
Post Date: 11/10/2009 10:33:19 AM
Body: This is a great movie. This move was actually split into two movies once it hit the editing room because it was way too long. The part that was cut from this piece was mad into Natural Born Killers. If you are a Tarantino fan then this is a must see. Go buy it even because you will want to watch it over and over.
]]>Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:33:19 GMTmbsgirlmbsgirl Blog11/10/2009 10:33:19 AMThis is a great movie. This move was actually split into two movies once it hit the editing room because it was way too long. The part that was cut from this piece was mad into Natural Born Killers. If you are a Tarantino fan then this is a must see. Go buy it even because you will want to watch it over and over. http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Re_Which_of_these_films_that_excessively_use_the_w/657/41710/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 4/23/2009 11:05:44 AM
Body: [quote user="Phantasma-gore-ia"] Was there some unknown problem with Pulp Fiction and it's close to 300 uses of the said word? Or is it just me? [/quote] What do you mean by an "unknown problem"?? If you are asking why Pulp Fiction didn't make the poll I can kind of go through my procedure for picking. I found this link on wikipedia first of all: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_that_most_frequently_use_the_word_%22fuck%22 According to that link Pulp Fiction uses the word a notable 265 times. But I was looking at movies that used the word the most frequently rather than the most overall. So although the film uses the word nearly as many times as the other movies listed, it has an over 2 and a half hour running time which is fairly long, so the number of uses per minute is 1.72 which doesn't quite measure up to the other films on the list. Some other notable films that actually use the word more requently than Pulp Fiction: Jay and Silent Bob Strike BackMenace II SocietyCasinoSummer of SamThe Big LebowskiThe Boondock SaintsGoodfellasSpunTrue Romance (another penned by Tarantino)American History XThe Blair Witch ProjectBad Santa
]]>Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:05:44 GMTRisseladaMovie Polls4/23/2009 11:05:44 AM[quote user="Phantasma-gore-ia"] Was there some unknown problem with Pulp Fiction and it's close to 300 uses of the said word? Or is it just me? [/quote] What do you mean by an "unknown problem"?? If you are asking why Pulp Fiction didn't make the poll I can kind of go through my procedure for picking. I found this link on wikipedia first of all: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_that_most_frequently_use_the_word_%22fuck%22 According to that link Pulp Fiction uses the word a notable 265 times. But I was looking at movies that used the word the most frequently rather than the most overall. So although the film uses the word nearly as many times as the other movies listed, it has an over 2 and a half hour running time which is fairly long, so the number of uses per minute is 1.72 which doesn't quite measure up to the other films on the list. Some other notable films that actually use the word more requently than Pulp Fiction: Jay and Silent Bob Strike BackMenace II SocietyCasinoSummer of SamThe Big LebowskiThe Boondock SaintsGoodfellasSpunTrue Romance (another penned by Tarantino)American History XThe Blair Witch ProjectBad Santa http://www.spout.com/blogs/usesoap/archive/2008/9/14/35134.aspx Post By: usesoap
Post To: usesoap Blog
Post Date: 9/14/2008 10:36:27 PM
Body: I can envision moviegoers exiting “Burn After Reading” with the same befuddlement some have stated upon witnessing Joel and Ethan Coen's Oscar-winning “No Country for Old Men.” In fact, the directors are gracious enough to have one of the characters (a hilariously deadpan J.K. Simmons) say it for them: “So just what have we learned from all this?” His fellow C.I.A. officer squirms and kind of shrugs. I could sense the audience grumbling in agreement. But I could not join my fellow patrons in their dissatisfaction, for “Reading” was as unexpected, meandering, and precision-crafted as any of the brothers' comedic outputs. And it was a hell of a lot of fun. In fact, if I may commit an act of heresy amidst my fellow film-loving friends, I had more enjoyable time here than on my initial viewing of “The Big Lebowski.” While it may fall in the middle of the Coens comedic library (wedged above “The Hudsucker Proxy” and slightly below “Fargo” -- with “Raising Arizona” being the pinnacle, and “The Ladykillers the nadir), it's worth it if only for the inspired insanity they allow from their cast, better known for its dramatic endeavors. Those who seek sleek narrative construction in a Coen Brothers film are more likely to find an Oscar on the shelf of Larry The Cable Guy. For they have spent the latter part of their careers rearranging the blocks of structure, repeatedly flipping the bird to cinematic expectations. They make it clear that in “Reading” we are not entering the world in which you and I dwell. It is far distanced from the harsh realism that soaked “No Country.” Sure, they look like humans we may recognize, but they are more akin to live-action cartoons. John Malkovich plays an uptight C.I.A. Desk monkey named Osbourne Cox who is unceremoniously dumped from his rather slight job within the agency. In a profanity-filled tantrum, he stomps out, threatening to burn things to its foundation with a scathing tell-all. Unfortunately, Cox is but a mere Dilbert-esque drone whose words ring rather hollow to an indifferent employer. Things are no better at home, either. His zamboni of a wife (Tilda Swinton) icily plows over his every statement, paving over it with her own dilemmas, like, did he pick up the right cheese for the evening's dinner party. She wants things picture-perfect, for one of the guests in Harry Pfarrer (played by George Clooney), a married, philandering Treasury employee proud of the fact that he's never fired his gun in 20 years of service and an apparent connoisseur of hardwood floors. As their affair deepens, Cox's wife secretly begins amassing information from her husband's various accounts to hand over to her divorce lawyer. The information is compiled on a compact disc that gets left on the floor of Hardbodies Gym, which had the misfortune of having Chad Feldheimer (played by Brad Pitt) and Linda Lidzke (played by Frances McDormand) as employees. Chad, with hair piled high like an encroaching tidal wave, gets it into his whiffle-ball-like head that this disc's owner must be really important because there are lots of numbers and codes and stuff located within (to Chad, a disc of Sudoku puzzles would be equally confusing). Linda, who longs for a series of expensive plastic surgeries to battle time is more than happy to be his accomplice in trying to extort cash for the found information. The series of events that unfold are, at turns, hysterical, violent (sometimes simultaneously), irreverent and irrelevant. It's the enthusiasm in which each actors attacks his or her role that stokes “Reading's” flames. McDormand is so caught up in her attempts at vanity, she's blind to a fellow employee who not-so-subtly longs for her; Clooney successfully hides his striking features under a number of obnoxious tics and crippling paranoia; Malkovich is at his arrogant best, referring to his self-indulgent musings of life at the agency as his phonetically correct “mem-wah.” But from the moment he bops onto the screen about 20 minutes into the picture, there is no mistaking that this is Pitt's picture. When confined to such dramatic mush as “Seven Years in Tibet,” “Meet Joe Black” and “Legends of the Fall,” the actor can come off as a stilted mannequin, hired more for marquee value. But throughout his career, in smaller roles such as “True Romance,” and “12 Monkeys” when he's able to let his freak flag fly, Pitt's a comedic tsunami. Nowhere is it more evident than in “Reading.” Chad is a man so blissfully unaware of just how over his head he is when he hatches his plot, it's surprising that he even remembers to wear pants in public. What you may not find in “Reading” is something that neatly wraps up it's tale in a traditional fashion. For some, this will be unforgivable, but for those who happily vibe along with the cast until, quite literally, the book is closed on this tale, they will find the eccentric comedy is just the right shade of black.
]]>Mon, 15 Sep 2008 02:36:27 GMTusesoapusesoap Blog9/14/2008 10:36:27 PMI can envision moviegoers exiting &ldquo;Burn After Reading&rdquo; with the same befuddlement some have stated upon witnessing Joel and Ethan Coen's Oscar-winning &ldquo;No Country for Old Men.&rdquo; In fact, the directors are gracious enough to have one of the characters (a hilariously deadpan J.K. Simmons) say it for them: &ldquo;So just what have we learned from all this?&rdquo; His fellow C.I.A. officer squirms and kind of shrugs. I could sense the audience grumbling in agreement. But I could not join my fellow patrons in their dissatisfaction, for &ldquo;Reading&rdquo; was as unexpected, meandering, and precision-crafted as any of the brothers' comedic outputs. And it was a hell of a lot of fun. In fact, if I may commit an act of heresy amidst my fellow film-loving friends, I had more enjoyable time here than on my initial viewing of &ldquo;The Big Lebowski.&rdquo; While it may fall in the middle of the Coens comedic library (wedged above &ldquo;The Hudsucker Proxy&rdquo; and slightly below &ldquo;Fargo&rdquo; -- with &ldquo;Raising Arizona&rdquo; being the pinnacle, and &ldquo;The Ladykillers the nadir), it's worth it if only for the inspired insanity they allow from their cast, better known for its dramatic endeavors. Those who seek sleek narrative construction in a Coen Brothers film are more likely to find an Oscar on the shelf of Larry The Cable Guy. For they have spent the latter part of their careers rearranging the blocks of structure, repeatedly flipping the bird to cinematic expectations. They make it clear that in &ldquo;Reading&rdquo; we are not entering the world in which you and I dwell. It is far distanced from the harsh realism that soaked &ldquo;No Country.&rdquo; Sure, they look like humans we may recognize, but they are more akin to live-action cartoons. John Malkovich plays an uptight C.I.A. Desk monkey named Osbourne Cox who is unceremoniously dumped from his rather slight job within the agency. In a profanity-filled tantrum, he stomps out, threatening to burn things to its foundation with a scathing tell-all. Unfortunately, Cox is but a mere Dilbert-esque drone whose words ring rather hollow to an indifferent employer. Things are no better at home, either. His zamboni of a wife (Tilda Swinton) icily plows over his every statement, paving over it with her own dilemmas, like, did he pick up the right cheese for the evening's dinner party. She wants things picture-perfect, for one of the guests in Harry Pfarrer (played by George Clooney), a married, philandering Treasury employee proud of the fact that he's never fired his gun in 20 years of service and an apparent connoisseur of hardwood floors. As their affair deepens, Cox's wife secretly begins amassing information from her husband's various accounts to hand over to her divorce lawyer. The information is compiled on a compact disc that gets left on the floor of Hardbodies Gym, which had the misfortune of having Chad Feldheimer (played by Brad Pitt) and Linda Lidzke (played by Frances McDormand) as employees. Chad, with hair piled high like an encroaching tidal wave, gets it into his whiffle-ball-like head that this disc's owner must be really important because there are lots of numbers and codes and stuff located within (to Chad, a disc of Sudoku puzzles would be equally confusing). Linda, who longs for a series of expensive plastic surgeries to battle time is more than happy to be his accomplice in trying to extort cash for the found information. The series of events that unfold are, at turns, hysterical, violent (sometimes simultaneously), irreverent and irrelevant. It's the enthusiasm in which each actors attacks his or her role that stokes &ldquo;Reading's&rdquo; flames. McDormand is so caught up in her attempts at vanity, she's blind to a fellow employee who not-so-subtly longs for her; Clooney successfully hides his striking features under a number of obnoxious tics and crippling paranoia; Malkovich is at his arrogant best, referring to his self-indulgent musings of life at the agency as his phonetically correct &ldquo;mem-wah.&rdquo; But from the moment he bops onto the screen about 20 minutes into the picture, there is no mistaking that this is Pitt's picture. When confined to such dramatic mush as &ldquo;Seven Years in Tibet,&rdquo; &ldquo;Meet Joe Black&rdquo; and &ldquo;Legends of the Fall,&rdquo; the actor can come off as a stilted mannequin, hired more for marquee value. But throughout his career, in smaller roles such as &ldquo;True Romance,&rdquo; and &ldquo;12 Monkeys&rdquo; when he's able to let his freak flag fly, Pitt's a comedic tsunami. Nowhere is it more evident than in &ldquo;Reading.&rdquo; Chad is a man so blissfully unaware of just how over his head he is when he hatches his plot, it's surprising that he even remembers to wear pants in public. What you may not find in &ldquo;Reading&rdquo; is something that neatly wraps up it's tale in a traditional fashion. For some, this will be unforgivable, but for those who happily vibe along with the cast until, quite literally, the book is closed on this tale, they will find the eccentric comedy is just the right shade of black. http://www.spout.com/blogs/throwingapie/archive/2008/9/10/35014.aspx Post By: throwingapie
Post To: throwingapie Blog
Post Date: 9/10/2008 11:06:36 PM
Body: Unforgetable action flick with witty one-liners and an unlikely marriage. Several big-name actors before hitting it big, with each one putting on a great show. Highly recommended. Tarantino shining on.
]]>Thu, 11 Sep 2008 03:06:36 GMTthrowingapiethrowingapie Blog9/10/2008 11:06:36 PMUnforgetable action flick with witty one-liners and an unlikely marriage. Several big-name actors before hitting it big, with each one putting on a great show. Highly recommended. Tarantino shining on. http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/Re_Upcoming_Movies_Week_of_9_12/216/34998/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: rjsprague
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 9/10/2008 3:19:45 PM
Body: [quote user="SkyPilot"] [quote user="rjsprague"] I honestly feel weird about watching Brad Pitt make a complete idiot out of himself. [/quote] Three good movies where people think Brad Pitt's an idiot, but he's actually very shrewd: True Romance 12 Monkeys Snatch [/quote] While I've not seen True Romance, I have seen both 12 Monkeys and Snatch. I did not think Brad Pitt's character was meant to be, nor came off as, truly idiotic in 12 Monkeys or Snatch. I thought his characters were brilliant, if not naive. In fact those are probably my two favorite movies featuring Brad Pitt. But the image of Pitt as a chachi douchebag with a below average IQ is somehow not appealing to me. Granted he might really make the character shine. I will watch Burn regardless.
]]>Wed, 10 Sep 2008 19:19:45 GMTrjspragueComing Soon9/10/2008 3:19:45 PM[quote user="SkyPilot"] [quote user="rjsprague"] I honestly feel weird about watching Brad Pitt make a complete idiot out of himself. [/quote] Three good movies where people think Brad Pitt's an idiot, but he's actually very shrewd: True Romance 12 Monkeys Snatch [/quote] While I've not seen True Romance, I have seen both 12 Monkeys and Snatch. I did not think Brad Pitt's character was meant to be, nor came off as, truly idiotic in 12 Monkeys or Snatch. I thought his characters were brilliant, if not naive. In fact those are probably my two favorite movies featuring Brad Pitt. But the image of Pitt as a chachi douchebag with a below average IQ is somehow not appealing to me. Granted he might really make the character shine. I will watch Burn regardless. http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/Re_Upcoming_Movies_Week_of_9_12/216/34906/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 9/8/2008 5:34:08 PM
Body: [quote user="SkyPilot"] [quote user="rjsprague"] I honestly feel weird about watching Brad Pitt make a complete idiot out of himself. [/quote] Three good movies where people think Brad Pitt's an idiot, but he's actually very shrewd: True Romance 12 Monkeys Snatch [/quote] I loved his character in True Romance: "Don't............... condecend me mother f$##er.................. I'll f#$ing kill you......" Also, don't forget Kalifornia. I don't think I would really call him shrewd. But he was somewhat clever.
]]>Mon, 08 Sep 2008 21:34:08 GMTleeroy711Coming Soon9/8/2008 5:34:08 PM[quote user="SkyPilot"] [quote user="rjsprague"] I honestly feel weird about watching Brad Pitt make a complete idiot out of himself. [/quote] Three good movies where people think Brad Pitt's an idiot, but he's actually very shrewd: True Romance 12 Monkeys Snatch [/quote] I loved his character in True Romance: "Don't............... condecend me mother f$##er.................. I'll f#$ing kill you......" Also, don't forget Kalifornia. I don't think I would really call him shrewd. But he was somewhat clever. http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/Re_Upcoming_Movies_Week_of_9_12/216/34902/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: SkyPilot
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 9/8/2008 5:27:29 PM
Body: [quote user="rjsprague"] I honestly feel weird about watching Brad Pitt make a complete idiot out of himself. [/quote] Three good movies where people think Brad Pitt's an idiot, but he's actually very shrewd: True Romance 12 Monkeys Snatch
]]>Mon, 08 Sep 2008 21:27:29 GMTSkyPilotComing Soon9/8/2008 5:27:29 PM[quote user="rjsprague"] I honestly feel weird about watching Brad Pitt make a complete idiot out of himself. [/quote] Three good movies where people think Brad Pitt's an idiot, but he's actually very shrewd: True Romance 12 Monkeys Snatch http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/9/7/34868.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 9/7/2008 11:00:40 AM
Body: Brad Pitt’s “gum-chewing, Gatorade-swilling, iPod addicted bubble brain” Chad character in the Coen Brothers film Burn After Reading ends up walking away with every scene he’s in, and as a result he’s the best thing about the movie. Which is not to mean that this a great movie. Far from it. It’s a mediocre Coen Brothers movie with a standout performance by Pitt. His portrayal of a simple gym employee who gets sucked into international intrigue, serves as a counterpoint to the image of Pitt that we’ve seen in films like Babel and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. It’s obviously not his first comedic role, but it’s definitely the most vapid role he’s played since Floyd in True Romance. We caught up with him in Toronto, and you can find out about Chad, what he’s working on next, and life with Angelina, just beyond the break. Who was the inspiration for your character? That was all me.  That was all me in a former day.  I really don’t know.  It’s a mystery to even me and I’m somewhat disturbed by it all, including my other half.  She’s disturbed by it as well I think.  I can’t really say, it was just this idea of assuming or presuming a situation would go the way it’s supposed to go and it doesn’t.  Then not understanding how there is any other realm of possibility. (Editor’s note… Brad Pitt might have drawn inspiration from the Pringle’s commercial he worked on back in 1989. Catch it at the end of the interview). What was it like playing such a foolish character? You steal most of the film and seem to have a good gift for comedy. [Deadpan] I’m surprised at that too.  I don’t understand.  *laughs* No, I’ve been knocking on the Coen Brothers’ door for a few years, so I was really happy that they called.  Then I read the piece and I was a little upset at them. *even more mirthful Brad Pitt laughter* I’m not sure I can completely articulate, I’m kind of groping my way through it.  I guess I’ve been investing in American characters lately.  I find America really, really interesting in this last decade.  That’s been my focus.  As for comedies, I felt like I’ve been doing comedies for years.  Maybe they weren’t so funny.  The film coming up with David Fincher and Tilda is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and I’m not sure how to describe it.  It’s a bit of a love letter to New Orleans, it’s a bit of a love letter to family, and the people who you meet at the dance of life along the way is the best way to describe it really. What was it like playing a different role than what you’ve become accustomed to? The leading man role is the guy who has the answers, can figure things out, and diffuse a bomb within seconds. It’s all experienced. All of that is pretty good for the ego sometimes.  It’s much more fun to play the guys who make the wrong choices, have limited experience, and make the wrong presumptions.  They have to deal with it from there.  That is all the fun we had with this one. Did you approach this role any differently? You approach them all the same way.  You just start understanding their arithmetic.  It’s how they view the world, give them the situation and see how they respond to it.  Its really no different, this one from any other one.  You just don’t know if it’s going to work or not. What are you working on next? And would you work with Angelina Jolie again? I’m working on stealing Tilda (Swinton) away from George (Clooney).  Tilda and I have Benjamin Button coming out in the fall, and Angie and I are working together every day, I guarantee you. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:00:40 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com9/7/2008 11:00:40 AM Brad Pitt’s “gum-chewing, Gatorade-swilling, iPod addicted bubble brain” Chad character in the Coen Brothers film Burn After Reading ends up walking away with every scene he’s in, and as a result he’s the best thing about the movie. Which is not to mean that this a great movie. Far from it. It’s a mediocre Coen Brothers movie with a standout performance by Pitt. His portrayal of a simple gym employee who gets sucked into international intrigue, serves as a counterpoint to the image of Pitt that we’ve seen in films like Babel and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. It’s obviously not his first comedic role, but it’s definitely the most vapid role he’s played since Floyd in True Romance. We caught up with him in Toronto, and you can find out about Chad, what he’s working on next, and life with Angelina, just beyond the break. Who was the inspiration for your character? That was all me.  That was all me in a former day.  I really don’t know.  It’s a mystery to even me and I’m somewhat disturbed by it all, including my other half.  She’s disturbed by it as well I think.  I can’t really say, it was just this idea of assuming or presuming a situation would go the way it’s supposed to go and it doesn’t.  Then not understanding how there is any other realm of possibility. (Editor’s note… Brad Pitt might have drawn inspiration from the Pringle’s commercial he worked on back in 1989. Catch it at the end of the interview). What was it like playing such a foolish character? You steal most of the film and seem to have a good gift for comedy. [Deadpan] I’m surprised at that too.  I don’t understand.  *laughs* No, I’ve been knocking on the Coen Brothers’ door for a few years, so I was really happy that they called.  Then I read the piece and I was a little upset at them. *even more mirthful Brad Pitt laughter* I’m not sure I can completely articulate, I’m kind of groping my way through it.  I guess I’ve been investing in American characters lately.  I find America really, really interesting in this last decade.  That’s been my focus.  As for comedies, I felt like I’ve been doing comedies for years.  Maybe they weren’t so funny.  The film coming up with David Fincher and Tilda is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and I’m not sure how to describe it.  It’s a bit of a love letter to New Orleans, it’s a bit of a love letter to family, and the people who you meet at the dance of life along the way is the best way to describe it really. What was it like playing a different role than what you’ve become accustomed to? The leading man role is the guy who has the answers, can figure things out, and diffuse a bomb within seconds. It’s all experienced. All of that is pretty good for the ego sometimes.  It’s much more fun to play the guys who make the wrong choices, have limited experience, and make the wrong presumptions.  They have to deal with it from there.  That is all the fun we had with this one. Did you approach this role any differently? You approach them all the same way.  You just start understanding their arithmetic.  It’s how they view the world, give them the situation and see how they respond to it.  Its really no different, this one from any other one.  You just don’t know if it’s going to work or not. What are you working on next? And would you work with Angelina Jolie again? I’m working on stealing Tilda (Swinton) away from George (Clooney).  Tilda and I have Benjamin Button coming out in the fall, and Angie and I are working together every day, I guarantee you. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/usesoap/archive/2008/8/11/33835.aspx Post By: usesoap
Post To: usesoap Blog
Post Date: 8/11/2008 8:16:46 AM
Body: A friend with weed is a friend indeed. That is the lesson to be extracted from the latest comedy off the Judd Apatow assembly line, “Pineapple Express.” While it may get anti-marijuana advocates abuzz with consternation, it's a sweet little trip until a dramatic shift to violence quite literally calls the cops to this feel-good party. “Express” is laced with guffaws and gunplay, and while not as startlingly schizophrenic as this summer's “Hancock,” it still feels as though its personalities are squished together in such a forced fashion, it threatens to disrupt the good vibes it garners through much of the film. And, like all of Apartow's blockbuster comedies before it (“Knocked Up,” Superbad,” “The 40-Year-Old Virgin”), it overstays its welcome by at least 30 minutes. Imagine, if you will, an entire film devoted to the ganja-clouded escapades of Brad Pitt's Floyd, the moviewestoner he portrayed in Tony Scott's “True Romance (one of Pitt's best, albeit brief, performances on screen). James Franco channels Floyd, but successfully layers him with empathy and a hint of sadness. Franco is perhaps best known as Peter Parker's frenemy in the “Spider-Man” trilogy, as well as generic junk like “Annapolis” and “Flyboys,” which focused more on his Abercrombe and Fitch good looks than his acting chops. In “Express” he hides his sculptured silhouette behind a mop of greasy hair and clothes even a college hamper would reject. As Saul, he's a well-connected dealer who, despite his numerous contacts, remains rather friendless, reduced to surface conversations with his quasi-anonymous clientèle whose illegal purchases makes them more than a tad jittery to hang out for deeper disucssions. When Dale (played by co-writer Seth Rogan) pops by for his weekly fix, Saul reaches out by not only introducing him to the headlining herb, but shares his beloved concoction, a triple-ended joint that apparently induces a supreme high. Dale, reluctant at first, humors Saul and doesn't pass up the chance for a token toke. A tiny connection is made before Dale darts off to his thankless gig as a process server that at least provides him the opportunity to blaze up between deliveries. During one seemingly routine stop, Dale witnesses a murder and, in his drug-clouded escape, manages to smash a couple cars and attract the attention of the killers (Gary Cole and Rosie Perez). When he seeks the aid of Saul in a panic, it sets off a series of successively darker detours into pot-fueled paranoia that, were it not for the comic chops of its supporting cast, would otherwise derail this ride. Rogan does his best Rogan, meaning he coasts along with his standard understated charm and his proclivity to cling to the bliss of adolescence. It's Franco who brings out the best of the film, operating under the haze of his trade and letting humanity bubble to the surface at all the right (high) times. But Franco alone could not buoy the picture as it slowly descends into its bloody conclusion. He's helped by the go-to guy for straight-faced snickers Danny McBride, as the link between Saul and the local drug kingpin, as well as Craig Robinson (from “The Office”) and Kevin Corrigan as two henchmen dispatched to extinguish the leads. Throughout there are throwaway bits that could have easily tightened the two-hour escapade, most notably the romance between Rogan's Dale and his high school girlfriend (yes, she is technically “of age,” but that makes it no less icky). We get that this guy's unable to motivate into adulthood, but the real relationship here is the one he strikes with Saul. Stylistically, the film breaks free from the relatively staid comedic efforts of recent past, credited to director David Gordon Green, an indie filmmaker whose known more for his dramatic muscle and given the film more flourish than it deserves. The stoner comedy is one that's typically made on a shoestring and relies heavily on its hazy humor than on plot or artistry (Cheech and Chong, Harold and Kumar, “Half Baked”), and occasionally it will be elevated into headier territory (“Dazed and Confused,” “The Big Lebowski,” “The Wonder Boys”). But this may be the first stoner action film ever made, perhaps because the two adjectives are so diametrically opposed. “Pineapple Express” would be much easier to inhale if the aftertaste was not so bitter.
]]>Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:16:46 GMTusesoapusesoap Blog8/11/2008 8:16:46 AMA friend with weed is a friend indeed. That is the lesson to be extracted from the latest comedy off the Judd Apatow assembly line, &ldquo;Pineapple Express.&rdquo; While it may get anti-marijuana advocates abuzz with consternation, it's a sweet little trip until a dramatic shift to violence quite literally calls the cops to this feel-good party. &ldquo;Express&rdquo; is laced with guffaws and gunplay, and while not as startlingly schizophrenic as this summer's &ldquo;Hancock,&rdquo; it still feels as though its personalities are squished together in such a forced fashion, it threatens to disrupt the good vibes it garners through much of the film. And, like all of Apartow's blockbuster comedies before it (&ldquo;Knocked Up,&rdquo; Superbad,&rdquo; &ldquo;The 40-Year-Old Virgin&rdquo;), it overstays its welcome by at least 30 minutes. Imagine, if you will, an entire film devoted to the ganja-clouded escapades of Brad Pitt's Floyd, the moviewestoner he portrayed in Tony Scott's &ldquo;True Romance (one of Pitt's best, albeit brief, performances on screen). James Franco channels Floyd, but successfully layers him with empathy and a hint of sadness. Franco is perhaps best known as Peter Parker's frenemy in the &ldquo;Spider-Man&rdquo; trilogy, as well as generic junk like &ldquo;Annapolis&rdquo; and &ldquo;Flyboys,&rdquo; which focused more on his Abercrombe and Fitch good looks than his acting chops. In &ldquo;Express&rdquo; he hides his sculptured silhouette behind a mop of greasy hair and clothes even a college hamper would reject. As Saul, he's a well-connected dealer who, despite his numerous contacts, remains rather friendless, reduced to surface conversations with his quasi-anonymous client&egrave;le whose illegal purchases makes them more than a tad jittery to hang out for deeper disucssions. When Dale (played by co-writer Seth Rogan) pops by for his weekly fix, Saul reaches out by not only introducing him to the headlining herb, but shares his beloved concoction, a triple-ended joint that apparently induces a supreme high. Dale, reluctant at first, humors Saul and doesn't pass up the chance for a token toke. A tiny connection is made before Dale darts off to his thankless gig as a process server that at least provides him the opportunity to blaze up between deliveries. During one seemingly routine stop, Dale witnesses a murder and, in his drug-clouded escape, manages to smash a couple cars and attract the attention of the killers (Gary Cole and Rosie Perez). When he seeks the aid of Saul in a panic, it sets off a series of successively darker detours into pot-fueled paranoia that, were it not for the comic chops of its supporting cast, would otherwise derail this ride. Rogan does his best Rogan, meaning he coasts along with his standard understated charm and his proclivity to cling to the bliss of adolescence. It's Franco who brings out the best of the film, operating under the haze of his trade and letting humanity bubble to the surface at all the right (high) times. But Franco alone could not buoy the picture as it slowly descends into its bloody conclusion. He's helped by the go-to guy for straight-faced snickers Danny McBride, as the link between Saul and the local drug kingpin, as well as Craig Robinson (from &ldquo;The Office&rdquo;) and Kevin Corrigan as two henchmen dispatched to extinguish the leads. Throughout there are throwaway bits that could have easily tightened the two-hour escapade, most notably the romance between Rogan's Dale and his high school girlfriend (yes, she is technically &ldquo;of age,&rdquo; but that makes it no less icky). We get that this guy's unable to motivate into adulthood, but the real relationship here is the one he strikes with Saul. Stylistically, the film breaks free from the relatively staid comedic efforts of recent past, credited to director David Gordon Green, an indie filmmaker whose known more for his dramatic muscle and given the film more flourish than it deserves. The stoner comedy is one that's typically made on a shoestring and relies heavily on its hazy humor than on plot or artistry (Cheech and Chong, Harold and Kumar, &ldquo;Half Baked&rdquo;), and occasionally it will be elevated into headier territory (&ldquo;Dazed and Confused,&rdquo; &ldquo;The Big Lebowski,&rdquo; &ldquo;The Wonder Boys&rdquo;). But this may be the first stoner action film ever made, perhaps because the two adjectives are so diametrically opposed. &ldquo;Pineapple Express&rdquo; would be much easier to inhale if the aftertaste was not so bitter. http://www.spout.com/groups/B_Movies/Re_Double_features/588/28239/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: B Movies
Post Date: 5/6/2008 1:00:26 PM
Body: [quote user="SkyPilot"] [quote user="leeroy711"] I wanna see The Last Dragon followed by Circle of Iron as a double feature. Who's with me? I talking to you SkyPilot. [/quote] leeroy711 you are a madman, and I like it! Have you seen Circle of Iron before? How about The Street Fighter? I think The Last Dragon is obvious in its attempt to be funny, while the thing that links The Street Fighter and Circle of Iron is the bafflement one feels about whether or not the movies are trying to be funny. Especially Circle of Iron, which is one WTF moment after another. I laugh at the Ape Man and Jaguar Man because they make me feel like crying. I forget the name of Terry's sidekick in The Street Fighter--I think he's supposed to be funny. His only line seems to be "Terry!" said in different ways, like in the "Malkovich Malkovich" scene in Being John Malkovich. Here's another DOES HE MEAN TO BE FUNNY? double feature starring DAVID CARRADINE: 1. Death Race 2000 -- obviously meant to be comedic, but Carradine is obviously not dwelling in the same dimension of comic timing that we are. FRANKENSTEIN: What were you expecting...another pretty face? 2. Death Sport -- one of the most masochistic pleasure/pain viewing experiences for me. CARRADINE: [fakes a punch to the guard's stomach] Heh heh heh! GUARD: Let's see you laugh after Deathsport. Yeah I'd say I love to hate Carradine's performances, whereas I don't enjoy disliking John Cusack. [/quote] I have seen a bunch of Carradine flick (thanks dad) in my day, I don't remember which were which but I am pretty sure that I've seen Death Sport. I don't recall whether I've seen The Street Fighter though. I think I'll put a Carradine double feature in my netflix queue. - How about The Street Fighter and Sonny Boy. This topic can't help but remind me of the Sonny Chiba double feature in True Romance. EDIT: I don't t think this topic is complete without a reference to Ed and His Dead Mother.
]]>Tue, 06 May 2008 17:00:26 GMTleeroy711B Movies5/6/2008 1:00:26 PM[quote user="SkyPilot"] [quote user="leeroy711"] I wanna see The Last Dragon followed by Circle of Iron as a double feature. Who's with me? I talking to you SkyPilot. [/quote] leeroy711 you are a madman, and I like it! Have you seen Circle of Iron before? How about The Street Fighter? I think The Last Dragon is obvious in its attempt to be funny, while the thing that links The Street Fighter and Circle of Iron is the bafflement one feels about whether or not the movies are trying to be funny. Especially Circle of Iron, which is one WTF moment after another. I laugh at the Ape Man and Jaguar Man because they make me feel like crying. I forget the name of Terry's sidekick in The Street Fighter--I think he's supposed to be funny. His only line seems to be "Terry!" said in different ways, like in the "Malkovich Malkovich" scene in Being John Malkovich. Here's another DOES HE MEAN TO BE FUNNY? double feature starring DAVID CARRADINE: 1. Death Race 2000 -- obviously meant to be comedic, but Carradine is obviously not dwelling in the same dimension of comic timing that we are. FRANKENSTEIN: What were you expecting...another pretty face? 2. Death Sport -- one of the most masochistic pleasure/pain viewing experiences for me. CARRADINE: [fakes a punch to the guard's stomach] Heh heh heh! GUARD: Let's see you laugh after Deathsport. Yeah I'd say I love to hate Carradine's performances, whereas I don't enjoy disliking John Cusack. [/quote] I have seen a bunch of Carradine flick (thanks dad) in my day, I don't remember which were which but I am pretty sure that I've seen Death Sport. I don't recall whether I've seen The Street Fighter though. I think I'll put a Carradine double feature in my netflix queue. - How about The Street Fighter and Sonny Boy. This topic can't help but remind me of the Sonny Chiba double feature in True Romance. EDIT: I don't t think this topic is complete without a reference to Ed and His Dead Mother. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Great/MemberTagFilms.aspxGreat
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