The main reason to watch this film is for the performances of Brad Pitt and Juliette Lewis. This film falls into the tried and true sub-genre of serial killer thrillers. Brian Kessler (David Duchovny, TV’s X-FILES) is a writer working on a book about notorious serial killers. He decides to visit the various locations of the murders for inspiration as well as give his photographer girlfriend Carrie Laughlin (Michelle Forbes, SWIMMING WITH SHARKS) as a chance to take photos. Because he has already spent his advance, Brian posts a ride share for people going to California. The only people to answer are Early Grayce (Pitt, 12 MONKEYS) and Adele Corners (Lewis, WHAT’S EATING GILBERT GRAPE?), who are the most stereotypical white trash you will ever see.
We know right from the first scene that Early is a killer. Brian expresses liberal attitudes toward serial killers as products of their environment. Well, you can probably guess where this is going. The film is fascinating as it develops Early and Adele so precisely. However, the film doesn’t try to explain Early’s actions, not even presenting a background for us to draw conclusions ourselves.
This is where the film slips a little because you’re always looking for the “big” moments to come, but they never do. Additionally, in not presenting some background for Early, we are only left with his poor white trash image, which leads us to believe that it’s the poverty and socio-economical status that led to him to becoming a killer or even worse it was biological. Early, Adele and Carrie are fleshed out, but Brian seems to blow in the wind with the raw pull of Early. Maybe this is the point, but it’s not clear. Nonetheless, the film is fascinating to watch even if it’s not completely fulfilling.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
