robert-259-28954
Every so often, you stumble across a little gem of a film that simply steals your heart away, and this certainly tops that list. I must admit that the title of this surprisingly moving film threw me for a loop... I thought it was about angry pit bulls or WWII flying aces, but that was just the "in joke" of this tale of young men on their way to war. I had always thought of River Phoenix as simply another Johnny Depp, just another teenaged heartthrob. But I was so, so wrong. He shined in this movie like a diamond in the rough, with a clarity and beauty rare to see, and wonderful to behold. Combined with a very underrated Lili Taylor in the co-starring role, this film reached a place in my heart that very, very few films are even capable of. On a side note, after catching Taylor in this amazing role, I had the good fortune of meeting her in a little dim sum joint in NYC, many years later. She was very gracious. And when I asked her of her personal thoughts on a long-passed River Phoenix, of him she said, "He was a sensitive young man... maybe too sensitive for this world." Amen.
H M
While the characters that were created for Taylor and Phoenix to play were (IMHO) two-dimensional, the performances by both took these roles above and beyond and turned them into something that, while at times bordered on cliché phrases used by either a girl into the music of the 60's, or a jarhead, as it were, were utterly believable and seemingly natural.Also, on a different note, I was taken aback by how River slipped into this role so seamlessly. It was great to have seen some movies of his and to think I had a sort of grasp on potential roles, being type-cast, but then to see him in this and see how he truly made the role his own, and how he came across, no, he was, so very genuine.
jojo-simplebutsmart
A truly amazing movie. More for the girls, but very enjoyable anyone! A moving strange performance by the one and only River Phoenix.Phoenix is strange as the cold- hearted marine he plays, an opposite to the real life actor. But there is a side of Eddie Birdlace that is loving, caring, and sweet, and in a strange way, true.Lili Taylor is excellent as Rose Fenny,the innocent, sweet, country dreaming girl. The basic plot is Eddie and his friends looking for some ugly girls to take to win money, rose finds out , eddie apologises, and eventually ends up falling for her anyway. The movie has some funny scenes, some of them including River Phoenix attempting to jump over a fence with a vicious dog on the other side, and annoying a posh man who won't let them in the restaurant because Eddie isn't wearing a jacket.But there is a sentimental heart to the film , and it makes you think about love.The closure to the movie is a little strange, with Lili Taylor and River meeting again after war and hugging. One things for sure, this is a captivating movie that reminds you just how skilled River Phoenix was as an actor.
recklessron
Engrossing tale that hooks you into the two main characters.It slowly builds them into a wonderful romance for 95% of the film - all set prior to the Vietnam War - and then spends no time at all on the war, the male protagonists role in it, his return and their ultimate reunion, which takes all of 1 minute.In the last few minutes the film raises the question of whether their one night of passion has produced an offspring but then leaves that, and the rest of the questions surrounding the couple, unanswered.As such, I found it to be an unsatisfying experience despite being entertained for the majority of the film.Without the last 10 minutes, and at the same pace, this could easily have been part one of an epic trilogy.
AD
