Guncrazy (1992)

Seems like Guncrazy didn't have a significant presence in the theaters (at its widest release it played in nine theaters). This makes sense, Guncrazy feels like a direct-to-video movie. Released in January 1993, the movie was the theatrical debut of music video director Tamra Davis (who, around this time, co-directed Spike Jonze's first music video, Sonic Youth's 100%, and married Mike D of the Beastie Boys). Drew Barrymore, in an early adult-role, co-stars with James LeGros, who had a great role in Van Sant's career-maker Drugstore Cowboy and recently a terrific part in the Todd Haynes Mildred Pierce mini-series.

There aren't as many great moments as I hoped, from the talent involved, but they exist. I struggle to see how the story is much different from other movies about lovers on the run; in fact, Davis and writer Matthew Bright (Forbidden Zone) borrowed the male impotence and gun fetishism themes from the original Gun Crazy (and Bonnie and Clyde). Most entertaining for me was how they amplified the white trash elements.

At the same time, it's considered impolite to ask a movie to be something other than what it is, and Davis did a fine job of fusing romance and feeling with trash and mayhem.

I did enjoy her dissolves, and instances of light poetic touches:

My favorite moments (predictably, maybe) are the hangout moments, like when Joy and Anita dance for Howard. A lot of the time the movie operates as if on rails - with everybody saying their lines and performing their parts to get the movie to where you know it's headed - but every now and then there are bursts of life and moments of laughter. Davis is better in these moments than she is with the violence, which makes sense considering her career path continued toward Billy Madison and Half-Baked.

The movie has a lot of red, I noticed:

The trailer (Anita's home) has red lights too, and at one point Barrymore wears a striking red dress. Red for passion, red for blood and violence, red for anger and extreme feelings.

Pretty crazy to think Barrymore was seventeen when she made Guncrazy. Recently I decided she's a hero of mine - mainly for her endlessly positive life outlook - and she's the reason I watched this movie. Those bursts of life I talked about mainly come from her, whenever she can sneak them into a movie that doesn't deserve them, really.