Texas convenience store robber Gil Bellows (as Watford "Watty" Watts) and his blonde sexpot Renee Zellweger (as Starlene "Star" Cheatham) get into trouble when a hold-up gets unexpected bloody. As a rule, Mr. Bellows commits his robberies with an unloaded gun. "Never rob a store with a loaded gun," he advises, "never." We're supposed to ignore the fact that he breaks the rule immediately; the young clerk in the opening minutes would have relieved tension by pulling the trigger after hearing it wasn't loaded, if not sooner. Next to break the rule is crazy strung-out accomplice Rory Cochrane (as Billy Mack Black)...
The bloody mess results in Bellows and Ms. Zellweger leaving their romantic trailer park for Mexico, in a baby blue 1972 Plymouth. Before booking, Bellows sticks a fork and a knife in Mr. Cochrane, thinking he's done with the dude. Turns out, he's not. Along the violent road trip we meet director C.M. Talkington in a tattoo shop. Suburban hippie Peter Fonda and passionate wife Ann Wedgeworth also appear. They disappear, alas, but leave behind a trippy bottle of Sandoz...
In one of the funniest of a few good laughs, the comedy's co-stars turn on the TV as a favor to a bound and gagged reverend; horrifically, they leave it tuned to a home shopping channel. Bellows and Zellweger are and attractive couple, but do not even approach older outlaws "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967) or contemporary "Natural Born Killers" Mickey and Mallory (1994). Bellows is a scruffy Sal Mineo. Zellweger is a Southern Kelly Bundy, acting with her legs first. It is refreshing to see the actors shake more than the cameras. Consisting of appropriate oldies and original music by Tom Verlaine, the soundtrack, is a main strength.
***** Love and a .45 (9/10/94) C.M. Talkington ~ Gil Bellows, Renee Zellweger, Rory Cochrane, Jeffrey Combs
The bloody mess results in Bellows and Ms. Zellweger leaving their romantic trailer park for Mexico, in a baby blue 1972 Plymouth. Before booking, Bellows sticks a fork and a knife in Mr. Cochrane, thinking he's done with the dude. Turns out, he's not. Along the violent road trip we meet director C.M. Talkington in a tattoo shop. Suburban hippie Peter Fonda and passionate wife Ann Wedgeworth also appear. They disappear, alas, but leave behind a trippy bottle of Sandoz...
In one of the funniest of a few good laughs, the comedy's co-stars turn on the TV as a favor to a bound and gagged reverend; horrifically, they leave it tuned to a home shopping channel. Bellows and Zellweger are and attractive couple, but do not even approach older outlaws "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967) or contemporary "Natural Born Killers" Mickey and Mallory (1994). Bellows is a scruffy Sal Mineo. Zellweger is a Southern Kelly Bundy, acting with her legs first. It is refreshing to see the actors shake more than the cameras. Consisting of appropriate oldies and original music by Tom Verlaine, the soundtrack, is a main strength.
***** Love and a .45 (9/10/94) C.M. Talkington ~ Gil Bellows, Renee Zellweger, Rory Cochrane, Jeffrey Combs