To see a 5.7 average rating for this film, frankly I'm disgusted. I was surprised by how much I'd enjoy this film. Boasting wonderful performances, none more than Dern who's awesome in the film, bringing a much tender flawed character. The story pretty much speaks for itself, if judging by the front cover. Kiefer and Downer are best friends/rebels/ anti Nam, who want to change the world. Kiefer's younger brother, in an awesome performance goes away to Nam, and pretty much, lies the predictabiity of his fate, which makes for such a great and honorable anti Nam ending, still imprinted in my brain. From two days ago. Downey, pretty much, is playing another antagonistic, ignorant pill popping teen, some of it pretty much, resembling his Less Than Zero character, where this was made, a few years earlier. I think a lot of the mains, including a not yet known Winona Ryder were actually better than Downey. As an actor, Sutherland, never ceases to impress, and I loved the verve, and sensability of his character. He's one of the best young actors of our generation. Joanna Cassidy is unregonizable, as the boozy and bold mother of Downey's character, while Marianne Hartley is also awesome as Sutherland's long suffering mother. This good film, is worth watching, just for the ending. One of the best and meaningful endings ever, while the opening song of this film, an oldie, is still reverberating in my brain. This is one of those films you remember days after, mainly for the ensemble of great perforrmances, Dern, top hat.
Review of 1969
