REPO MAN (1984) **1/2 It's a stirring indictment of both the dark underbelly of America and the shadows behind the American Dream. Who would aspire to live in the forgotten part, and is it really much worse than what the "successful" dream applicants end up in? Alex Cox opens the door for Emilio Estevez' expression of punk (lack of) ethos and (full of) attitude, which somehow both conflicts and confirms Harry Dean Stanton's burned out, abused, and long-since thrown out advocate of the free market. But it's not overtly a political film, and it doesn't care about politics. Political economics are only responsible for creating a situation in which repossessing cars is easily enough made into a more interesting alternative to subordinate existence in the machine. Yeah, so fucking what! I had several friends who swore by this film when it came out, and the machine ate them whole anyway. So the film had hardcore aspirations but ended up connecting somewhere around the periphery. Estevez and Stanton did a little better, but I doubt that the most desperado Hollywood hopefuls idealize either of them much. Nah, maybe there's more power towards the core but even if you get close enough this one didn't generate enough for much more than fabled bouts with angry drunkenness. No protection, no illumination, all nothing. Only the most intricate Nietzscheans claim to have been liberated by anti-liberation theology, and Cox is no Nietzsche. These years later the targets of the film's ire are even bigger, and hit with increasing regularity without apparent effect. A teenager stumbling upon it can be excused for thinking that it's just an excuse to play some good music (Suicidal Tendencies, Iggy Pop, Burning Sensations, Black Flag, and an amusing performance by the Circle Jerks that tells you all you need to know about them). A car is not a holy grail. No future. Without UFOs.
back to Brilliant Observations on 1776 Films home
go back home, or send me email
no more reviews! I want to buy your novel!