Repo Man Review
A highly amusing synthesis of thinking man's science fiction, post-modern humor, and a punk rocker's jaundiced take on a culture at the point of collapse, Repo Man was destined to be a "cult film." It was too off-skew for mainstream audiences, but, if you're in tune with its wit and rhythms, it's hard not to love it. Writer and director Alex_Cox has a great time picking off satiric targets in 1980s America (Los Angeles variety): generic food, UFO cultists, absurd pseudo-religions, suburban teenage angst, and the worship of the automobile, among many others; and the dialogue ranks with the most memorable movie writing in the post-Altman, pre-Tarantino era. After years of great supporting performances in movies good and bad, Harry_Dean_Stanton got one of his first leading roles and made the most of it; his bemused beatnik-noir cool fits Bud like a glove, and he's hilarious without ever playing the comedy too heavily. Emilio_Estevez is his perfect foil as Otto, a punk's rage simmering just beneath his suburban slacker surface. And the score, by pioneering Latino punks The Plugz, combines the sound of Ennio_Morricone's spaghetti Western scores with enough ironic distance to serve as both tribute and affectionate parody, a perfect combination for this film; the periodic blasts of Southern California hardcore from Fear, Black_Flag, and Suicidal Tendencies match the mood and mark the time period. But why do none of the watches have hands? Mark Deming, Rovi
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