Films Outside the Loop
Jeanne Chappé
Films Outside the LoopJeanne Chappé |
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If you like film noir, this movie is an absolute delight! It was directed by John Dahl who also directed "Red Rock West"...another intriguing film that you might want to check out.
Why is it that a woman is always called a bitch when she behaves like a man? Linda Fiorentino plays Bridget Gregory with a sleek ferocity. She is married to Clay Gregory (Bill Pullman). Clay is a doctor in residency who sells illegal drug scripts to addicts and he owes a great deal of money to a loan shark. Bridget cooks up a big time drug deal where Clay sells pharmaceutical cocaine to drug dealers under a bridge for $700,000. It cracked me up when the drug dealers didn't want to leave their briefcase behind!
When Clay slaps Bridget, he is instantly sorry and tells her that she can hit him anywhere...HARD! If you have just slapped a woman like Bridget, would you get into the shower and leave $700,000 in laundered bills lying in the living room? I think not. She hits him where it hurts the most. Bridget grabs the money and runs. Conveniently, she has a car stashed for the getaway.
Bridget stops for gas in the small town of Beston. She discovers Ray's Bar and meets Mike Swale (Peter Berg). Mike has a mysterious wife in Buffalo that he doesn't want to talk about but I am getting ahead of myself. Bridget tells Mike..."Go find yourself a nice little cowgirl, make cow babies and leave me alone!". You won't believe the 'test' that Bridget gives Mike before agreeing to go home with him for nameless sex.
The late, great J.T. Walsh plays the part of Briget's attorney (Frank Griffith) and he tells her to stay put, sit on the money and get a divorce before spending any of the money. Bridget finds out that a divorce from Clay could take up to two years and that is WAY too long to wait. Time for Plan B.
Following Frank's advice, Bridget stays in Beston. I loved the scenes on the streets of this friendly, little town where Bridget stares at everyone with suspicion when they say "good morning" to her! No one does that in New York City. Bridget changes her name to Wendy Kroy and goes to work at Interstate Insurance Company where Mike works as a claims adjuster. One of those coincidences you find in a small town. By the way...Bridget can write anything backwards.
Bridget just wants sex but Mike wants to talk. He wants intimacy and not just sex. He feels that he is being treated as a 'sex object' and he objects to this! Another reversal in gender tendencies as most people see them.
Clay hires a private investigator who just happens to be black. There are apparently NO black people in Beston and he stands out like a sore thumb. He is not the only sore thumb in this film.
I love the fact that Bridget makes no apologies for her behavior. She has a mouth like a truck driver. She lives her life according to her rules and no one else's. Linda Fiorentino plays this role to absolute perfection.
I have barely set the scene for this incredible film. The twists and turns are shocking and hilarious. Some of the shots in this movie are breathtakingly beautiful and the lighting is amazing. The jazzy soundtrack is perfect.
There are many different ways of seduction.....
Runtime: 1:50
This film is available on DVD, VHS, cable or satellite.
This column is dedicated to those films that most of the world missed!
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