Product Details

• Released on: 2002-10-15
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC, Import
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Running time: 80 minutes

Review
It's easy to see why this star-riddled, frequently fascinating glimpse into the tragic (two murders) lives of the Beat Generation's influential writers sat on the shelf before emerging on video two years after it was made. The pretentious dialogue recited by chain-smoking intellectuals trying to have sex with each other amid exotic Mexican scenery has only so much appeal, and even at 80 minutes, die-hard Beat fans will grow weary. Any action is nominal and tension is fleeting. Kiefer Sutherland comes as close as any to doing an impression of the original, but his lock-jawed slur is more of a distraction than a character affliction. Courtney Love seems at home in her role of the drug-addled negligent mother drawn to having sex with celebrities. ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide

On the DVD
cc16x9 widescreen (1.78:1)
Dolby Stereo
Interactive menus
Scene access
English & Spanish subtitles
Trailer
Production commentary
Still photo gallery

Synopsis
William S. Burroughs' ill-fated performance of his "William Tell act" -- resulting in his wife Joan Vollmer getting a bullet in the brain with a shot glass atop her head -- soon became the stuff of Beat legend. This film, directed by Gary Walkow, traces this doomed romance from its inception to its bloody end. The movie opens in 1944 New York, where Columbia journalism student Vollmer is already living a bohemian life filled with pharmaceuticals and a host of future beatniks, including hunky Jack Kerouac (Daniel Martinez), a young Allen Ginsberg (Ron Livingston), and of course, Burroughs (Kiefer Sutherland). Also frequenting Vollmer's pad is Lucien Carr (Norman Reedus) whom everyone is enamored with, especially Dave Kammerer (Kyle Secor), who winds up dead after trying to jump the object of his affection. Seven years later, Joan and William have married in spite of Burroughs' obvious homosexual predilections. Their domestic bliss is strained when the two have to flee to Mexico City after they get slapped with a drug rap. Ginsberg and Carr, now correspondents for the UPI, visit the couple only to discover that Burroughs split town with his lover-for-hire. Vollmer and the boys decide to go on a road trip that is brimming with heterosexual tension. William eventually returns from his sex-binge suspecting that Joan had a fling with Carr. During that fateful night, Burroughs pulls out a gun that he was going to sell for drug money and performs one of the most spectacularly botched party-tricks in literary history. This film was screened at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

Customer Reviews

Classic cinema, essential Beat story
This film could have been subtitled 'The story of Joan Vollmer', as it is based around her last months before William S Burroughs - her husband - shot her.
Courtney Love does much to glamorise a pretty much unknown beat legend character, and provides a languorous air as she floats between scenes as the estranged Mrs Burroughs.

However, for me, the story veers too much from the truth to order to create a mainstream product. This is a pity when you are dealing with real lives and real literary history.
The disintegrating, complex relationship between the married couple would have sufficed for an interesting enough story for a Beat fan, but may not have provided much 'spice' for the public.
In this version of events, Joan's use of benzedrine (speed) is played down and her rampant addiction and resulting degeneration is never explored, this could be because of the intended general american audience.
I'm not too sure of the whole Lucien affair thing either...

At the closing credits, you're left with a feeling that perhaps Joan Vollmer may have emerged alongide the greats of the beat movement had she not been killed.
In fact, she may not have lasted much longer on her own as alcoholism, the effects of her addiction, drinking and a long-standing illness began to overtake her.(...) pretty much covers it.

One final note for Burroughs fans looking to buy - all the actors do a great job of each character, Keifer Sutherland puts some effort in with the mannerisms and delivery (+ a spot-on wardrobe) in the crucial role.

Good, not the best, but good.
I have to admit I am huge Courtney Love fan. I have really enjoyed her in 200 cigarettes and The people vs Larry Flint where she proved to everyone that she can indeed act. I have to admit that I am not very familiar with the whole beat generation,but I have read the works of Burroughs, Ginsberg, and Keurorac. I didn't find out about this movie untill recently, andu assumed that Courntey as Mr. Burroughs wife, would be a minial role. To my suprise she is pretty much a central character of the movie. I feel that the movie had some wonderful cinematography, but the acting was a little bit low keyed for all those involved. Still for any enthusiasts of Courtney Love its a must. She played her part well and I am afraid that the subtly in her characters experession through out the film may have either been intentional or chalked up to poor directing. In any case the film is definitely worth a look.

somewhat witty dialogue at times
This is admittedly a dog of a movie. All of the cast in it have proven themselves in other films, but this one misses the mark. The only thing that's remotely interesting is the ending, and it's not something that anyone would write home to mom about. There is a bit of clever dialogue in the movie as well, mostly coming from Courtney Love's character, but in general this is not really worth your time or money (though it DID have a plot and it DID follow the plot, which is more than can be said for about 90% of the Action movies out in the market today, which is ALSO why it got 2 stars instead of 1).

I can't even think of a comparable film that would be better to recommend, as it's not really comparable to much... I'd just steer clear of this film unless you're an extremely huge Beat Generation fan, and even then, I'd be wary.