esrosedotblog

ON THE ROAD

Today's Best Film was totally absorbing.

Gus Van Sant's Drugstore Cowboy (1989) with Matt Dillon is beautifully put together.

I sort of dreaded the prospect of watching this. I projected grainy black and white with a lot of stoned out crap happening.

Well, it is in luscious color with great photography; some real cinematic easter eggs are in the basket. The performances are realistic. Yes, they are stoners but they are also fully formed personalities. They are a family.

It is shocking to see William S.Burroughs as the 'end of the road' embodiment of addiction; his skeletal appearance and death rattle voice. It has a framing quality to the whole proceedings which underlines and brings a form of reality that works.

What else?

I have always enjoyed watching Matt Dillon. His performance in this film is extraordinary. It isn't easy being pretty and you would think that, somehow, Dillon is too good looking to be a dope fiend. But he uses this. There is pathos and grief in this wasted life. He brings it up front and center.

This is Van Sant's fourth, and first big, picture. The subtext is his absolute crush on Dillon. The camera loves Matt but Gus loves him even more.

I have talked myself into giving this a 5 out of Netflix5 when I had intended a 4.

I gotta be careful, I am rating too many of these at the upper end. But, it is very good, indeed.