I saw River’s Edge last night and was struck by what a great movie it was. I wondered why I hadn’t ever heard of it before.
The plot centers around a slacker high school student murdering his girlfriend and the resulting fallout among his social group (all slightly degenerate but good-hearted metalhead rockers.) The younger brother of Keanu Reeves’s character, and his friend, both seeming to be about 12, are wild delinquents who weave in and out of the story.
Keanu Reeves is really great in this movie (1987, one of his first roles.) You really believe that he is a lost, confused slacker thrust into the middle of a horrible murder. But the highlight of the movie is unquestionably Crispin Glover, who delivers one of the most over-the-top, exagerrated and unfailingly entertaining portrayals I’ve ever seen, in his role as a maniacal yet remarkably charismatic hoodlum. Dennis Hopper is also prominently featured as a creepy amputee whose only friend is a blow-up doll - interestingly enough, this character is a father figure to the young boys in the film and is a rather sympathetic character.
Everything about this movie is outstanding. The set design is amazing. The soundtrack is unbelievable - haunting and perfectly fitting. Also, there is enough comic relief to break up the tension. In fact, the movie is almost as funny as it is dark and disturbing (something that I really like to see in movies, but usually don’t unless I’m watching David Lynch.) All of the actors in the film give amazing performances. I would really reccommend seeing this movie if you haven’t already.
Has anyone else seen River’s Edge? Did you like it as much as I did?
Yes, I’ve seen it and it was fantastic. It did get good reviews at the time, which is why I saw it. Maybe the subject matter was too dark for the mid 80’s, when teen movies were like Ferris Bueller and the John Hughes ones (which are also great). It anticipated the grunge movement, didn’t it?
You are absolutely right that Crispin Glover stole the show. There was a thread here recently of actors that stole the film, and this may be exhibit A. He stole it so thouroughly that I can’t even remember Keanu Reeves’ part in it.
This film and Stand By Me were two of the best non-comedy teen films of the 80’s.
It’s been many years since I saw the movie, and you’re dead-on. I’d completely forgotten Reeves was even in the cast, but I read “River’s Edge” and immediately thought of Glover’s character.
I thought it was a great movie. I think that it is one of the best of the “Look how our society has produced teenagers that have gone insane” genre. I saw it when if first came out and to tell you the truth, I barely remember that Reeves in it. I just remember that Crispin Glover is such a wierdo that he has to be seen to be believed.
Ugh. I watched River’s Edge in high school because it was filmed in my hometown. For years it remained on my “worst movies ever” list. Bad acting. Horrible dialog. Ridiculous plot. Deserves obscurity.
I think it is an awesome film full of great perfomances (Hopper & Glover, natch, plus Keanu’s little sister and mom) and agree this is Keanu’s best performance- playing a stoned aimless slacker was obviously easy for him, ala Courtney Love playing a drug whore in The Larry Flynt movie.
I remember loving this movie, although I haven’t seen it in ten years or better. The clearest memory I have (besides Crispin Glover being a crazy mofo) is the scene with Keanu in the backseat of the car, singing the Mission: Impossible theme. To this day, it’s what I think of when I hear that song.
ShelliBean- I had forgotten that line- that is a great one!
Also Feck’s “I remember lying in the road thinking, yep that’s my leg laying over there in the gutter by that beer can…I wonder if there’s any beer in the can?”
It was the only time I had the impression that Keanu Reeves could actually have a career if all special effects ceased to exist! Whatshername was great in it, too.
Just watch **Bill & Ted’s ** this weekend with my kids - hilarious. Explaining their accents and phrases like “most triumphant” and “most heinous” was pretty funny…
A surprisingly harmless movie that they really enjoyed…