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Directed by: David Lynch Starring: Nicholas Cage, Laura Dern, Willem Dafoe, Crispen Glover It’s pretty much a given that if you hate David Lynch’s other films, you won’t be too pleased with Wild at Heart, but on the other hand, if you can sit through his other works, it’s likely you’ll be able to get something out of this one as well. Personally, I can’t really grasp what it is about Lynch’s style that is so polarizing to film audiences, but almost everyone I know either loves him or hates him. Wild at Heart could be called one of Lynch’s more accessible films, though it still isn’t a walk in the park for casual filmgoers. It is presented in a (relatively) linear narrative structure and the imagery isn’t too outrageous or alien, so it feels more grounded in reality than say Lost Highway or Eraserhead. However, it is also one of Lynch’s most complicated films in terms of visual motifs and genre codes, drawing on the same kind of energy as Godard’s Weekend or Pierrot le Fou and uses the same kind of twisted humor found in Louis Bunuel’s films, who Lynch himself is often compared to. The premise is a pretty simple road flick, about a young couple who take off on an adventure to see what life has to offer. The movie opens with Sailor (Cage) killing a man in self defense, and he has to spend almost two years in jail on account of it. As soon as he gets out, he and Lula (Dern) take off for California, but Lula’s mother doesn’t approve (to say the least), and she sets a squad of loose-cannon assassins after Sailor, who soon grow out of control and wreck havoc wherever they turn up. The episodic structure of the film is as much of a hindrance as it is a blessing. The stories about Crispen Glover’s character and the brief encounter with Sheriyln Fenn are both interesting on their own, but the film starts to drag pretty heavily after the first hour or so, and the pacing might benefit from removing some of these vignettes which are not immediately critical to the narrative. However, given the nature of the film as a road movie, including a different chapter for each stop along the journey is a nice touch; I just wish it could’ve worked out better. The fact that a lot of the characters that are introduced in these episodes are never heard from again is also a little bothersome, especially given the sheer volume of different characters that have appeared by the end of the film. It begins to add up after awhile, and it becomes frustrating to try and keep track of who is still around and who was just a one-shot deal. The different episodes are organized by a variety of visual cues and motifs, with the burning cigarette and Lula’s hand being among the most recognizable. One of the biggest strengths of the film is Nicholas Cage. A lot of people associate Cage with garbage like Gone in Sixty Seconds or The Rock, so seeing him in a David Lynch movie might be a bit surprising. However, he actually has a pretty strong history in art films and avant garde cinema, including Vampire’s Kiss and Peggy Sue got Married. His character in this film is somewhat similar to the one he played in Peggy Sue, with the same panache for singing and retro-style, but he exhibits a darker and more brooding attitude. Sailor is something of a cross between Elvis and Metallica, dressing in his trademark snakeskin jacket and dark sunglasses, howling along at heavy metal concerts and crooning a rockabilly serenade to his lover Lula (played by Laura Dern). Willem Dafoe also turns in a memorable performance, as the sleazy Bobby Peru. Dafoe’s unusual face is a great match for the part, and the false teeth he wears only enhance the character’s aura of menace. The way he delivers his lines is almost musical, speaking in an uncharacteristically melodic voice rather than his normal gritty tone. He really gets to have fun tormenting the other characters, and Dafoe captures the sadistic attitude of the character perfectly. His quirky sense of humor reminds me a lot of Lynch’s own personality, and his predilection for making others feel uncomfortable. The music for the film is provided by Angelo Badalamenti, a long time collaborator of Lynch’s. Like the character of Sailor, the music is a blend of heavy metal and 50’s retro rock, which gives the film a timeless quality and a unique sense of energy. The anachronism of the score also fits Sailor’s lack of belonging and the way he always sticks out of society. Cage sings a few songs himself, a he shows off some impressive pipes, especially when channeling Elvis Presley’s “Love me Tender.” Wild at Heart is pretty funny at times, and it indulges in its fair share of campiness and cheap fun. The recurring references to the Wizard of Oz and the characters’ attachment to music provide some quirky laughs, as do a few of the vignettes (Crispen Glover’s sequence is pretty nuts). One of the strangest elements about the movie is the representation of sex. It might just be me, but Lynch doesn’t seem to be able to film a sex scene without it looking completely un-erotic, and even sometimes bordering on rape fantasy. It almost becomes funny at times it’s so outrageous, but that’s just his style I suppose. Check out Wild at Heart if you’re looking for something offbeat or if you want to introduce yourself to Lynch’s work. It’s a fun ride despite some of the problems at work, and while it isn’t required viewing like Blue Velvet or Mulholland Drive, it’s still an interesting film, and one of Lynch’s most cinematic outings so far. RATING: 3.5 PROS: interesting characters and performances, cool music CONS: drags towards the end, some of the characters don't get enough time ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100935/
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Jul 6, 2004 21:33
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Your review is excellent, thanks. This is one of my favorite Lynch films, always has been. Cage and Dern have a neat chemistry in the movie; it's so volatile and sort of intangible, yet at the same time solid. Dafoe's character creeped me out, in a good way that a movie portraying an inherently evil person should. He's not so demonic as Frank Booth in Blue Velvet, but definitely made my skin crawl. I'd write more, but your review nicely sums it up. I give the movie a 4/5.
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Jul 7, 2004 07:20
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Just got done watching Wild at Heart. I was attracted to this movie when I saw it here in China because I wasn't sure if I'd heard of it before, it starred Nick Cage, and it's directed by Lynch. Three very powerful observations that in unison culminated in the purchase of said DVD. The cinematography was fantastic. Countless short but beautiful shots, mostly abstractions of scenery or objects on set. Some were chronic, like a macro shot of a burning cigarette. The story was intertwined with that of The Wizard of Oz, but I'm still trying to figure out what the message there was. The witch made several appearances, the characters carried some lines from Oz, and there was mention of Toto and other characters. One of the most fascinating things about Lynch as a director is that he's so far out in left field. A 30 minute analysis with pen and paper on the moral or metaphoric meaning of any of his movies will probably have you thinking in circles. That said, I don't think this one tops Blue Velvet in terms of absolute bat-poo poo inexplicable insanity. There's something cinematically beautiful about confusion, dissolution, and conflict of heart which Lynch always seems to lovingly embrace. 4/5
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Mar 5, 2005 19:44
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