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Drugstore Cowboy [1989]
from MGM Entertainment
starring Matt Dillon, Kelly Lynch, James LeGros, Heather Graham, Eric Hull
directed by Gus Van Sant

Features:

• Dubbed
• PAL
• Widescreen

Editorial Review:

Drugstore Cowboy was the breakaway change of pace and success for a number of those involved in its making. Principally, Gus Van Sant became a director of immediate notability winning multiple international Festival awards and acclaim. It also allowed Matt Dillon to stretch his acting abilities well outside of the teen rebel pigeonhole he'd become associated with in the 1980s and provided far meatier roles for Kelly Lynch and Heather Graham.

Adapted from James Fogle's novel, the broad strokes of the plot are simple enough; a junkie foursome led by Dillon's headstrong Bob, move around the Pacific Northwest in the early 70s scoring pharmaceutical drugs in a series of robberies. The finer details, created with the sense of family developing between the principals, and how they are not portrayed as either victims or "bad" criminals. Van Sant occasionally slips into the surreal depicting Bob's drug-addled thinking like a James Bond title sequence, along with a questionable in-joke cameo with Williams S Burroughs, dish out advice and temptation to Bob. In one simple way, it's little more than a road movie. Yet on another level there's a cautionary tale of the life of a junkie that has relevance well beyond the film's timeframe.

On the DVD: A stereo track and a grainy print in 1.85:1 usually does a movie little favours, but here they add to the overall gritty atmosphere surprisingly well. The only extra is unfortunately the original trailer. --Paul Tonks

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0

• Drug addiction is in the social behavior of the addict
  One gets addicted to drugs, for sure, but that is only a small part of the business. This film tries to show how the addiction is an attitude, a social behavior, an act of belonging to a group, a community, a social class nearly, but not that far away from it. Here the dependence is threefold. First the girlfriend who is determined to stay addicted because her addiction is moderate enough to be controlled. Then the boyfriend and his own girlfriend and this time there is some status question here and to go... more info

• excellent movie
  I was not expecting it, but this is probably one of the best movies I have ever seen. It is well played, hard scenes are not too hard (therefore avoiding shocking some sensitive people), however the message is given with full strength. It is much more than a road movie. My wife and I have liked it more than later Gus van Sant movies. Additionally, it makes you think. I will buy now the novel from which it has been adapted.

• Just Say No.
  Matt Dillon and girlfriend Kelly Lynch head a working team of drug addicts who are just trying to keep one step ahead of reality. The beauty of this film, apart from the excellent performances, is it's original approach and deeply personal feel. These are people we all know, not just nameless junkies lying in a doorway somewhere and even as things seem to be running along smoothly, the sense of impending doom is palpable. Original direction and an insightful script with no easy answers make this an all... more info

• Classic cult film.
  ...Gus Van Sant's film is fantastic- imagine a fusion of 'Jesus's Son', 'Junky' & 'The Man with the Golden Arm' and you're close...This is wonderfully shot, the hallucinations and effects on-screen are wonderful (much better than the silly 'Trainspotting'). The hypo-injection scenes appear to have found their way into 'Pulp Fiction'!!! Matt Dillon is great- as are the supporting cast: James Remar, Kelly Lynch, Heather Graham, Max Perlich etc...There are lots of funny moments (the hat hex, the dog... more info

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