River's Edge (1986)

Director:

Tim Hunter

Writer:

Neal Jimenez (written by)

Release Date:

8 May 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

The most controversial film you will see this year.

Plot:

A high school slacker kills his girlfriend and shows off her dead body to their friends. However, the friends' reaction is almost as ambiguous and perplexing as the crime itself.

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Police | Murder | High School | Teenager

Awards:

2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Crispin Glover	...	Layne
Keanu Reeves	...	Matt
Ione Skye	...	Clarissa (as Ione Skye Leitch)
Daniel Roebuck	...	Samson 'John' Tollet
Dennis Hopper	...	Feck
Joshua John Miller	...	Tim (as Joshua Miller)
Roxana Zal	...	Maggie
Josh Richman	...	Tony
Phil Brock	...	Mike
Tom Bower	...	Bennett
Constance Forslund	...	Madeleine
Leo Rossi	...	Jim
Jim Metzler	...	Mr. Burkewaite
Tammy Smith	...	Kim
Danyi Deats	...	Jamie

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

New Zealand:R18 | Iceland:16 | Singapore:M18 | Finland:K-16 (video rating) (1988) | Australia:R | Canada:R (video rating) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Arcade Enterprise, La Crescenta, California, USA

Company:

Hemdale Film

Trivia:

Neal Jimenez based the characters on friends he went to school with in Sacramento, California

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: When the detective is questioning Matt in his office, the boom mic is reflected on a glass case behind the detective's desk.

Quotes:

Bennett: Did the sight of this dead girl move you in any particular way?
Matt: I don't know.
Bennett: Were you shocked, angry, saddened? Did the sight please you?
Matt: I don't know how I felt.
Bennett: You knew this girl?
Matt: Yeah.
Bennett: How did you feel about her?
Matt: I don't know.
Bennett: Hey, I'm getting sick of "I don't know". Do you hear me?

Movie Connections:

References "Mission: Impossible" (1966)

Soundtrack:

Evil Has No Boundaries

A Study in Interactive Psychology

I just saw this movie for the second time. I first saw it back in the mid-90's as a Vanguard Video selection. It has retained it power.

It is interesting from several aspects. One is that it is based on a true story. Two is it is a launching pad for two interesting actors: Keanu Reeves and Crispin Glover. And three, it has Dennis Hopper in one of his better social misfit/psychotic character roles.

The movie is also a study in the way people act in different settings. You have characters in one-on-one, family, peer group, school, general society settings, etc. The story does well in demonstrating how a person will act in each setting.

I wish I could find the details of the actual murder to compare to the movie. I saw a short bit that indicated it occurred in California and that several schoolmates were taken to view the corpse.

This is a good choice for a rainy night video rental. Be prepared to feel unsettled at the end.