Rush does not have my favorite atmosphere, that of big belt buckles, long hair, cowboy hats, and barrelhead bars. Not a fan. But, the film is very powerful. It's directed with a very discerning pace and clearcut, head-on reception of every emotion and tension released by every scene by Lili Fini Zanuck. Because of this, the film, which some say is not so action- packed, is actually brimming with action. The action doesn't largely involve guns or chases or fights but involves a harrowing ride through the attacks of libido and paranoia of drug addiction. The film is a masterpiece of direct film-making. Not only is Zanuck's aforementioned style barefaced and precise, the story is the reality of a deep cover narcotics operation. Hardly any connection with the outside world at all, the acclamation to hard drugs, the dangerous risk taken by the chemistry between the narcs working together, and the unexpected traumatic, malicious confrontations that turn out to be the most harrowing and affecting experiences on the whole.
Jason Patric and Jennifer Jason Leigh make for a surprisingly very intense duo. Patric delivers a gem of a performance as a dark, hardened cop who reaches the peak of every alarming human extent. Leigh, as the straight man so to speak in that particular area, delivers on quite a sensitive note. Also, having been scarred by her maddening irritating side in The Hudsucker Proxy, I was happy to see her in a performance where she did not go over the top and stayed at the level that made her stand out quite a lot. And, on a side note, I had no idea she was so hot. Her body, especially around the level of the hips and thighs, is perfection rarely so magnified. Watch for the scene in the apartment where she's wearing jeans and a black shirt. You'll sweat till your clothes stick.
Rush has what one wouldn't expect from a film like it, and that is a villain that is an added bonus in every way. We see him only as silent punctuation at the beginning, middle, and end. He is elusive, smarter than any of his partners, calculating, all underneath that long Texas hair of his. From the start, we are presented with a man who only appears to all that come in contact with him to be no different, wearing boots, the accent, everything I said at the top, the like, but beneath the appearance is someone who knows the trouble and chaos those who try to catch him throughout the film are about to go through and smirks inside about it.
