Cast: Drew Barrymore, James LeGros, Billy Drago, Joe Dallesandro, Michael Ironside, Ione Skye
Director: Tamra Davis
Producers: Zane W. Levitt and Diane Firestone
Screenplay: Matthew Bright
Cinematography: Lisa Rinzler
Music: Ed Tomney
U.S. Distributor: First Look Pictures
Anita (Drew Barrymore) is on the fast track to nowhere, staring her own self-destruction in the face. Abandoned by the mother whose sexually abuses her, Anita is looking for a way out. She finds it through Howard (James LeGros), an ex-convict whom she becomes pen-pals with. After his release from prison, the two get together and find that their bond goes deeper than a mutual love of guns.
Guncrazy, while sharing the title and some of the themes of the 1949 Joseph H. Lewis film that inspired it, is less a remake than a re-interpretation. The mood and tone remain constant, but the characters and their relationships have been modernized.
Distilled to its essence, Guncrazy is a love story. Admittedly, this isn't the kind of nice, romantic film that the audience can sit through content to know that everything will turn out all right in the end. Equally, the formulas of the traditional romance are out the window. Guncrazy is unapologetically bizarre in its treatment of Anita and Howard's relationship. In some ways, it's reminiscent of what Lula and Sailor had in David Lynch's Wild at Heart.
The biggest flaw in Guncrazy is a tendency toward self-parody. There are several instances when circumstances become so outlandish that it's impossible to accept them, even within the film's often-bizarre context. A case in point is a church service held by Hank (Billy Drago) that goes far beyond the usual interpretation of a revivalist religious ceremony.
The casting of Drew Barrymore in the role of Anita might at first seem odd, but the young actress does an excellent job portraying the affection-starved youth. For Anita, sex is something she uses in a fruitless effort to be liked. Her mother abandoned her and her mother's boyfriend cares about her only when he needs a woman. When Howard comes along, Anita is ready to fall in love with anyone -- he just happens to be in the right place at the right time.
Anita initially learns to fire a gun to have something in common with Howard when he gets out of prison. Later, the particular gun that she learns with, and guns in general, take on greater significance. Because of Howard's impotence, they become a surrogate for sex in the relationship. As Anita puts it, sex was never anything special to her, but firing guns is. She'd rather shoot with Howard than sleep with him.
At first glance, Guncrazy might appear to be a shallow exploitation film, complete with a low budget and little-known actors. Its having been shown on Showtime before obtaining theatrical release serves only to tarnish its image further. However, beneath the surface, this movie has a few deep currents, and the characters aren't strictly one-dimensional. Guncrazy certainly isn't for everyone, but those who have a taste for twisted love stories may find something here to savor.
© 1993 James Berardinelli