Movie Review: Kalifornia (1993)

Genre: Crime Drama Thriller  

Director: Dominic Sena  

Starring: Brad Pitt, Juliette Lewis, David Duchovny, Michelle Forbes  

Running Time: 117 minutes  

Synopsis: In Louisville, Kentucky, Brian (David Duchovny) is a writer conducting research on serial killers. His girlfriend Carrie (Michelle Forbes) is a photographer and excited to join him on a cross-country trip to visit infamous crime scenes, with California as a final destination. Brian advertises for traveling companions to share road trip costs, and white trash Early (Brad Pitt) and his girlfriend Adele (Juliette Lewis) join the trip. Carrie is never comfortable with the two travel companions, and gradually Early starts to reveal disturbing behaviour. 

What Works Well: The nature of evil receives a thorough examination in this uncompromising road trip through hell. Brian's intent to visit places where human malevolence flourished is sidetracked by here-and-now wickedness, and his willingness to afford the benefit of the doubt results in a sluggish inability to recognize Early's essence, amplifying the ensuing horror. Juliette Lewis is astounding as the girl-woman oblivious to her abuser's cruelty, and a sweaty, spitting, smoking, and swilling Brad Pitt allows his body odour to waft off the screen. Director Dominic Sena saturates America's back roads with stark light and vivid colours to leave no illusions about possibilities of redemption. 

What Does Not Work As Well: The second half starts to drag under the weight of repetitive soulless violence, not helped by Brian's morosely excessive narration.

Key Quote:

Early (to Brian): Tell me, big shot, how you gonna write a book about something you know nothing about?



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