Drugstore Cowboy Reviews (original) (raw)
Summary A group of heroin addicts lead by Bob (Dillon) rob drugstores to continue their addictions.
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Summary A group of heroin addicts lead by Bob (Dillon) rob drugstores to continue their addictions.
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Gus Van Sant's direction here is supremely confident, fusing witty camerawork, neat editing, and a jazz-oriented score to make Drugstore Cowboy an exhilaratingly bumpy ride.
Drugstore Cowboy, an electrifying movie without one misstep or one conventional moment. [11 Oct 1989]
I don't think that Gus Van Sant gets the recognition that he deserves. He's one of the true artists in the movie industry. Because this is one of the greatest movies to come out in the past 25 years. I could watch this over and over again and still find some part compelling. **** brilliant.
I was very pleasantly surprised by the excellent performance by Matt Dillon. Amongst Van Sant's films, I still think To Die For is a better movie--but this comes awfully close.
Certainly one of the best drug movies ever made.... Great performances make this dispassionate study a memorable experience.
Drugstore Cowboy, Gus Van Sant's fresh, gutsy societal underbelly film, never wallows in picturesque down-and-outism, except at the end, when Dillon's character, frightened by the death of a girl he didn't like much and spooked by his own paranoiac suspicion, checks into a seedy hotel while trying to go cold turkey and not yield to the influence of a junkie priest drolly played by William Burroughs. [27 Oct 1989]
Adapted by Van Sant and Daniel Yost from an unpublished autobiographical novel by James Fogle, this 1989 feature has the kind of stylistic conviction that immediately wins one over.
A daring movie in today's current climate - one likely to be remembered at year's end. [18 Oct 1989]
In spite of its downbeat subjects, Drugstore Cowboy becomes a satisfying drama of redemption. [27 Oct 1989]
This is a cult when you talk about movie that talk about drug addition. It is profound and light-hearted at the same time. It's greatly photographed, directed and edited. One of the best movies of the end of '80.
Ce n’est pas le meilleur film sur la drogue et les drogués, loin de là ; il accumule à dire vrai à peu près tous les clichés imaginables sur ce milieu interlope au sein duquel erre ces pauvres hères de la piquouse et des cachets. Surtout des cachets, car c’est la principale « matière première » si je puis dire pour ces dévaliseurs de pharmacies ! Plutôt détaché et manquant de personnalité, le film connaît de grosses chutes de rythme passé le premier tiers et Matt Dillon ne s’avère pas vraiment convaincant. Le reste de la distribution n’en mène pas bien large non plus, cela dit et tout cela sent davantage le gros téléfilm ballot que le vrai film digne de ce nom. Plusieurs fois, j’ai senti la somnolence me gagner et cela tient évidemment à la mise en scène plate mais également aux facilités dans le scénario qui ne sont pas avares de raccourcis et/ou d’invraisemblances multiples. Même la fin est convenue et superficielle, point d’orgue d’un film qui sonne décidément très creux ! Très décevant donc malgré des débuts qui laissaient espérer… bien mieux. Mais ça n’a pas marché en fin de compte.
Production Company Avenue Pictures
Release Date Oct 6, 1989
Duration 1 h 42 m
Rating R
Tagline Sooner or later, someone will pay the price...
Film Independent Spirit Awards
• 4 Wins & 8 Nominations
20/20 Awards
• 1 Win & 5 Nominations
National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA
• 3 Wins & 3 Nominations