I popped in the DVD of the story behind William Seward Burroughs II's murder of his wife Joan. I have read a bit of Burroughs and I own an album by him(he really talked like that). Cinematic folly, from plot to presentation to soundtrack(I was expecting space jazz... or just anything to give the movie a feeling of hipness) it is a bummer. The movie's main surprise is that it is so slow in moving forward and building up. Anticipated for a year and a half, I finally got around to it and was more entertained by Wonder Boys. If you don't know anything at all about Bill Burroughs or Jack Kerrouac(who is portrayed in the movie a total of one second, seriously), see this movie and then gradually immerse yourself into Kerrouac and Ginsberg and work over to Burroughs. If you already know anything at all about the hipster beat culture, this movie is a complete waste of time.
Watch Naked Lunch instead.
Aside: The movie's one saving grace over Naked Lunch is that Keifer Sutherland's portrayal of Burroughs is more true-to-life than Peter Weller's performance in the latter.
Watch Naked Lunch instead.
Aside: The movie's one saving grace over Naked Lunch is that Keifer Sutherland's portrayal of Burroughs is more true-to-life than Peter Weller's performance in the latter.