I saw this around 2AM on Alabama Public Television (of all places) last summer and have been trying to find out what it was ever since. Film quality was camcorder, but once I started watching I couldn't stop. It seemed so different from anything else I had seen them in- This was made the year I was born, so there's a reason. It was no Forest Gump, Con Air, or Man in the Iron Mask. It was deep. And the acting was powerful. I though I wouldn't like it but it sucked me in and I couldn't stop watching.
11 Reviews
About the most original, and odd, screenplay ever filmed
Syrup23 January 2000
It is one of the most authentic depictions of brotherly "love" I've ever seen. The reversal of Austin's and Lee's roles during the course of the film, then their both sinking to a common level of animalistic degradation, overseen by an oblivious mother, is truly hilarious and hilariously true.
Fantastic adaptation of one of Shepard's most mainstream plays
tristanb-12 September 2005
I first saw this in college. I read the play first and was very entranced by it. Shepard's writing is hypnotic. This is actually one of his most naturalistic plays.
I was very curious to see what the film would be like and, needless to say, I was completely floored. Sinise and (especially) Malkovich are INCREDIBLE. You will not see acting like this in another movie or TV show, I promise. It is totally out on a limb - hilarious and frequently scary.
In one scene Malkovich is desperately looking for a pencil and can't find one and he (literally) rips a kitchen apart looking. The whole thing is unhinged to the max.
There are parts that will make you burst out laughing and others that are genuinely frightening. It's very hypnotic. Do yourself a favor and check it out.
highly recommended
I was very curious to see what the film would be like and, needless to say, I was completely floored. Sinise and (especially) Malkovich are INCREDIBLE. You will not see acting like this in another movie or TV show, I promise. It is totally out on a limb - hilarious and frequently scary.
In one scene Malkovich is desperately looking for a pencil and can't find one and he (literally) rips a kitchen apart looking. The whole thing is unhinged to the max.
There are parts that will make you burst out laughing and others that are genuinely frightening. It's very hypnotic. Do yourself a favor and check it out.
highly recommended
Engrossing and Hilarious
mr_walsh3 August 2000
More a filmed play than a movie, as you watch this you feel as if you're really up at 2 am on a cool summer night with crickets out the window. Watching it reminded me how over-produced movies are with incidental music and camera changes every 5 seconds.
There are scenes in this movie that caused me to laugh harder than I can ever remember laughing before. Great plot, besides.
A must-see.
There are scenes in this movie that caused me to laugh harder than I can ever remember laughing before. Great plot, besides.
A must-see.
A Great Movie
Zack-255 June 1999
amazing adaption of play
veethemonsoon16 August 2001
Gary Sinise and John Malkovich were, as always, incredible. This movie was phenomenal. Leave it to the dudes of Steppenwolf to create such a masterpiece, a film based on a play (which was directed by Sinise on Broadway) that, however unchanged, was portrayed on film beautifully.
Great all around
askew3302 February 2000
I remember when our English teacher made us watch this and I wasn't sure what to expect. He warned us that it was theater of the absurd. I loved it. Gary Sinise and John Malkovich are really good in this. It is extremely funny and smartly directed by Sinise. Malkovich though standouts and he plays Lee with command. They are both in top form.
Fantastic!
amberObrien813 September 2007
This is an exceptional piece of acting and so simple yet it will blow you away with how good it is. The acting is inspiring. Gary Sinise being a favourite of mine made me realise all over again how much I admire his work. John Malkovich does not need much explaining, brilliant actor. They are both equally marvellous through out it and just now I've realised how many different ways I've said basically "fantastic" in this paragraph lol. The script is so clever and I couldn't help laughing, it's just so funny at times. I want this on video so bad! Anyone who is yet to watch this enjoy it, you really have no other option but too lol. 10/10
Truly entertaining based on acting alone!
Eric-338 September 1999
This film is a great example of how entertaining a movie can be relying on acting alone. Both Sinise & Malkovich take their roles to the limit in physicality & emotion, not to mention some excellent comic timing. I thought Malkovich was very funny and parts of his highly physical performance reminded me of Jim Carrey or Chris Farley (only in a more dramatic sense) - this movie being released in 1983. The technical quality doesn't look much better than a current high-end camcorder, but the acting makes you forget this within a few minutes.
Powerful
floodlighttheatre27 December 2001
What more can you say about the performances that launched two great careers- Malkovich and Sinise. The quality of the filming is poor, but that is to be expected when trying to translate the live experience to film. It feels very TV studio. But this still doesn't detract from two very visceral performances that should be studied by every actor.
HALF TRUE
BobbyGuts8 April 2019
Strange enough My True Love of ONLY the first half of this episode should not coincide with how I feel about the play. I cannot judge his play off their performance.
With my greatest respect to the writer- I felt the second half of True West fell flat off the mountain of momentum it had sparked from the very beginning.
The first half of the play painted two brothers who were the exact opposite- each dealing with the very real stickiness/sensitivity of each others lifestyle/feelings. The play builds this rock-hard tragic tension very well to the midway point and then (through the second half) does a great job of abolishing any trace of what the first half accomplished- Which was; A guttingly'-strong, sharp, disgusting intimacy that's painted with the harshest human colors of a brotherhood*. I, myself have an older brother whom has an almost opposite lifestyle than mine- which has caused a life-long load of differences that have resulted in confrontations, disconnection, and public emotional breakdowns. So now, easy to say, the characters relationship, of the first half, struck me whole heartily. The dialogue from their brother to brother relation is tragically beautiful as they each take stabs at each other, then, soon after, expose moments of subtle compassion.
Until all went to hell in the 2nd half Malkovich and Gary captivated the hell out of me and taught me many lessons in acting. Don't know why the story went south and why so far south. The reason? Only god knows.
I give the first half a 10 and the second half a 1. And therefore no rating just a mixed review.
With my greatest respect to the writer- I felt the second half of True West fell flat off the mountain of momentum it had sparked from the very beginning.
The first half of the play painted two brothers who were the exact opposite- each dealing with the very real stickiness/sensitivity of each others lifestyle/feelings. The play builds this rock-hard tragic tension very well to the midway point and then (through the second half) does a great job of abolishing any trace of what the first half accomplished- Which was; A guttingly'-strong, sharp, disgusting intimacy that's painted with the harshest human colors of a brotherhood*. I, myself have an older brother whom has an almost opposite lifestyle than mine- which has caused a life-long load of differences that have resulted in confrontations, disconnection, and public emotional breakdowns. So now, easy to say, the characters relationship, of the first half, struck me whole heartily. The dialogue from their brother to brother relation is tragically beautiful as they each take stabs at each other, then, soon after, expose moments of subtle compassion.
Until all went to hell in the 2nd half Malkovich and Gary captivated the hell out of me and taught me many lessons in acting. Don't know why the story went south and why so far south. The reason? Only god knows.
I give the first half a 10 and the second half a 1. And therefore no rating just a mixed review.
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