River's Edge (1986, dir. Tim Hunter)

River's Edge (1986, dir. Tim Hunter)

What Is It?: An exceptional crime drama – based on true events – about the murder of a young woman and the inaction of her peer group upon being shown her body.

What About It?: Taken at the time to be a kind of portrait of the moral breakdown of contemporary society, one could certainly see something like this made today, with the requisite meth hysteria thrown in for good measure. The movie boasts breakout performances from Keanu Reeves and Crispin Glover as best friends of the killer, but on opposite poles of the situation. Dennis Hopper completed his hat trick of a comeback with this, his third film to come out in 1986 (Hoosiers and Blue Velvet were the other two). Hopper's creepazoid schtick had yet to wear thin, and he plays his character Feck perfectly as the burnout fugitive who gives the kids their pot (called “Feck Weed” in the movie) in exchange for their vacant glances, though nothing untoward is implied.

Why Should I See It?: It's gripping stuff and works on a number of different levels, even if it sometimes is a bit obvious. It came out when indie films were still called arthouse and the frentic stylings of Mssr. Tarantino had yet to take over that world's movies. It has a pace that feels like the overcast skies that dominate the visuals. It also has a great score by Jürgen Knieper, who scored Wings of Desire the next year.

What Else Is It Like?: Mean Creek, George Washington, Bubble.

When Is It Available Until ON DEMAND?: 12/14/06

Watch It ON DEMAND On Comcast Cable.

-- ddt/pdx

What's New This Week (That's Worth Watching to One Degree or Another)?: Dark Skies, Futureworld, The Long Riders, New York, New York, None But the Lonely Heart, The Piano, RoboCop.