Joe Roberts (David Morse), a cop in a small town, welcomes his brother Frank (Viggo Mortensen) back from fighting in the Vietnam War, but the experience has made him cold and destructive… Sean Penn’s directing debut was reportedly inspired by the Bruce Springsteen song “Highway Patrolman”, and one can’t help wondering how much from his own dramatic life he also might have added to the story, which deals with loneliness, desperation and the choices we make. Sad and slow, it is nevertheless a gripping drama with great performances. Nice to see Charles Bronson in a, for him, unusual part.
1991-U.S. 125 min. Color. Written and directed by Sean Penn. Cast: David Morse (Joe Roberts), Viggo Mortensen (Frank Roberts), Valeria Golino (Maria Roberts), Patricia Arquette, Charles Bronson, Sandy Dennis… Dennis Hopper, Benicio Del Toro.
