The Indian Runner
This writing and directorial debut from Sean Penn (Dead Man Walking) is a "raw, intense drama" (Blockbuster Entertainment Guide) filled "with emotion and truth" (Leonard Maltin). An all-star cast featuring David Morse (The Negotiator), Viggo Mortensen (A Perfect Murder), Charles Bronson (Death Wish), Valeria Golino (Rain Man), Patricia Arquette (Stigmata) and Dennis Hopper (Blue Velvet) gives The Indian Runner "a fundamental honesty [and] real substance" (Janet Maslin, The New York Times).
As deputy sheriff in a small town, Joe (Morse) leads a pretty simple life with his loving family. However, his idyllic existence abruptly changes when his troubled brother Frank (Mortensen) arrives unannounced at Joe's door. Much to the chagrin of his wife (Golino), Joe wants to help Frank make a better life for himself. But Joe soon discovers that this is a formidable task. And so Frank continues his destructive behavior, Joe decides he's had enough, and they square off in a final showdown that pits blood against blood.
Member Reviews
The Indian Runner - AppsScraps
The Indian Runner was Sean Penn's first foray into writing and directing and was released way back in 1991. The movie did very poorly at the box office, not surprising as the story of two brothers very different approaches to life is sad and unrelenting. The two brothers - Frank (played by Viggo Mortensen) and Joe (played by David Morse) - simply cannot find common ground to stand on as their history and perspectives on what life is all about clash. The Indian Runner is a complex character driven movie with nary a happy moment. Joe is the town's sheriff and is happily married; Frank is a drifter and clearly still haunted by his time in Vietnam. Joe is at a loss to understand why Frank can't just settle down with his girlfriend (played by Patricia Arquette) and Frank bristles at his brother's constant attempts to rein him into a way of life he just can't accept. Mortensen is outstanding in this film (and I'm not just speaking to the fact we see him in fully frontal nudity. His performance alone makes this difficult film worth a rent.
My rating 7 out of 10.
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The Indian Runner - AppsScraps
The Indian Runner was Sean Penn's first foray into writing and directing and was released way back in 1991. The movie did very poorly at the box office, not surprising as the story of two brothers very different approaches to life is sad and unrelenting. The ...