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The Indian Runner on DVD (1991)

The Indian Runner cover art
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Average rating: (63%)
2316620151137
3.0
 
Starring: David Morse | Viggo Mortensen | Charles Bronson | Dennis Hopper | Patricia Arquette | Jordan Rhodes
Director: Sean Penn
Studio: SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time: 121 mins
Certificate: 15
Genres: Drama
Languages: English
Subtitles: Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish
Released: 25/03/2002

Brief synopsis of The Indian Runner

Inspired by the song "Highway Patrolman" by rock legend Bruce Springsteen, this is a provocative story about two brothers in 1968. One is a cop with a family, the other lives his life breaking the laws. A story that enriches the senses and touches the heart.

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Critics Reviews

Rating of 3 stars out of 5 Radio Times

Sean Penn was once better known as the paparazzi-baiting husband of Madonna, but he took everyone by surprise with this, his writing and directorial debut. It's a remarkably assured, mature drama, inspired by the Bruce Springsteen song Highway Patrolman, and follows the troubled relationship between David Morse and his disturbed younger brother (an electrifying Viggo Mortensen). The story is slight, but Penn's passionate commitment to his tragic characters shines through and his direction is pleasingly unflashy, aside from sudden jolts of violence. Penn is rewarded with accomplished performances from Mortensen and Morse, while also noteworthy in a stellar supporting cast are Dennis Hopper, Valeria Golino, Patricia Arquette and Charles Bronson.

Sight and Sound

"...Semi-improvised, soul-searching conversations, punctuated with atmospheric footage....Moments of haunting intimacy..."

Rolling Stone

"...Sean Penn shows a sure hand with actors and a knack for setting up a scene visually and dramatically..."

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Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 2 starsSean Penn, what are you on about????

Melisa Tupou from Harrow, UK , 07/02/2006

Ok...so Sean Penn is supposed to be this amazing talent - right??? Ummm, didn't really see it in this movie.

Having said that - there are a few 'good' things about it....Penn directs with a very heavy hand and some of the errie landscapes and freaky music work well in creating this harsh and isolated tale of two brothers finding out they have nothing but blood in common. Mortensen is an inspired choice - even though it's hard to understand what comes out of his mouth sometimes - his Frankie is truely unlikeable (even though Mortensen is extremely easy on the eye, especially naked) and it's really hard to warm to him when his mostly drunk and abusive to those around him.

There are a more than a few things 'wrong' with the movie - the pace is as arduous as the wordy script. This makes it really hard going for the audience. It's also aged and even some of the camera work looks dated. The inclusion of Hopper does nothing really but add another layer of confussion to an already overflowing quota.

See it if you really have a Mortensen addiction - or if you are a deep and thoughtful person who likes there dramas full of unpleasant and confussed people.

  2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 4 starsThe Indian Runner

LawLaws from Norfolk , 12/02/2005

An interesting and intense view of post Vietnam life in small town America. Thought provoking and unusual. Disturbing in parts but great performances by all involved.

Personally I think Viggo Mortensen is better at the off main stream roles than those more commercial so called block buster films. A film that makes you think and want to aee it again to question whether you have understood the undercurrents.

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
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Rated - 1 starsOverlong and overwrought

Motta80 from West Sussex , 05/08/2005

You can feel the worthiness emanating from The Indian Runner five minutes in. This is an overearnest film made by an overly earnest man (Sean Penn) desperate to prove his weight as a thinking human being with a writing/directing debut.

Unfortunately he is not as goood as he thinks he is. The dialogue is often clunky and the characters poorly realised. The plot points can be seen coming a mile away and the whole affair drags on too long. The best thing is the opening.

The acting is solid. David Morse (much better in Penn's superior Crossing Guard) is a good lead and a young Viggo Mortensen does his best with an overwritten two dimensional character that is clearly the one Penn would have played had he ventured in front of the camera. Patricia Arquette is very True Romanceish three years before that film made her name.

No extras on the DVD either.

Get Crossing Guard instead.

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
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Rated - 1 starsrun out of steam!!

A customer from farnborough , 25/04/2006

confusing. not sure what the point was!

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