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The Indian Runner (1991) 7.2
A Vietnam vet comes home to his small town and finds himself in conflict with rules that his brother has vowed to uphold. Director:Sean PennWriter:Sean Penn |
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Title: The Indian Runner (1991)
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1 win & 1 nomination.
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| David Morse | ... | ||
| Viggo Mortensen | ... |
Frank Roberts
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| Valeria Golino | ... |
Maria
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| Patricia Arquette | ... |
Dorothy
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| Charles Bronson | ... | ||
| Sandy Dennis | ... |
Mrs. Roberts
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| Dennis Hopper | ... |
Caesar
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| Jordan Rhodes | ... |
Randall
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Enzo Rossi | ... |
Raffael
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Harry Crews | ... |
Mr. Baker
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| Eileen Ryan | ... |
Mrs. Baker
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Trevor Endicott | ... | |
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Brandon Fleck | ... |
7-Years-Old Frank Roberts
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Kathy Jensen | ... |
Lady at Carwash
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James Devney | ... |
Deputy #1
(as Jim Devney)
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
An intensely sad film about two brothers who cannot overcome their opposite perceptions of life. One brother sees and feels bad in everyone and everything, subsequently he is violent, antisocial and unable to appreciate or enjoy the good things which his brother desperately tries to point out to him. Frank understands the atrocities of life as a big picture; Joe does not. Joe is content to enjoy smaller pleasures: children, family, routine. Joe mistakenly believes he can straighten his little brother out and convince him that life is good. Frank is a cursed man. He is cut between his love for his brother and his repulsion at self-indulgent contentment. The result is a painful story of heartbreak, heartache, disappointment, despair, and the tragic side of love. Written by wedgwood
Plot Keywords:
male nudity | male frontal nudity | female frontal nudity | vomit | small town |Genres:
DramaMotion Picture Rating (MPAA)
Rated R for violence, language, and some drug use | See all certifications »Parents Guide:
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Details
Language:
EnglishRelease Date:
20 September 1991 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
The Indian Runner See more »Box Office
Budget:
$7,000,000 (estimated)Gross:
$191,125 (USA)Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Dolby SRColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Frank: Land must churn
Joe: I burned!
Frank: It's always turned.
Joe: I burned!
Frank: They took what you earned.
Joe: [Grins] Lesson learned.
Frank: [Smiles back] Meetin' adjourned.
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Written by Eric Haller
Performed by Eric Haller and Bret Haller
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Did You Know?
Goofs
After the chase scene near the end of the film between Joe in the police car and Frank in the Buick, Joe turns off the red police lights, then the car's headlamps and steps out of the car and stands next to it. In the final scene we see Joe still standing next to the police car but the car's headlamps have mysteriously come on again. See more »Quotes
Joe: [about how he used to own farmland] I burned.Frank: Land must churn
Joe: I burned!
Frank: It's always turned.
Joe: I burned!
Frank: They took what you earned.
Joe: [Grins] Lesson learned.
Frank: [Smiles back] Meetin' adjourned.
See more »
Soundtracks
BROTHERS FOR GOODWritten by Eric Haller
Performed by Eric Haller and Bret Haller
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A great melodrama in a small town during the seventies about two grown-up brothers; Joe (David Morse), is married and a deputy sheriff who seems to be highly devoted to his job. Frank (Viggo Mortensen), who is the younger one of the pair, comes back from Vietnam even though he has the habit of being a troublemaker.
Morse and Mortensen are nothing short of excellent in their performances and are backed up by a solid supporting cast (Valerina Gorlino, Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper, Sandy Dennis, and Charles Bronson). Out of the bunch, Bronson is the one to watch here as the boys' quiet and solemn father and he treats it to perfection. In one scene, he tells Joe while they're sitting out on the porch that he was wrong about Joe marrying Maria (Gorlino), who is Mexican.
There another surprise that makes the film more compelling to watch is that it's the directing and writing debut of actor Sean Penn. The movie was inspired by the Bruce Springsteen song that's called "Highway Patrolman".
Anthony Richmond's cinematography is extroadinary and the musical score by the late Jack Nitzsche is very solid.
"The Indian Runner" presented a rare and very interesting question to me: "Why doesn't any movie director make a film that shows the two sides (bright and dark) of the director themself?"
In conclusion, this movie is intelligent and seriously moving. And it shows that Penn can write and direct beside act.