U Turn (1997)

Whimsical and fun characters, shots, editing, and music. Some really great comedy from great acting and writing. The style matches the content perfectly. Well done.

A smaller and sillier Stone film, rather than the huge, historical, social commentaries he has been doing. Probably my favorite Stone film because the whimsical style and whimsical story go hand-in-hand. Because he attacks serious subject matter with the same whimsical style, I find a lot of his more serious work to be too convoluted.

Some really funny moments, some really suspenseful moments (Stone seems to be good at that), and some really thought-provoking moments. A surprisingly fantastic cast, and great acting all around. Thornton at his best, Voight at his best, Nolte at his best, and TNT was hilarious. I’m surprised Nolte hasn’t done more Western-type movies. He seems to be perfect for that. Actors who I usually find annoying all do a great job in this movie.

Shot like a typical Stone film, with extreme cinematography. I find his style to be similar to Spike Lee’s, except that Ollie takes it to another level. Maybe Ollie has taken a few more acid tabs. In the words of the critic Scheid, “Stone combines different types of film stock, often giving U-Turn a gritty look with heightened colors and blazing sunlight; the look of the film and the expressionistic camera angles reflect the raw passions of the characters.” Some really great, refreshingly different photography. Music and sound is used well. A lot like True Romance in terms of style.