I'm amazed by the positive comments posted about this one. Some of them are understandable--okay, you're from the Podunk area in Pennsylvania and you've never seen your old stomping grounds on film before. You love it. I understand. I hope they make a movie on your patio someday, that will be even better.
The big problem is the plot. There's absolutely no good motivation driving the behavior of Keneau's character. He's a dumb kid with a stupid haircut, and Bonnie Bedelia keeps telling him what a genius he is and how he's so much better than the other small town Scrapple eaters. On what evidence? He's a moping little whiner who doesn't have the acting chops to play the James Dean game, and the weak script gives him no motivation that justifies his way-overboard actions.
On that last point--without offering a "spoiler"--the Kenau character's actions throughout this movie, and particularly in climactic scenes, are far from charming. He's got way too high an opinion of himself, and gives himself way too much license. His nemesis isn't really that bad--so he comes off as an unhinged spoiled brat, and not even an entertaining brat, just an annoying arrogant punk.
Don't fall into the trap of thinking this is some cult classic you have to seek out. There are very good reasons you haven't heard of it. I cannot recommend this offensive and boring yawner, not even to the Pennsylvania Dutch.
The big problem is the plot. There's absolutely no good motivation driving the behavior of Keneau's character. He's a dumb kid with a stupid haircut, and Bonnie Bedelia keeps telling him what a genius he is and how he's so much better than the other small town Scrapple eaters. On what evidence? He's a moping little whiner who doesn't have the acting chops to play the James Dean game, and the weak script gives him no motivation that justifies his way-overboard actions.
On that last point--without offering a "spoiler"--the Kenau character's actions throughout this movie, and particularly in climactic scenes, are far from charming. He's got way too high an opinion of himself, and gives himself way too much license. His nemesis isn't really that bad--so he comes off as an unhinged spoiled brat, and not even an entertaining brat, just an annoying arrogant punk.
Don't fall into the trap of thinking this is some cult classic you have to seek out. There are very good reasons you haven't heard of it. I cannot recommend this offensive and boring yawner, not even to the Pennsylvania Dutch.