LONE STAR. Directed and written by John Sayles; produced by R. Paul Miller and Maggie Renzi for Castle Rock. Starring Chria Cooper, Elizabeth Pena and Joe Morton. Rated R.
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I've seen a few good movies this year, but I haven't seen a better one than Lone Star. And I'll bet you haven't, either. I'd recommend it highly to anyone living anywhere, but especially to folks in South Texas.
Filmed in Eagle Pass, it's about a lot of different things—difficulties between fathers and sons, the influence of the past on the present, the problems and joys of diversity—but mostly it's just about us. This "menudo we've got down here," in the words of one of the Anglo characters, this stew of cultures, languages, histories and characters, is used by the talented Sayles to make a first-class treat.
Discovery of some human remains on an old Army rifle range leads Sheriff Sam Deeds (Cooper) into an investigation of his own father, Buddy (played in flashback by A Time to Kill's Matthew McConaughey). Buddy became a hero in the bordertown of Frontera by running off his boss, the nasty and corrupt Sheriff Charley Wade (Kris Kristofferson). They're even renaming the courthouse for him, and, no matter what problems Sam might have had with his father when Buddy was alive, he'll be expected to say a few words at the dedication, you can be sure.
Mixed in with the murder mystery and the local politics is a long-interrupted love story between Sam and his high school sweetheart, Pilar (Pena); the effects of a tough new commander on the local Army post (Morton), which, incidentally, is due to be shut down; and some interesting local history involving illegal aliens and some of Frontera's most upstanding citizens.
The cast is good from first to last, and more than that, they're interesting, too. My only complaint about the movie is that it seemed to end somewhat abruptly. But I think that's because I'd gotten to know these people, and I was reluctant to say good-bye.
Cooper doesn't have your standard leading man looks, but he's the goods all the same. I've liked Pena's mix of an unusual beauty and an inner strength before (in Batteries Not Included, for example, and Jacob's Ladder). Morton is always interesting, too, and Kristofferson makes a great villain. Fargo's fabulous Frances McDormand has a great short scene as Sam's "tightly wound" ex-wife.
Lone Star proves to be that rarest of movie marvels, the English-majors' film with mass appeal. There are enough weighty themes and imaginative (though not distracting) camera work and juicy characterizations to keep even the most serious film scholar happy. But there's also plenty of romance, mystery and snappy dialogue for the summer movie audience.
Whichever category you fall into, don't miss Lone Star. I promise you'll be sorry if you do.
August 28, 1996