Plot: What’s it about?
Eve’s boyfriend just got busted for possession of narcotics, and his woes go even deeper than that, since the police are the hunt for his “growhouse,” where the bulk of his marijuana is stashed. Eve (Elizabeth Berkley) has no idea where this growhouse is, because her boyfriend doesn’t trust her enough to let her in on the secret. So, he tells Eve to call his sister, Angie (Tanya Allen), who is more honest and knows the location, so that she can save his ass from further prosecution. Angie knows how cunning Eve is, so she knows she needs to get on the road and move the goods before Eve steals them. Enter Angie’s boyfriend, Cole (Breckin Meyer), who runs a small time classic car repair business, where Bruce (Jake Busey) is employed. While Angie has made Cole into a more responsible person, Bruce is a wild man, who lives life with little or no goals or ambition. He drinks beers at work, slacks off, and longs for Cole to return to his previous self, more carefree and funloving. Bruce’s girlfriend (Denise “I Have Great Tits” Richards) is just like him, not a care in the world, and no plans for leaving her current life behind. Bruce and Cole had been planning a car race, and the news that Cole would have to drive his girlfriend to Canada has thrown a monkey wrench into the gears. That all changes when Bruce persuades Cole to make the trip to Canada a rally race, with different check points and objectives, so the race is on. As the trip unfolds, there is more at stake that pride, and everyone, including Eve, is gunning for the rights to that growhouse.
This low profile flick has plenty of young talent, runs at a breakneck pace, and flat out rocks. The pure energy that the film exudes is what won me over, I never found myself bored thanks to the quick pace and high powered soundtrack. The visuals compliment the overall theme well, with spastic color use and some energetic camera work. The roaming cameras help keep even the dialogue scenes move along briskly and not slow the frenetic pace much. The costumes reflect the color scheme as well, with vibrant and eclectic choices. As a whole, the visual theme is impressive and makes the movie seem like a total world or experience. Of course, there’s very little that adds speed and power to a movie than a car race, and that’s what this film centers on. With all these elements combined, this is one wild ride, and the movie is memorable because of it. In an interesting note, Kevin Smith of Clerks fame is credited as the “executive advisor,” whatever the hell that means. My guess is that Smith oversaw the dialogue, because the conversations are reminiscent of Smith’s style. I recommend this movie to fans of high energy road movies, and the disc is certainly adequate for purchase, with the movie lending itself well to repeat viewing.
As I mentioned above, this movie has a very youthful cast, with some names you’ll certainly recognize. The main roles are played by four actors, working as two couples. Breckin Meyer and Tanya Allen make up the “nice” couple, and Denise Richards and Jake Busey portray the “crazy” couple. Meyer (Clueless, Can’t Hardly Wait) hasn’t seen much action outside of comedic teen roles, but he does get somewhat of a chance at some serious work. He shows some promise, but the limited amount of serious material here doesn’t give us much of a chance to see his full talents. Allen (White Lies) is a relative newcomer, but she shows some potential here, playing the reserved, responsible type well. Jake Busey (Starship Troopers, Enemy of the State) plays the wild guy very well, but I don’t think he’d work so well in an expanded, leading role. Of course, the main draw for first time viewers will be Denise Richards, but she plays an unusual role here, a white trash skank. I prefer her in this part, as her acting skills are lacking to say the least. She fills the part with bitterness and trashiness, which is dead on for the character. The supporting cast includes Elizabeth Berkley (Showgirls, Any Given Sunday), Doug Hardwick, Margot Kidder (Junior’s Groove), and Lisa Marie (Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow).
Video: How does it look?
Tail Lights Fade is presented in a 1.85:1 widescreen transfer, which is not enhanced for widescreen televisions. The colors are replicated very well, almost streaming off the screen. The hues are vibrant and rich, but never bleed or become oversaturated. Contrast levels are dead on, with natural shadow depth and high visible detail in all scenes. The transfer is also free from all compression errors.
Audio: How does it sound?
As with most stereo soundtracks, the audio is limited from the start, but this track manages to give a decent audio experience. The music comes through with as full of a sound as you can hope for, and all the elements are crisp and separate. The dialogue is never lost in the shuffle, and remains consistent throughout.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The disc contains the trailer for this movie, as well as bonus trailers for Twice Upon A Yesterday and The Doom Generation.
