'True Romance' with Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey
September 20, 2018 · True Romance (1993) · Crime · Drama · Romance · 1:35:21 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsInitially prefers Clarence versus Drexel scene, but is convinced to go with the Sicilian story (Hopper versus Walken)▶ 30:30
Dion Waiters Award
Chris RyanGary Oldman — Discussed Gary Oldman as Drexel extensively, praising how Tony Scott's direction elevated the character with music, lighting, and atmosphere▶ 32:41
Sean FennesseyGary Oldman — Praised Gary Oldman as Drexel as 'a complete Tarantino original character' where 'every single word he says is entertaining'▶ 32:24
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsJudd Apatow said the whole idea of Pineapple Express came from loving Floyd's character - they wondered what would have happened if Floyd chased the Italians▶ 35:29
Sean FennesseyTarantino lifts two classic movie lines: 'You're just like your mother' from Rumblefish and 'Beer's all I ever eat' from The Last Picture Show▶ 39:07
Sean FennesseyHans Zimmer score is based on a composition from the 1500s by German composer Karl Orff, which was also used in Badlands▶ 42:35
What's Aged the Worst
Bill SimmonsSmoking in movie theaters and payphones, but defends both the 'eggplant speech' and Gandolfini-Arquette violence scene as still valid▶ 43:55
Chris RyanThe Sicilian speech, but provides extensive defense of controversial elements as character-driven storytelling about morally flawed people▶ 44:19
Sean FennesseyGandolfini beating Patricia Arquette and the Drexel character, but acknowledges complexity around Tarantino's controversial elements▶ 44:08
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsDrew Barrymore — Mixed on Joan Cusack for Alabama (lacks sex appeal), positive on Drew Barrymore for Alabama (could have propelled her to A-list status)▶ 53:11
Chris RyanJoan Cusack — Strong support for Joan Cusack casting - calls Tarantino's choice 'smart and genius', compares to his successful Travolta casting in Pulp Fiction▶ 52:58
Sean FennesseyJoan Cusack — Supports Joan Cusack's potential sex appeal (references Addams Family), acknowledges Patricia Arquette was perfect casting and hard to replace▶ 53:16
Joey Pants Award
Bill SimmonsSaul Rubinek — Saul Rubinek - 'This is the iconic Saul Rubinek performance to end all Saul Rubinek performances'▶ 58:31
Chris RyanMentions Victor Argo and Conchata Farrell as additional candidates but doesn't give a definitive pick▶ 58:39
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsChristian Slater — Agreed on multiple picks: Ruben Eck (slam dunk), Christian Slater (yes, but debated between this and Heathers), Patricia Arquette (personally True Romance but career-wise Boyhood for the Oscar), Tony Scott (yes, between True Romance and Crimson Tide period), Tom Sizemore (Heat), Chris Penn (Reservoir Dogs)▶ 1:13:12
Chris RyanChris Penn — Participated in discussions: Christian Slater (none picked Broken Arrow/Hard Rain), Patricia Arquette (not this movie, prefers Boyhood), Christopher Walken (Deer Hunter over early 90s period), Chris Penn (Reservoir Dogs)▶ 1:13:55
Sean FennesseyChristopher Walken — Christian Slater (Pump Up the Volume because he invented podcasting), Patricia Arquette (Boyhood - she won an Oscar), Tony Scott (disagreed, thinks Top Gun over True Romance), Tom Sizemore (Heat), Chris Penn (Reservoir Dogs), Christopher Walken (early 90s period with True Romance, King of New York, Wayne's World 2)▶ 1:13:53
Best Quote
Chris RyanI'm the Antichrist. You got me in a vendetta kind of mood. You tell the angels in heaven you've never seen evil so singularly personified as you did in the face of the man who killed you.▶ 1:24:04
Sean FennesseyMultiple quotes including 'You know what we got here? Motherfucking Charlie Bronson. Mr. Majestic' and several others, praising Tarantino's quotable dialogue overall▶ 1:24:28
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsMultiple questions: the 17/20 lying tells statistic (likely Tarantino invention), why Patricia Arquette wasn't a bigger star (market corrected by Drew Barrymore), Alabama probably working in a boatyard in Mexico while Clarence is dead, Dick/Floyd lived in Los Feliz/Beachwood area, Floyd survives the Italian encounter but dies of lung disease later▶ 1:24:35
Chris RyanPatricia Arquette had a distinctive but not mainstream-friendly vibe, Clarence is definitely dead (probably from eye surgery complications), Alabama hooks up with Harvey Keitel's character, Floyd survives the Italians (his last line in script is directions)▶ 1:25:18
Sean FennesseyPatricia Arquette was in good memorable movies like Ed Wood and Flirting with Disaster but never a huge blockbuster, she was cooler and more hard-bitten than Drew Barrymore, the Italians wouldn't kill Floyd as it would just leave a trail▶ 1:25:46
Who Won the Movie
Bill SimmonsQuentin Tarantino — Quentin Tarantino - proves Reservoir Dogs wasn't a fluke, established narrative, led to Pulp Fiction, most personal of his movies with Clarence as his proxy▶ 1:31:09
Chris RyanQuentin Tarantino — Quentin Tarantino - it minted him and provided sustainability after Reservoir Dogs▶ 1:29:44
Sean FennesseyQuentin Tarantino — Quentin Tarantino - acknowledges it wasn't a hit but agrees it's got to be Tarantino▶ 1:29:41
Movies Referenced (63)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reservoir Dogs (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 21 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 2:51 |
| Top Gun (1986) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 0:46 |
| Pulp Fiction (1994) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 6:23 |
| Elvis (2022) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 49:09 |
| Beverly Hills Cop (1984) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 0:46 |
| Crimson Tide (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 13:33 |
| Boyhood (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:14:10 |
| Broken Arrow (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:13:55 |
| Pineapple Express (2008) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 35:29 |
| Pump Up the Volume (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 14:09 |
| Shooter (2007) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 29:47 |
| Dracula (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 30:37 |
Directors Referenced (14)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Scott | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 42 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Unstoppable, True Romance | ▶ 4:04 |
| Quentin Tarantino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 41 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, From Dusk Till Dawn | ▶ 3:26 |
| Michael Mann | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | The Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans | ▶ 56:42 |
| Robert Kennedy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:10:35 | |
| Clint Eastwood | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven | ▶ 21:51 |
| David Lynch | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:26:01 | |
| Kevin Costner | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves | ▶ 12:31 |
| Paul Thomas Anderson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood | ▶ 10:13 |
| Ridley Scott | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Martian, Blade Runner | ▶ 53:42 |
| Robert Rodriguez | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 10:02 | |
| Ron Howard | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | A Beautiful Mind | ▶ 59:25 |
| Stanley Kubrick | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon | ▶ 4:32 |
Actors Referenced (70)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patricia Arquette | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 29 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | True Romance, Boyhood | ▶ 17:11 |
| Christian Slater | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 20 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Very Bad Things, True Romance, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves | ▶ 4:26 |
| Gary Oldman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 20 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Dark Knight, Darkest Hour | ▶ 4:58 |
| James Gandolfini | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 19 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Get Shorty | ▶ 20:22 |
| Dennis Hopper | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 17 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Easy Rider, Blue Velvet, Speed | ▶ 4:35 |
| Brad Pitt | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Fight Club, 12 Monkeys, Mr. & Mrs. Smith | ▶ 15:20 |
| Christopher Walken | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Catch Me If You Can, The Deer Hunter | ▶ 4:35 |
| Tom Sizemore | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down | ▶ 6:15 |
| Joel Silver | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | The Nice Guys, The Matrix | ▶ 13:12 |
| Val Kilmer | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | The Doors, The Saint, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang | ▶ 16:10 |
| Bronson Pinchot | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Beverly Hills Cop, True Romance, Risky Business | ▶ 20:14 |
| Drew Barrymore | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Charlie's Angels, 50 First Dates, Never Been Kissed | ▶ 53:42 |
Writers Referenced (10)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 8:41 | |
| William Goldman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men, The Princess Bride | ▶ 10:38 |
| Carl Orff | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Natural Born Killers | ▶ 42:42 |
| Charles Addams | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | The Addams Family | ▶ 53:22 |
| David Letterman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:26:28 | |
| Elmore Leonard | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Out of Sight, Get Shorty | ▶ 5:47 |
| Jerry Bruckheimer | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Top Gun: Maverick, Armageddon | ▶ 11:50 |
| Jon Favreau | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Chef, Iron Man, Swingers | ▶ 41:17 |
| Judd Apatow | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The King of Staten Island, Knocked Up | ▶ 35:29 |
| Shane Black | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Predator, The Nice Guys, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang | ▶ 13:01 |