Bobby Cooper (Sean Penn) is not having a good day. He’s on his way to pay off some bookie-type thugs when his classic Ford Mustang blows a radiator hose and traps him in the small town of Superior, Arizona. He manages to steer the car to a mechanic (Billy Bob Thornton) before it dies. While he waits for his car to be fixed, Bobby strolls into town and runs into Grace (Jennifer Lopez), a beautiful young woman. This encounter will change his life forever.
A series of events takes place that locks Bobby into the town, with no hope of escape except to murder someone. (I’m being purposefully vague because one of the joys of this movie is finding out what comes next.)
There’s a gleeful bit of mean-spirited humor that runs through this film and gives it a deranged charm. Oliver Stone’s direction is its usual great self, although this film seems a little lightweight in content compared to his previous works.
Penn, who is not one of my favorite actors, is quite good and even likeable in his role as the unfortunate deadbeat. Lopez, who was great in Selena, is steamily sexual as Grace. Nolte’s performance as Jake is the type he seems to excel at: a grizzled man who’s seen enough, but wants something better. Other notable performances come from Jon Voight, as a blind man who gives Bobby advice with a Native American slant, and Claire Danes, as a delightfully ditzy girl who wants to have Bobby’s “love child.”
U Turn is one of those movies that wasn’t much of a success in theaters, but will probably gain legs in the video store. It’s got plot twists, good performances, interesting direction and a decently entertaining story. Some of the darker moments may make some people squirm, but it’s well worth renting.
3.5 out of 5.0 stars
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