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Destiny Turns on the Radio
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Wikipedia article
'Destiny Turns on the Radio' is a 1995 American comedy film directed by Jack Baran. It marked the film debut role of David Cross, and was the first film produced by Rysher Entertainment.
Plot
An incarcerated bank robber, Julian Goddard, escapes from prison. He is rescued in the desert by Johnny Destiny, a bizarre, possibly supernatural character. Destiny takes Julian to Las Vegas and the Marilyn Motel, owned by Harry Thoreau, who was Julian's partner in crime. Julian searches for his girlfriend, Lucille, and the proceeds of the heist.
However, Destiny has taken the money and Lucille is pregnant and shacking up with Tuerto, a mob kingpin. Her agent has convinced a record label to send a talent scout to hear her lounge singing act, but Julian's arrival upsets her plans. As they are hunted by both the police and Tuerto's henchmen, Destiny toys with their fate.
Cast
*Dylan McDermott as Julian Goddard
*Nancy Travis as Lucille
*James LeGros as Harry Thoreau
*Quentin Tarantino as Johnny Destiny
*James Belushi as Tuerto
*Janet Carroll as Escabel
*David Cross as Ralph Dellaposa
*Richard Edson as Gage
*Bobcat Goldthwait as Mr. Smith
*Barry Shabaka Henley as Dravec
*Lisa Jane Persky as Katrina
*Sarah Trigger as Francine
*Tracey Walter as Pappy
*Allen Garfield as Vinnie Vidivici
Reception
Roger Ebert gave the film 1 star out of 4 and wrote that it "moves at a lugubrious pace, is neither funny nor satirical, does not create any interest in its characters and takes seriously just those parts it should be laughing at - the Tarantino character, for example, or the business of how Lucille got pregnant in a dream. It's one of those movies where everybody must have spent a lot of time convincing themselves that the material would work if you looked at it in the right way, but nobody ever knew exactly what the right way was." Janet Maslin of 'The New York Times' stated, "Thoroughly upstaged by the Las Vegas setting and by a studiously garish production design, the actors play out a satirically dark story laced with broad, dopey humor. If you don't think the idea of Bobcat Goldthwait in black socks is funny, you won't laugh at much else."Maslin, Janet (April 28, 1995). [https://www.nytimes.com/1995/04/28/movies/film-review-hipness-to-the-nth-degree-in-a-candy-colored-world.html "Hipness to the Nth Degree In a Candy-Colored World".] 'The New York Times'. C8. Todd McCarthy of 'Variety' called the film "a hopeless and hapless attempt at cool. Apparently aiming at some sort of fable about winning and losing in American culture, filmmakers flail about trying to establish a tone that never materializes, and an array of good actors is left with nothing coherent to play."McCarthy, Todd (May 17, 1995). "Film Reviews: Destiny Turns on the Radio". 'Variety'. 37. Gene Siskel of the 'Chicago Tribune' awarded 1 star out of 4 and called the film "A major disappointment considering the presence of 'Pulp Fiction' director Quentin Tarantino as one of the co-stars of a road picture that leads to Las Vegas. Maybe it proves just what a tremendous achievement 'Pulp' was, because these riff-raff types are deadly dull."Siskel, Gene (April 28, 1995). "Siskel's Flicks Picks". 'Chicago Tribune'. Section 7, Page B, F. Lisa Schwarzbaum of 'Entertainment Weekly' assigned a grade of D+ and wrote, "The visual cues that signify retro hipness wraparound sunglasses, red convertibles, gaudy Las Vegas take the place of true style in this self-satisfied riff on pulp-fiction themes."Schwarzbaum, Lisa (May 12, 1995). [https://ew.com/article/1995/05/12/movie-review-destiny-turns-radio/ Movie Review: Destiny Turns on the Radio.] 'Entertainment Weekly'. p. 44. Peter Rainer of the 'Los Angeles Times' called the film "a metaphysical snore fest that manages to strand an entire platoon of attractive performers in an oasis of pseudo-hip pseudo-cool."Rainer, Peter (April 28, 1995). [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-04-28-ca-59770-story.html "Stars Can't Overcome the Level of Static in 'Radio'".] 'Los Angeles Times' F12.
As of March 2022, the film holds a 16% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 19 reviews.
Home video
The film was released on VHS and LaserDisc by HBO Home Video, but is out of print. It has not been released on DVD or Blu-ray, but it is available to rent on demand from Paramount Pictures.
References
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