River's EdgeNobody should have to cope with the murder of a friend, much less children who are already struggling to get a handle on how the world works. River's Edge is about an economically depressed town in Northern California where teens like Matt (Keanu Reeves) and Layne (Crispin Glover) spend their free time getting high and dealing with teenage angst while aimlessly shuffling through life. When their friend, Samson "John" Tollet (Daniel Roebuck), tells them that he killed their mutual friend, Jaime (Danyi Deats), and left her body along the river's edge, the teens discover that they are unprepared for the trauma of it as they try to manage their grief.
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River's Edge is an unusual mix of a crime film and a coming of age drama, adding social commentary into the story as well. Kids like Matt feel adrift at sea without a rudder; he gets no sense of sympathy or affection from his mother, who favors spending time with her new boyfriend more than her children. He seems ill at ease in his circle of friends--not out of dislike for them, but there is a longing for something far away from this town that threatens to siphon away his soul. Conversely, Layne seems suited to his environment; he possesses a manic energy and excitement, even when he is panicking, although this speaks to how such an morally empty microcosm like the town can drive someone crazy. River's Edge intimates that this is what motivated John to kill Jaime; he is seemingly unfazed after the crime, arguing with a convenience store clerk shortly afterwards when he tries to buy beer. Matt, Layne, and John get their pot from a skittish ex-biker named Feck (Dennis Hopper), who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident and was abandoned by his crew. An event from Feck's past recalls Jaime's murder, and because of a dearth of meaningful adult role models, John turns to him for guidance and understanding by default. River's Edge is loosely based on the murder of Marcy Renee Conrad, which got media attention due to the young ages of the killer and victim, but is noteworthy because despite the killer bragging about the killing and showing his crime to his classmates, it wasn't reported until two days later. This film explores the psychology of teenagers exposed to such a horrible crime, and the reasons for not immediately turning their friend's killer over to the police. John doesn't show any remorse for the murder, but he comes across as increasingly unhinged. It's possible that some of the teens are afraid of turning John in for their own safety and culpability in concealing it after the fact, but it is more likely that they are simply unprepared for how to handle their own emotions when they see Jaime's body. Some like Clarissa (Ione Skye) initially believe that it is a practical joke, but is later forced to deal with her own apathy for the loss of her friend. She shares her ennui with Matt after it is pointed out to her by her teacher, Mr. Burkewaite (Jim Metzler), which becomes symbolic of growing up without any sense of purpose or hope for the future. Even those who didn't appear to know Jaime directly--like Matt's younger brother, Tim (Joshua John Miller)--experience the rippling effects of the violence and their own difficulty in handling it. In Tim's case, he may even have witnessed the killing from his vantage point at the start of River's Edge, and is haunted by the act. His exposure to violence and death so early in his life twists his understanding of right and wrong, and fosters feelings of darkness and confusion.
The depressingly bleak setting and depiction of small-town life being an inescapable trap may be why John killed Jaime, but the aftermath is rendered more horrible by the difficulty with which his friends deal with it. This setting is reminiscent of The Last Picture Show; Matt tells Clarissa how he longs to flee this town for Portland, but it seems doubtful that this would ever actually happen, and he'll end up miserable and trapped here like his mother. Feck becomes a pale substitute for Sam the Lion because there isn't anyone else around who the kids can score pot from; and he is as much a prisoner of the town as they are. John opens up to Feck around a campfire along the river's edge, and talks of how he felt powerful and alive when he killed Jaime. His crime is symptomatic of his feelings of inferiority and impotent rage, recalling Chris Penn's character from Robert Altman's Short Cuts. The murder of Jamie elicits varied and confusing emotions in the teens. The ways that many of these characters verbalize how they struggle with their emotions--as well as the staging of scenes in River's Edge--recalls a stage play, or even the angst-ridden teens from Rebel Without a Cause. River's Edge has several scenes that recreate an authentic experience of growing up without parental guidance in those heady adolescent days, foreshadowing coming-of-age stories by Richard Linklater like in Dazed and Confused. Sometimes these are almost comical, like when Matt get so mad at his mom's boyfriend for mooching off of his family that he accuses him of being a "food eater". It sounds absurd, but it's the kind of absurd thing a teen might bark when he isn't thinking straight. In his anger, Matt gets into a fight and ends up hitting his brother, Tim, who takes the assault personally and goes out of his way to get revenge by stealing Feck's gun. When Matt ultimately confronts his brother--at that ubiquitous river's edge, where all meaningful actions take place--Matt opens his heart to his brother and they share their heartache in a moment that is tender and sincere.
Recommended for: Fans of a drama that explores the psychological and emotional reactions of a group of teens after the killing of one of their friends by another, as well as the existential questions it raises in them. River's Edge was a breakthrough role for actors like Keanu Reeves and Ione Skye, and is an insightful depiction of the challenges of growing up without direction or sense of purpose.
The depressingly bleak setting and depiction of small-town life being an inescapable trap may be why John killed Jaime, but the aftermath is rendered more horrible by the difficulty with which his friends deal with it. This setting is reminiscent of The Last Picture Show; Matt tells Clarissa how he longs to flee this town for Portland, but it seems doubtful that this would ever actually happen, and he'll end up miserable and trapped here like his mother. Feck becomes a pale substitute for Sam the Lion because there isn't anyone else around who the kids can score pot from; and he is as much a prisoner of the town as they are. John opens up to Feck around a campfire along the river's edge, and talks of how he felt powerful and alive when he killed Jaime. His crime is symptomatic of his feelings of inferiority and impotent rage, recalling Chris Penn's character from Robert Altman's Short Cuts. The murder of Jamie elicits varied and confusing emotions in the teens. The ways that many of these characters verbalize how they struggle with their emotions--as well as the staging of scenes in River's Edge--recalls a stage play, or even the angst-ridden teens from Rebel Without a Cause. River's Edge has several scenes that recreate an authentic experience of growing up without parental guidance in those heady adolescent days, foreshadowing coming-of-age stories by Richard Linklater like in Dazed and Confused. Sometimes these are almost comical, like when Matt get so mad at his mom's boyfriend for mooching off of his family that he accuses him of being a "food eater". It sounds absurd, but it's the kind of absurd thing a teen might bark when he isn't thinking straight. In his anger, Matt gets into a fight and ends up hitting his brother, Tim, who takes the assault personally and goes out of his way to get revenge by stealing Feck's gun. When Matt ultimately confronts his brother--at that ubiquitous river's edge, where all meaningful actions take place--Matt opens his heart to his brother and they share their heartache in a moment that is tender and sincere.
Recommended for: Fans of a drama that explores the psychological and emotional reactions of a group of teens after the killing of one of their friends by another, as well as the existential questions it raises in them. River's Edge was a breakthrough role for actors like Keanu Reeves and Ione Skye, and is an insightful depiction of the challenges of growing up without direction or sense of purpose.