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Movies / On DVD / U-Turn
U-Turn

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U-Turn (1997)

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Reviews Counted:44

Fresh:24

Rotten:20

Average Rating:5.9/10

Runtime: 2 hrs 5 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: A noirish departure for issue-oriented director Oliver Stone, U-TURN stars Sean Penn as Bobby, a gambler on the run who has the misfortune to have his radiator hose blow in a godforsaken Arizona... A noirish departure for issue-oriented director Oliver Stone, U-TURN stars Sean Penn as Bobby, a gambler on the run who has the misfortune to have his radiator hose blow in a godforsaken Arizona hole-in-the-wall. He quickly meets the stunning Grace McKenna (Jennifer Lopez), and they go to her place to become better acquainted. When her husband, real estate king Jake (Nick Nolte), catches the two together in the bedroom, they fight, but at a later meeting, he proposes that Bobby kill his wife for a reasonable sum. At first the gambler turns him down, but when all his money is torn to shreds in a freak accident, he realizes that he won't be able to get his car fixed unless he goes along. Grace's considerable charm, combined with her account of the mistreatment she's suffered at her husband's hands, dissuades Bobby from the job. But she now offers him the same deal to kill Jake. To add to his problems, Bobby is being hawked by the suspicious sheriff (Powers Boothe) and has been targeted by local badass Toby (Joaquin Phoenix), who thinks Bobby is after his girlfriend, Jenny (Clare Danes). Penn turns in a fine performance in this overripe noir, and the photograpy is excellent. The film is based on the excellent short novel STRAY DOGS by John Ridley, who also served as one of the film's producers. [More]

Starring: Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Lopez, Billy Bob Thornton

Starring: Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Lopez, Billy Bob Thornton, Powers Boothe, Claire Danes, Joaquin Phoenix, Jon Voight, Abraham Benrubi, Julie Hagerty, Bo Hopkins, Valeri Nikolayev, Laurie Metcalf, Liv Tyler

Director: Oliver Stone

Director: Oliver Stone
Producer: Dan Halsted, John Ridley
Story: John Ridley
Screenwriter: John Ridley
Composer: Ennio Morricone

[See More Credits]

Reviews for U-Turn

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
02/09/06
Geoff Andrew
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
01/01/00
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

All great artists have misguided moments.

Full Review Source: UK Critic | comment Comment
01/01/00
Ian Waldron-Mantgani
Ian Waldron-Mantgani
UK Critic

It's a feast for the senses, as long as you have a strong stomach.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
08/04/09
Blake French
Blake French
Filmcritic.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
03/26/09
Todd McCarthy
Todd McCarthy
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

This long, strange trip is fun but aimless.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
07/25/07
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

Viewers who don't need depth and can ignore technique overkill along with social critique nonsense, should enjoy the bumpy ride offered by 'U Turn.'

Full Review Source: ReelTalk Movie Reviews | comment Comment
02/11/07
Donald J. Levit
Donald J. Levit
ReelTalk Movie Reviews
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
08/12/06
Washington Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

One of Stone's best narrative, and thought-provoking, efforts to date.

Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews | comment Comment
04/09/05
Robin Clifford
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews

A bad trip flick.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
03/08/04
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
02/10/04
Dragan Antulov
Dragan Antulov
rec.arts.movies.reviews

It's a disappointing ride.

Full Review Source: Globe and Mail | comment Comment
04/25/03
Rick Groen
Rick Groen
Globe and Mail

No review available.

comment Comment
02/10/03
Shannon J. Harvey
Shannon J. Harvey
Sunday Times (Australia)

No review available.

comment Comment
02/05/03
Mark Palermo
Mark Palermo
Coast (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

Perplexing in the extreme.

Full Review Source: Cincinnati Enquirer | comment Comment
10/15/02
Margaret A. McGurk
Margaret A. McGurk
Cincinnati Enquirer

With brilliant photography and inventive camerawork, Stone gives a really interesting feel to the story.

Full Review Source: Montreal Film Journal | comment Comment
09/10/02
Kevin N. Laforest
Kevin N. Laforest
Montreal Film Journal

U-Turn is fast-paced throughout, with unexpected bursts of twisted humor among the bloody closeups of beatings, shootings and mutilation.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
06/05/02
Ed Scheid
Ed Scheid
Boxoffice Magazine

Observar os 'truques' de Oliver Stone é, por si só, diversão mais do que suficiente.

Full Review Source: Cinema em Cena | comment Comment
05/31/02
Pablo Villaca
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
03/24/02
Boston Phoenix
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

a mostly wasted effort in exploiting a well-tread genre

Full Review Source: Q Network Film Desk | comment Comment
02/27/01
James Kendrick
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
all

Latest News for U-Turn

August 09, 2006: Critical Consensus: A Brave New "World," A "Step" Down, And No Screenings for "Pulse" and "Zoom"
This week at the movies, we've got Oliver Stone paying tribute to the heroes of 9/11 ("World Trade Center," starring Nicolas Cage); two youngsters trying to start a... More...

April 28, 2005: Oliver Stone to Introduce a New "Night Watchman"
The Hollywood Reporter brings news of filmmaker Oliver Stone's next project, which is the long-discussed, frequently delayed "Night Watchman." Based on an earlier... More...

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