A cast-ful of talent wasted on this tedious bit of desert "pseudo-film-noire." The plot's been covered at length here so just a few thoughts: 1. All the bills in a bag full of money are ENTIRELY DESTROYED by one shotgun blast? Really? This is a critical plot device because the whole movie depends on Sean Penn becoming penniless and "trapped" inside Superior, Arizona. And what happened to all the "money debris" that was floating around this store after the robbery? Oh, note that 3 $100 bills did survive because Penn gives those to the shop-owner so she'll keep mum about his presence during the robbery. C'mon, he could have least picked up the pieces and pasted together enough money to pay for his car repair ($200) and get the heck out of "Dodge." 2. Billy Bob Thorton is a hoot, as usual when he plays ugly, disgusting characters, which appears to be his natural forte. Covered head-to-toe with grey oil stains and smiling through hideously rotten teeth, he's the only major character in this film that we do NOT see enough of. He's got some great funny lines, too, like at one point when Penn calls him every name in the book, he responds with "Are those insults? Are you insulting me?" Penn gets what he deserves with the rude, insulting treatment he renders to the only guy for 50 miles who can fix his broken radiator hose.3. A young Claire Danes is enjoyable to watch as the teen-aged girl friend of an obnoxious and blowhard Joaquin Phoenix, who gets his butt kicked by Penn after accusing Penn of coming onto his girlfriend. These secondary scenes are actually more enjoyable to watch than the main action.4. As for what happens to Penn's character in the end... all I can say is "Stupid Is as Stupid Does."

U TURN has a great premise: a drifter shows up in an out-of-the-way town, only to fall foul of the town's weirdo inhabitants and finding himself caught up in intricate plots between various characters. It's directed by Oliver Stone, a man with a history of making challenging cinema, and it has an ensemble cast of familiar actors. What's to go wrong? The story, as it turns out. U TURN falls down because the storyline is bloated and convoluted in equal measure. It meanders from place to place as the minutes and the hours gradually roll by, and you never get closer to any kind of truth or outcome. Come the umpteenth twist at the climax, you no longer care.The central crux of the film is a love triangle but it takes an age for this to go anywhere - THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE this isn't! Instead it's dragged out long beyond any intrigue or entertainment value it might have had. Much of the film involves quirky run-ins with various off-beat characters, but that doesn't make a film. And this time, Stone's direction feels pretentious and off-putting, like he's trying too hard and going overboard with the stylistics.Cast-wise, the main actors don't fair too well. Sean Penn is as unsympathetic as ever; I don't think I've ever seen him play a genuinely warm character. It doesn't bode well. Jennifer Lopez is youthful and refreshingly free of Hollywood-style cosmetic surgery, but her acting is limited. Nick Nolte just feels like he's trying too hard. The supporting stars are better: Billy Bob Thornton as the unrecognisable garage mechanic (shades of A SIMPLE PLAN's Jacob here), Jon Voight as a hobo, Powers Boothe as the sheriff, Joaquin Phoenix as a thug.In a better film, these characters would light up the screen; here, they seem mired in a bit of a mess and a missed opportunity. With a tightened screenplay and a great deal more focus, U TURN might have turned out halfway decent.

Not as much as you'd think. It had a chance to work, but ultimately fizzled.I finally got around to watching U TURN, a full 15 years after it came out and sunk at the box office. You never even see it playing on cable, so I had to rent a copy. I just recently watched Stone's latest, SAVAGES, which I did like, but the American public apparently didn't. Anyway,I thought I'd catch up on missed Oliver Stone movies, and this was first up.This movie had a nice look, the acting decent, and the story was OK (for the first hour anyway), but then the drag out, double-crosses (and "triple crosses") just seemed to go on forever. It should have been better, but I just can't figure out why it wasn't. I really wanted it to end soon after Nolte took the direct ax shot, but we still had another unseen plot line to develop with Boothe.Cameos by Julie Hagerty, Laurie Metcalf, and a blink & you'll miss her Liv Tyler were helpful, J. Phoenix always brings it, and the Russian guys were amusing. However, only Penn's scenes with Billy Bob really seemed to hit with some punch. I've always liked Thornton, even when he's sleep-walking through his blockbuster paycheck roles.Anyway, I say take a pass on U TURN, as it's too long and the payoff just ain't worth the wait.

Compelling characters & cast drive film noir into excellent sunset.Have you every felt down on yourself. Nothing goes right during the day? Hmmmm? SEE his movie.With twists and turns along the highway of deceit and corruption, this is a great film to watch. With great dialog, acting, characters, and sound track/score I can't understand why this film didn't make more money at the BO.This dark comedy film noir is a character and cast buffet of delightful snacks. Imagine a town with: Hero on the run from the mob stranded in town, the local filthy, goofy rip-off backyard mechanic, a ultra hot sexy femme fatale, tough local sheriff, really crusty old local perverted rich guy, crusty old poetic blind man, cranky & flirty troublesome young couple, Russian mob hit man chasing Hero.Stir, simmer for two hours add Ollie Stone. Yummy! a great stew to be savored with a nice glass of Cabernet SauvignonGuys will need a cold shower after watching femme fatale Grace seduce Bobby while she is hanging her new curtains. (Does the carpet match the drapes?)EXTERIOR: DAY – JUNK YARDDarrell convinces Bobby that it will be hard to fix a blown radiator hose on his 1964 ½ Mustang. (Great Scene)