Quentin Tarantino and Gary Oldman’s R-rated crime thriller is romancing its way onto streaming very soon.
Tarantino is the writer and director of films like Pulp Fiction (1994), Kill Bill (2003–2004), Inglourious Basterds (2009), Django Unchained (2012), and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) – characterized by their highly stylized violence and sharp profanity-laced dialogue. On the other hand, Oldman is the definition of chameleon acting, slipping from the wizarding world of Harry Potter (2004–2011), brooding authority in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy (2005–2012), and winning an Oscar for transforming into Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour (2017). Now, these two heavyweights collide in a crime thriller that’s coming to streaming very soon.
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Over three decades after its debut, True Romance is releasing on Netflix in two weeks. Directed by Tony Scott, with a script penned by Tarantino, the 1993 film follows a comic book clerk who marries a sex worker, steals cocaine from her pimp (played by Gary Oldman), and tries to sell it in Hollywood with mobsters hot on their heels.
Now, 33 years after its theatrical release, True Romance is coming to Netflix on May 19. It currently isn’t streaming anywhere else, but is available to rent or buy from only $3.99 on Prime Video and other platforms.
Other than Gary Oldman as the dreadlocked drug dealer Drexl Spivey, True Romance‘s cast includes Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette in lead roles alongside Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer, Brad Pitt, Christopher Walken, Bronson Pinchot, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Rapaport, Saul Rubinek, Conchata Ferrell, James Gandolfini, Chris Penn, Tom Sizemore, Maria Pitillo, Kevin Corrigan, Paul Ben-Victor, Michael Beach, and Laurence Mason.
True Romance received rave reviews, resulting in 93% Rotten Tomatoes scores, with critics praising Quentin Tarantino’s clever script and its lineup of eccentric performances, delivering a fast-paced blend of humor and violence that works as an entertaining action ride.
Though it bombed at the box office, grossing just $12.6 million and barely making back its $12.5 million budget, True Romance received strong critical praise for its dialogue, characters, and unconventional style, which helped it develop a cult following over time. Today, it is widely regarded as one of Tony Scott’s best movies.
True Romance is often forgotten within Tarantino’s filmography since he didn’t direct it, as he sold the script to help fund his first film, Reservoir Dogs (1992). However, it still features many of Tarantino’s stylistic flourishes, blended with Tony Scott’s signature style, combining a Southern California setting, frequent pop culture references, and highly stylized slow-motion violence.
For fans of Tarantino, or Tony Scott, for that matter, True Romance is a must-see.
- Release Date
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September 10, 1993
- Runtime
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119 minutes
- Director
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Tony Scott
