Starring: Eric Balfour, Colin Hanks, Lauren German, Alan Tudyk Script: Morgan Land Running Time: 1:29 Country: USA Year: 2004 Official Site: RX
RX follows the road-trip gone wrong of three Los Angeles teenagers (Eric Balfour, Colin Hanks & Lauren Germa) on their way to a rave in Mexico—a cover for the boys' secret plan to smuggle back some drugs.
Part road-movie, part thriller with a hint of derision, RX is another entry in the drug sub-genre but the premise and outcome aren't original enough to make it stand out. Rather than being a fleshed-out picture, this indie flick tends to create a rough experience that will mostly appeal to the Southern California party crowd and international drug fueled rave-goers venturing in India, Thailand & Spain.
As the story is seen through the eyes of American teenagers, we understand that the vision we are being offered from Mexico is pretty cliché, corresponding to what you would see driving down to Baja if you religiously followed the road, without ever attempting to get in touch with authentic life. The vision of gay drug traffickers partying dressed as Nazis might be amusing, but looks somewhat reductive as a gratuitous cliché.
In spite of a sense of banality, what makes RX worth the trip is Ariel Vroman's nervous direction—he shows more promise behind the camera than as a writer—and stylish cinematography that give the picture an edgy look. The pace is tight, keeping you under tension and the three main characters are engaging enough that you would wanna tag along—credit certainly also goes to the cast, from Eric Balfour of Six Feet Under and 24 fame, to Colin Hanks (son of Tom) and Lauren Germa.
The film concludes on a forced melodramatic note, a screenwriting shortcut seen too many times. While not trying to be a moral vehicle, the overall story outcome is logical enough that it will arrive as no surprise, somewhat neutralizing the premise on which the film is constructed. While you get the feeling you've taken an all too familiar road, just like using drugs, after the rush comes the bad trip; and that's what RX is about.
RX review
