Repo Man

"Otto (Emilio Estevez) is a Los Angeles punk, a loser with no direction and no role models. But he discovers a code of honor and higher purpose when he joins a select group of latter-day knights: the repo men. As a fledging apprentice, Otto slowly learns the ways of these high-caliber, overmedicated auto repossessors. And when a $20,000 bounty is placed on a mysterious missing car, Otto eludes the police, feds, religious cultists, and other repo men in a frantic search for this holy grail. Could one man's destiny lie in the back of a 1964 Chevy Malibu? Alex Cox's feature-film debut boasts a clever, satirical script that combines the larger-than-life edginess of urban L.A. with a bizarre array of science-fiction conspiracy theories. The film also features a strong soundtrack by an array of early 1980s punk and new wave bands and a terrific lead performance by Estevez."

Repo Man is pretty well 'out there' as it goes, repo men, aliens, punks, cults, neutron radiation, government agents, united fruitcakes, a Chevy Malibu automobile etc. All these ingredients go into the blender and comically out pops Alex Cox's Repo Man. This cuisine is really fresh even today because it doesn't follow the formula shit that that is usually dished out to the hungry crowds.

So anyway let's fill you in on some of the details. There's this guy called Otto (Emilio Estevez ) who's on a road to nowhere, he really isn't getting anywhere in life, stacking shelves, hanging out with his punk buddies and arsing around. This is, until one day he meets Bud (Harry Dean Stanton) who cons him into stealing a car for him under the premise that his wife is pregnant and he "can't leave her car in this bad area". Otto not being the fastest car on the parking lot falls for this patter, it's either that or he doesn't give a monkey's testicle and just wants the money that Bud is going to give him for the favour. In turn for Otto's help Bud gets him a job as a repossession man and a code to live by.

"I shall not cause harm to any vehicle nor the personal contents thereof. Nor through inaction let that vehicle or the personal contents thereof come to harm."

Then there's this 64 Chevy Malibu that's been driving around LA that the repo men want to get their hands on as there is a $20000 reward. This junk heap even has government agents trying to get their hands on it because there's something in the trunk which is a danger to humanity. What is it I wonder? well you will have to see it then, won't you?

There's great soundtrack that includes tracks by Circle Jerks, Black Flag, The Plugz, Suicidal Tendencies and Iggy Pop does the title track, so you should know what style this is going to be? yeah you got it...

Rounding things up, Repo Man is good because it's bad or is that good because it's good, I dunno but it's excellent and that's the main thing.

Well Melon Farmers! I'm off to write some other drivel about something else. ;)

Reviewed: 31/10/05

Memorabilia

Alex Cox's Official Site
Repo Man Page with Movie Clips
Transcript of the Movie Repo Man

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