Never Leave Nevada (1990) Online

Great film...........I remember seeing it at the old Bleecker Street Cinema in NYC (sadly, now defunct). Rather bleak, desert landscapes dominate this film which was shot in the southwest (hence the title). As the film began I was expecting it to be just another "Buddy" film but it ended up being much more - very poignant with more than a little humor thrown in for good measure. I don't recall the names of the actors playing the two main characters (I believe the Director himself was in one of the roles), but they were superb. As was the original soundtrack which - if my memory serves me right - was written by Ray Benson ("Asleep At The Wheel").

I see this movie at film festival first in my native country of Belarus then in the US and then on tv in Holland where I am now living. I like it very much, it is kind of crazy but also funny and sweet. I like all the actors and the scenery of Nevada and the tarantula, that is a very big spider. I like most about this that it is showing America to be a big place, full of different people, some of them very kind and some not but all interested in making money and having a good life. I give this move a ten point rating. It is to laugh.

I saw this in 1990 in Park City. This was before Hollywood overran Sundance and it was still a venue for very low budget independent features. It was an early morning showing, with a small audience, and only a few, including my buddy and I, but not our wives, really got into it.

I later saw a somewhat similar audience response to a Raising Arizona preview. Those two films would make a great double bill.

There may be a particular style of "Western America Satire" that both these films capture. It's possible the Three Stooges foreshadowed this school of dumb-dude cowboy comedy. Or not. There's at least an interesting thesis there for some hapless film grad student somewhere.

The stars/filmmakers were in attendance at that Sundance showing and came out looking and acting a little apprehensive. I suspect they may have been skewered by some of the comments after previous showings. The first couple of audience comments I heard weren't kind.

However, my buddy and I were effusive in our praises of their comic achievement and that seemed to be appreciated.

Seriously, I don't know if "Never Leave Nevada" has ever been shown on the Sundance Channel or IFC, but it should. Do see it if you get the chance. I promise you'll either love it or hate it and that's a good thing!