Sam Shepard's True West (John Malkovich, Gary Sinise)
Austin and Lee appear on the surface to be rival brothers of classic, literary proportions. One appears to be the Good Son and one appears to be the Bad Son. That, however, is probably where a lot of the similarities between the great archetypes of the ages and Sam Shepard's play True West ends. A singular form of chaos comes along and turns a simple kitchen into a Ground Zero of anger, jealousy, inebriation and frustration.
John Malkovich plays the antagonistic Lee, a slovenly man who has come back to his mother's house after an extended stay alone in the desert. He is an inquisitive character, always revealing he has more on his mind than he lets on. Lee's habits irritate brother Austin, played by Gary Sinise. Austin is a screenwriter who is working on a new outline which he hopes will lead to his big break. Lee never stops talking. Austin despondently tries to keep typing. Lee guzzles alcohol as if it is water, is prone to outbursts both vocal and physical, and persists in snagging Austin's keys so he can take his brother's car "for a ride".
Austin agrees to loan the vehicle, as he is eager for Lee to depart before he pitches his story to Hollywood producer Saul (Sam Schacht). Saul seems sold on Austin's idea -- until he meets Lee, who pitches an idea of his own for a Western. After losing a bet during a game of golf, the producer decides he wants to use Lee's story instead. This sets out some comical and tense friction between the siblings as they try to break their natural molds and make choices that could change their lives.
This production of True West was made in 1983 when Sinise and Malkovich were exploding onto the theatre scene with the Steppenwolf troupe. It's directed by Allan A. Goldstein, who is able to benefit from the leading actors' knowledge of the material enough to allow long and extended shots. Malkovich is in another zone, lending Lee psychotic, uncouth and conniving traits. Sinise's Austin is a longing outcast, meant at first to be the more identifiable character but then changing midstream towards lunacy and drunken disillusionment. Margaret Thompson has an excellent cameo as an unexpected visitor who sheds some light on why Austin and Lee act the way they do.
Theatre of the absurd can sometimes be difficult to capture on film, but watching True West with its shoestring budget, one can appreciate the ingenuity at work here. With dozens of toasters, chirping crickets, bottles of beer, pots and pans, and brisk monologues and dialogues, the end result flusters and bewilders like few other play adaptations. It's an admirable accomplishment.
