Freeway

Matthew Bright stuns with his outrageous directorial debut 'Freeway', one of the most original and subversive movies to emerge from Hollywood in years. Bright wrote the utterly bizarre 'Forbidden Zone' over twenty years ago (once seen, never forgotten!), but 'Freeway' shows he is a major talent. His only real competition in the hyper-real pop art black comedy stakes is Gregg Araki, whose 'Doom Generation' and 'Nowhere' display a similar kick ass sensibility.

Reese Witherspoon is dynamite as the white trash lethal Lolita Vanessa Lutz. Along with 'Election' her best role to date. Kiefer Sutherland gets his most interesting part in years as her nemesis, the slimy Bob. And the supporting cast is equally strong, especially dependable character actor Dan Hedaya ('Blood Simple', 'The Usual Suspects'), the cute Brittany Murphy ('Clueless') who oozes sex appeal, and Amanda Plummer ('Pulp Fiction') and Michael T. Weiss (er... 'Howling IV') as the parents from hell. I also got a real kick out of the cameo by veteran Sydney Lassick ('..Cuckoo's Nest', 'Sonny Boy'). Pity we don't get to see much of him here, or anywhere for that matter!

Witherspoon has gone on to well deserved stardom, but this remains one of her finest accomplishments. Bright faltered with the largely disappointing 'Freeway 2', but my money is on him. Anyone who can create a movie this fresh and cool deserves to be remembered!