The Only Thrill

The Only Thrill

Such an intimate little film that I think some might miss how quietly confident it is, and how stellar the chemistry between Sam Shepard and Diane Keaton really is.  
         Has a bit of a Bogdanovich vibe to the filmmaking, exploring the intricacies of small-town life and the people that live there.  Shepard owns a thrift shop and after his wife passes away, he has become a bit of a ladies man around town without being too showy about it — they just sort of flock to him.  His prowling is put to rest when Keaton moves to town and the two hit it off.  They start dating and become infatuated with each other.  Not only that, but his son (Robert Patrick) and her daughter (Diane Lane) start a romance as well.  When Keaton’s sister in Canada gets sick, she feels compelled to move there to take care of her, and Shepard is left behind.  He becomes a shell of his former self and grows very remote to the world.  Around the same time, Lane leaves for Tennessee to act in a play, with Patrick’s broken heart left in the dust alongside his father’s.  As the film progresses, we see how the passage of time affects all four characters, as they flow in and out of each other’s lives.  
            I can’t emphasize enough how natural the energy is between Shepard and Keaton, and a lot of this has to do with the quality of the dialogue and the realism of the scenes, from the screenplay Larry Kerton based on his own play.  If you’ve got the patience, you should take the time.

Block or Report

Learic liked these reviews