True Colors (1991)

This is a by-the-numbers tale of political chicanery and fallen idealism, but it works because of several strong performances. James Spader and John Cusack play law-school pals whose college idealism quickly falls away once they reach the real world. Playing against type, Spader is the straight arrow who goes on to work for the Justice Department. Cusack is the slippery conniver who parlays a job as an aide to an aging senator (Richard Widmark) into a springboard to elective office, all the while cutting corners, compromising his integrity, and breaking rules. For good measure, there's also romantic backstabbing. The film tends to get a shade heavy on the moralizing as Cusack slides further down the slope to outright corruption; Spader practically carries a sign saying, "I have the moral high ground." Still, both actors give their characters an interesting spin, and it's always good to see Widmark back in action. --Marshall Fine Amazon.com

Very well-played, but almost written at the level of an after-school special.

by dane youssef

The Brat Pack actors are certainly a talented bunch. Everyone has a favorite. For me, it's a toss-up between James Spader and Anthony Michael Hall.

John Cusack was mesmerizing back in his early-days. He was a teenager, but he looked, sounded and acted very adult for his age. "The Sure Thing" put him on the map and "Say Anything..." made him a household name.

But while Crowe's "Say Anything..." was obviously a great movie, it was both a blessing and a curse for Cusack, who has rarely played anything else in his career. I know, I know. He's been in countless other movies. But "a rose by any other name..." His character, no matter what the movie, is essentially always Lloyd Dobbler.

Spader sometimes played other types besides the oily Steff from "Pretty in Pink." His typecast-breaking turn came when he played the lead in this movie.

But I know Cusack can do more. I keep waiting for him to. Which was one of my guilty pleasures of this movie.

The story and plot are the right out of the old fable about the rich man and the poor man who come together and create something special... and then the rich man betrays the poor man and casts him aside. And the poor man plots to take revenge...

Another big twist that "True Colors" has is it's twist in typecasting. Cusack specializes in playing sharp, calculated, smarter-than-average teenager... who's heartbroken and devastated... and is desperately trying to win back the girl. Here, Cusack plays a character who's as smart as the heroes he usually plays, though here he uses his intellectual gifts for evil instead of good. His goal is usually to win the girl's heart. Here he betrays the girl (and his close friend) in order to get what he wants.

And Spader usually plays blue-blooded, silver-spoon fed, upper-class yuppie scummy villains. Here he's still a rich blue-blooded yuppie. But a hero, who uses his financial connections to right wrongs and do just.

The two meet the first day of law school where there's a fender-bender and brief scuffle. Cusack angrily attacks Spader violently and blames him for the whole thing and the two have to be pulled apart. Later on, things get worse as they discover... their assigned to be roommates. Cusack smooths things over by admitting the whole thing was his fault. You'll see why.

Afterwords, the two form a fast friendship and Spader even uses his financial backgrounds and connections to help Cusack out. Later we find out that Cusack is lying about his background to fit in and the payoff feels lifted out of a soppy, moralizing and insipid sit-com where today's moral is... "If you have to be someone else to get a friend, then they're really not your friend."

Richard Widmark is great as well as the ailing senator who sees potential and ambition in Cusack after he sees what looks like Cusack doing him a favor, little realizing how dangerous Cusack is. Spader girlfriend considers breaking off the relationship for Cusack who can keep her bringing in big cash. She doesn't realize that Cusack is willing to betray her too, in order to get what he wants.

One of the major problems is that their true colors are obvious from the beginning. Cusack is clearly someone not to trust from the start and Spader all but actually walks on water. Another is that the movie is too thin. There isn't enough entry.

The movie... skims too much of the surface. And Spader's big plan and the finale is pretty tacked on.

The movie aspires to be a movie like "Patriot Games" or "Citizen Kane." But everything is routine and predictable and there are precious few new touches to this tired formula. If screenwriter Kevin Wade could've given the script a bit more depth and discovery into these characters and done a little more with the formula, this could have really been something special. The cast does what it can, but inevitably, a good cast can only take a movie so far. Still, it's worth seeing just for Cusack turn towards the dark side and Spader as a yuppie with heart.

Oh, well.



danessf@yahoo.com

[...] March 31, 2008

Good Flick

A wonderful early 90s film that still holds on to the lure of classic 80s movies. It a pretty good story about two young men and the paths they take out of law school. If your a cusack or james spader fan it is a movie to see. In addition if you ever attended the University of Virginia Law School or as an undergraduate, it is a must see. The first 20 minutes or so of the movie takes place on grounds. You will recognize many places including, the rotunda, mincers, michaels bistro, brown college, the tracks by wild wings and more. January 10, 2007

A great start fades away quickly

If you decide to watch "True Colors", I would advise you to watch about the first 30 minutes and then turn it off. The opening of the film is great, and will have you really gripped, but the movie will soon turn very familiar and you'll lose interest. By the end, you will almost laugh at the ridiculous conclusion.

The two main stars are James Spader and John Cusack. They meet the first day of law school at UVA when Cusack smashes into Spader's car on move in day, starting a huge fight between the two. No points for guessing that they will end up roommates. They overcome this tough start and become good friends. Cusack comes from rather humble roots, to say the least, while Spader has a somewhat higher pedigree. In fact, he is dating the daughter (Imogen Stubbs) of a senator (Richard Widmark). It doesn't take long before Cusack is lying left and right about his background, trying to impress everyone. This continues to Capital Hill, when both young men are hired in Washington. Spader is an assistant DA, Cusack works on Widmark's staff.

From here, you can guess what will happen. Knowing that Cusack is such a rotten apple, nothing will be a surprise. He will double cross his "friend" so many times, and in so many cruel ways, that it's implausible that Spader could even stand in the same room with him.

I won't give the story away, but I will say that the end of the movie, when Spader gets his "revenge" is so corny and unbelievable, I would rather have had him pull out a gun and just shoot him. That would have made more sense than this. All in all, the film starts out great and will ultimately leave you cold. November 28, 2003

"Friendship is like the morning dew..."

I think this is an excellent movie. Good screenplay, good idea, great direction, great acting. John Cusack and James Spader make you believe they are actually best friends, they own their characters and the friendship between their characters. August 19, 2003

Soggy Political Drama

True Colors stars John Cusack and James Spader as law school buddies on very different career trajectories. Spader plans on going into the Department of Justice and resigns himself to serving the public. Cusack, on the other hand, is an extremely ambitious politician. I bet you can tell where this situation is headed! Despite their differences, they remain friends, even after Cusack steals Spader's girlfriend from him.

The movie tries to examine issues of power and corruption. Unfortunately, the plot is so stale and obvious that it fails to add anything new to this arena. Spader and Cusack are fine, but Imogen Stubbs, as the woman they both love, is terrible. She's a Brit playing an American, but her accent creeps in far too often, which is a huge distraction. I'm a big fan of John Cusack, but this movie is definitely one of his lesser accomplishments. July 23, 2003

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