Clint Eastwood Collection: Pink Cadillac (1989)

Out of gas

The first Clint Eastwood film not to be given a cinema release in most overseas territories is a lightweight but amiable enough star vehicle that casts him as a skip tracer tracking down Bernadette Peters, who has skipped bail in her recidivist husband's pink Cadillac unaware that the boot contains $250,000 of his neo-Nazi friends' money. The presence of the star's green t-shirt and blue jeans outfit from Every Which Way But Loose clearly signposts it as one of his periodic redneck comedies, but unlike the superior Honkytonk Man and Bronco Billy, there's no depth of feeling here. It's all on the surface and ambles along predictably, but doesn't really have an ending, with action scenes that are decidedly tame and lame.

A more restrained Peters than we're used to gives better than she gets from the script and Clint coasts it without ever seeming bored. That said, his disguises are a bit hard to take - especially when he dons shades, spats, gold lame suit and Charlie Parker jive - although he does make a worryingly convincing inbred Southern gumby at one point. With the Malpaso stock company represented by Geoffrey Lewis (as a spaced-out hippy that really should have been played by Dennis Hopper), Bill McKinney and Mara Corday, this is clearly one for the money rather than one from the heart. If the script could have done with a tune up and the film benefited from tighter direction and a little pruning, this still just about passes as pleasant enough Saturday night fare for all that, though chances are the only thing about it you'll remember an hour later is the end title song.
February 16, 2008

CLINT OH CLINT WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?

I cannot believe I have to give a movie that has the Man in it
one star,but if you go to buy this BEWARE! This is snore-bore
stage 101. And I love Eastwood films,even those bad ones that
are going thru your mind right now. This however is his worst
EVER! I mean while watching I defy you too not go a least once
ZZZZZ"HUH" WHAT,WHAT HAPPENED?Oh yeah thats right I have Pink
Crapillac on,yeah thats right..ZZZZZZZ=ZZZZZZZZ=ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ April 17, 2007

worth a try

Contrary to some of the other reviewers, I thought this movie was decent. Not a real gripping story, I like putting this one on before taking a nap. The scenery and soundtrack are relaxing. If you are new to Clint Eastwood movies, I would go with pale rider or magnum force before buying this one. August 31, 2006

Good Movie

I like this movie, I don't like bad movies, for example, Dead Man Walking, or anything starring Kevin Bacon. Thus, these other raters are all stupid and worse than Genghis Khan. Yeah go ahead click unhelpful but what I said is true. April 19, 2006

Hox floppy can a flop be ?

All great film makers have their bad moments, and this film is Clint Eastwood's bad moment. The film could have been funny and it is just entertaining. The film could have been deep and thoroughly thought and it ends like a corny story for grown-up flunkies at the back of the classroom. Why did he miss all the potential of his situation ? Because he wanted to demonstrate something : extreme right racist ideas are bad and lead to crime, and nothing but crime, and crime leads to wasting one's life, and only wasting it. It is too obvious the film advocates staying right in the middle of the bull's eye of the squarest society one can imagine. Square and nothing but square. I must admit I prefer circles, stars of all types and golden rectangles, but squares are too simple for my complex mind. If you want to enjoy yourself somewhat without using your head too much, do watch this film and you will be able to noisily crunch many cookies without losing too much of the « lyrics ».

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, Université Paris Dauphine, Université Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne
January 18, 2006

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