Kalifornia
Encyclopedia
Kalifornia is an American thriller/road film, directed by Dominic Sena
and starring Brad Pitt
, Juliette Lewis
, David Duchovny
, and Michelle Forbes
. The film focuses on an aspiring writer (Duchovny) and his photographer girlfriend (Forbes) who are traveling cross-country to research serial killers. To help pay for gas, they take along a man (Pitt) and his childlike girlfriend (Lewis), unaware that the man is a killer himself.
) is a graduate student in Psychology and a journalist
authoring a book about serial killer
s. His photographer girlfriend Carrie Laughlin (Michelle Forbes
) persuades him to move to California
; and, when his book project is accepted by a publisher, they decide to drive from Pittsburgh to California and visit infamous murder sites along the way. Short on funds, Brian posts a ride-share ad.
Meanwhile, parole
e Early Grayce (Brad Pitt
) has just lost his job. His Parole Officer (Judson Vaughn) learns of this and comes to the trailer park where Early lives with his young girlfriend Adele Corners (Juliette Lewis
). Early refuses the officer's offer of a job as a college janitor, saying he wants to leave the state. The officer informs him that, if he doesn't keep the appointment, he will be returned to prison. Early decides to go to the job interview; and, when he's on his way out, he is confronted by the landlord over non-payment of rent. Early grows violent and spins out in his car, chasing the man all over the park.
Early spies the ride-share ad at the college and calls Brian, who agrees to meet him the following day. Early sends Adele ahead and, as revealed later, murders the landlord before joining Adele to wait for Brian and Carrie. Carrie's first response to seeing the rough-hewn couple is to suggest Brian turn the car around and leave, but Brian asks her to give the plan a chance, and she reluctantly agrees.
On the road, unbeknownst to his companions, Early murders a man in a gas station bathroom and steals his money. When they arrive at the first hotel, he cuts Adele's hair to match Carrie's. At another hotel, Early invites Brian out to play pool, leaving Adele and Carrie alone together. Adele reveals to Carrie that she is a rape
victim and that she views Early as her protector, even though her mother didn't approve because Early had just been released from prison. Carrie is alarmed by Brian's growing fascination with Early and nonchalant response to the news that Early has been in prison. She gives him an ultimatum—either they rid themselves of Early and Adele or she will leave.
At the next gas station, Carrie glimpses a newscast with footage of Early and the announcement he is a suspected murderer. Early kills the gas-station attendant and continues the trip with the couple as hostages. They encounter two police officers, whom Early shoots. Early orders Brian to finish off one of the wounded officers, but Brian refuses. They next come to the home of an elderly couple. Early beats the man to death, but Adele allows the woman to flee. As Early rushes to find the woman, Adele confronts him and says she wants nothing more to do with him. Early shoots Adele, strikes Brian on the head, and kidnaps Carrie.
Brian regains consciousness, and the elderly woman gives him the keys to her truck. Brian arrives at an abandoned nuclear testing
site and surprises Early, hitting him in the head with a shovel. Brian finds Carrie bloodied and handcuffed to a bed. Early, who was only stunned, attacks Brian and they struggle until Carrie hits Early in the head. When Early continues the attack, Brian shoots him dead.
The film ends with Brian and Carrie in a California beach house. She tells him that a gallery is interested in her art, and he suggests they go out to celebrate. He leaves his tape player on; and Adele's voice is heard, talking about how good Carrie and Brian were to her and Early and how much their friendship means to her.
. It was a box office bomb
, only grossing $2,395,231 based on a supposed $9 million budget.
Dominic Sena
-Life and career:Sena was born in Niles, Ohio. He is of Italian-American heritage. His family hails from the town of Bagnoli Irpino, Avellino, Italy. As one of the founders of Propaganda Films, Sena worked primarily in music videos early in his career. Sena directed several of Janet Jackson's...
and starring Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt
William Bradley "Brad" Pitt is an American actor and film producer. Pitt has received two Academy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one...
, Juliette Lewis
Juliette Lewis
Juliette Lewis is an American actress and musician. She gained international fame for her role in the 1991 thriller Cape Fear for which she was nominated for both an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress...
, David Duchovny
David Duchovny
David William Duchovny is an American actor, writer and director. He has won Golden Globe awards for his work as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files and as Hank Moody on Californication.-Early life:...
, and Michelle Forbes
Michelle Forbes
Michelle Renee Forbes Guajardo , known professionally as Michelle Forbes, is an American actress who has built a career of work in television and independent film and has acted in productions in both the United States and in the United Kingdom...
. The film focuses on an aspiring writer (Duchovny) and his photographer girlfriend (Forbes) who are traveling cross-country to research serial killers. To help pay for gas, they take along a man (Pitt) and his childlike girlfriend (Lewis), unaware that the man is a killer himself.
Plot
Brian Kessler (David DuchovnyDavid Duchovny
David William Duchovny is an American actor, writer and director. He has won Golden Globe awards for his work as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files and as Hank Moody on Californication.-Early life:...
) is a graduate student in Psychology and a journalist
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
authoring a book about serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
s. His photographer girlfriend Carrie Laughlin (Michelle Forbes
Michelle Forbes
Michelle Renee Forbes Guajardo , known professionally as Michelle Forbes, is an American actress who has built a career of work in television and independent film and has acted in productions in both the United States and in the United Kingdom...
) persuades him to move to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
; and, when his book project is accepted by a publisher, they decide to drive from Pittsburgh to California and visit infamous murder sites along the way. Short on funds, Brian posts a ride-share ad.
Meanwhile, parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
e Early Grayce (Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt
William Bradley "Brad" Pitt is an American actor and film producer. Pitt has received two Academy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one...
) has just lost his job. His Parole Officer (Judson Vaughn) learns of this and comes to the trailer park where Early lives with his young girlfriend Adele Corners (Juliette Lewis
Juliette Lewis
Juliette Lewis is an American actress and musician. She gained international fame for her role in the 1991 thriller Cape Fear for which she was nominated for both an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress...
). Early refuses the officer's offer of a job as a college janitor, saying he wants to leave the state. The officer informs him that, if he doesn't keep the appointment, he will be returned to prison. Early decides to go to the job interview; and, when he's on his way out, he is confronted by the landlord over non-payment of rent. Early grows violent and spins out in his car, chasing the man all over the park.
Early spies the ride-share ad at the college and calls Brian, who agrees to meet him the following day. Early sends Adele ahead and, as revealed later, murders the landlord before joining Adele to wait for Brian and Carrie. Carrie's first response to seeing the rough-hewn couple is to suggest Brian turn the car around and leave, but Brian asks her to give the plan a chance, and she reluctantly agrees.
On the road, unbeknownst to his companions, Early murders a man in a gas station bathroom and steals his money. When they arrive at the first hotel, he cuts Adele's hair to match Carrie's. At another hotel, Early invites Brian out to play pool, leaving Adele and Carrie alone together. Adele reveals to Carrie that she is a rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
victim and that she views Early as her protector, even though her mother didn't approve because Early had just been released from prison. Carrie is alarmed by Brian's growing fascination with Early and nonchalant response to the news that Early has been in prison. She gives him an ultimatum—either they rid themselves of Early and Adele or she will leave.
At the next gas station, Carrie glimpses a newscast with footage of Early and the announcement he is a suspected murderer. Early kills the gas-station attendant and continues the trip with the couple as hostages. They encounter two police officers, whom Early shoots. Early orders Brian to finish off one of the wounded officers, but Brian refuses. They next come to the home of an elderly couple. Early beats the man to death, but Adele allows the woman to flee. As Early rushes to find the woman, Adele confronts him and says she wants nothing more to do with him. Early shoots Adele, strikes Brian on the head, and kidnaps Carrie.
Brian regains consciousness, and the elderly woman gives him the keys to her truck. Brian arrives at an abandoned nuclear testing
Nuclear testing
Nuclear weapons tests are experiments carried out to determine the effectiveness, yield and explosive capability of nuclear weapons. Throughout the twentieth century, most nations that have developed nuclear weapons have tested them...
site and surprises Early, hitting him in the head with a shovel. Brian finds Carrie bloodied and handcuffed to a bed. Early, who was only stunned, attacks Brian and they struggle until Carrie hits Early in the head. When Early continues the attack, Brian shoots him dead.
The film ends with Brian and Carrie in a California beach house. She tells him that a gallery is interested in her art, and he suggests they go out to celebrate. He leaves his tape player on; and Adele's voice is heard, talking about how good Carrie and Brian were to her and Early and how much their friendship means to her.
Cast
- Brad PittBrad PittWilliam Bradley "Brad" Pitt is an American actor and film producer. Pitt has received two Academy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one...
as Early Grayce - Juliette LewisJuliette LewisJuliette Lewis is an American actress and musician. She gained international fame for her role in the 1991 thriller Cape Fear for which she was nominated for both an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress...
as Adele Corners - David DuchovnyDavid DuchovnyDavid William Duchovny is an American actor, writer and director. He has won Golden Globe awards for his work as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files and as Hank Moody on Californication.-Early life:...
as Brian Kessler - Michelle ForbesMichelle ForbesMichelle Renee Forbes Guajardo , known professionally as Michelle Forbes, is an American actress who has built a career of work in television and independent film and has acted in productions in both the United States and in the United Kingdom...
as Carrie Laughlin
Reception
Kalifornia received mixed to positive reviews; it currently holds a 67% rating on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
. It was a box office bomb
Box office bomb
The phrase box office bomb refers to a film for which the production and marketing costs greatly exceeded the revenue regained by the movie studio. This should not be confused with Hollywood accounting when official figures show large losses, yet the movie is a financial success.A film's financial...
, only grossing $2,395,231 based on a supposed $9 million budget.