James Gandolfini will always be best remembered for playing the iconic anti-hero Tony Soprano on The Sopranos, as the groundbreaking HBO crime drama is still hailed as one of the greatest dramatic television shows ever made. Tony was a character who shaped the way that modern television anti-heroes were depicted, but it was hardly the first time that Gandolfini took on a role in a gritty crime project; his other memorable roles included Get Shorty, The Drop, Killing Them Softly, and The Man Who Wasn’t There, among others. However, Gandolfini’s performance in the Tony Scott film True Romance is the scariest of his career, and somehow managed to get even more intense than The Sopranos.
What Is 'True Romance' About?
Although it served as another ambitious project from Scott after the success of Top Gun and Beverly Hills Cop II, True Romance was based on a script by Quentin Tarantino, and certainly felt indebted to the darkly comedic neo-noir style that had made Reservoir Dogs such a smash hit the year prior. Christian Slater stars as the comic book shop employee Clarence Worley, whose romance with the call girl Alabama Whitman (Patricia Arquette) is threatened after he kills her abusive pimp, Drexl Spivey (Gary Oldman). Gandolfini co-stars as the enforcer Virgil, who is working for the mobster Vincenzo Coccotti (Christopher Walken). After Coccotti realizes that Clarence and Alabama stole the cocaine that he had hired Drexl to distribute for him, he sends Virgil to track them down.
True Romance is a film that is filled to the top with over-the-top villains, such as Tom Sizemore as the ruthless Detective Cody Nicholson and Samuel L. Jackson was the gangster known as “Big Don.” However, Gandolfini does not try to add any comic relief to his portrayal of Virgil, as it emphasizes that he is just a blunt instrument intended to enact violence. It’s evident from an early scene in which Coccotti is abusing Clarence’s father, Clifford (Dennis Hopper), that he does not have any empathy for those who become victims. However, the true levels of depravity that Virgil is willing to go for are revealed in a terrifying scene in which he attacks Alabama, which is largely credited with landing Gandolfini his role on The Sopranos.
James Gandolfini’s 'True Romance' Role Is More Terrifying Than 'The Sopranos'
Gandolfini is effective in True Romance because he is pure evil, and does not have the vulnerabilities that made Tony such a dynamic character on The Sopranos. Tony is a murderer, liar, and sociopath, but he has also been shown to be a genuinely earnest family man who cares about his children; Tony breaks out into frequent fits of rage, but rarely kills someone unless it is absolutely necessary for his business interests. Comparatively, Virgil seems to relish the opportunity to abuse and torment Alabama when he approaches her in the hotel room. While Virgil seems to understand that he is ultimately just a pawn within Coccotti’s schemes, he is able to take out all of his frustrations on Alabama. Arquette’s terrified performance makes this scene even more effective, as she is able to sell the idea that Alabama is only kept alive because Virgil is so intent on watching her suffer.
True Romance was a critical film within Gandolfini’s career, as he proved that he could be a standout in a film packed with memorable supporting roles from legends like Chris Penn, Val Kilmer, Michael Rappaport, Saul Rubinek, Brad Pitt, and Kevin Corrigan among many others. Although the film received mixed reviews at the time of its release, as even Tarantino was initially unconvinced, True Romance established itself as a definitive cult classic, and was only bolstered thanks to the success of Pulp Fiction the following year. In many ways, Gandolfini’s excellent work in True Romance made his casting in The Sopranos more subversive; while viewers may have tuned into the HBO show expecting him to play another ruthless abuser, they may have been surprised to realize that Tony was actually a somewhat empathetic character who was trying to deal with a difficult balance between his professional obligations and loyalty to his family.
True Romance is now streaming on Prime Video in the U.S.
A whirlwind romance between a loner and a prostitute takes a dangerous turn when they come into possession of valuable contraband. As they head to California to make a sale that could start their new life together, they are pursued by mobsters and law enforcement, setting the stage for a showdown that challenges their commitment to each other.
Release Date September 10, 1993
Runtime 119 minutes
English (US) ·