Is this film a guilty pleasure? A departure from 60's predictable Hollywood style, there was something strange and hard to place about this film until its Italian roots became apparent. Life on the run is so good for badboy Jason in the earlier part of the film that you know something is going to go terribly wrong. The devastating diva female characters are stunning - a Madonna, whore, and mother (alcoholic middle-aged ex-model) triangle of 60's tigresses between which the attractive but somewhat one-dimensional male lead is trapped. Jason is a mere male, and the opportunity of new love from an angelic saviour is passed in for his compulsory trajectory of revenge. Martha, the mother, is drunk half the time and steal the scenes with her unpredictable manic mood swings around her twisted pride in her criminal sons. The fast cars, luxury homes, nightclub scene of go-go-dancing, the country and western idylls and American dream scenery provide a colourful backdrop and make a trip back to 1968 all the sweeter.
Review of I bastardi
