Where to watch Pure Danger
1 1/2 Stars
Johnny (Howell) is a short order cook at a roadside diner that is hardly frequented. He spends his days flirting with the waitress Becky, and begging his parole officer to let him off probation. When a Las Vegas hoodlum named Free-throw (Marcus Chong) dies a one of the tables with a bag of diamonds, the pair grab the loot and run. Before long every gangster is in pursuit and Johnny finds himself running for his life while falling in love with Becky.
The obvious inspiration here is True Romance, but the intended target is never reached. C. Thomas Howell’s jittery performance is more Ratzo Rizzo than Christian Slater, and his direction is adequate at best. Style point can be given for casting the enigmatic actor Leon as a gang leader and for turning a standard PM Entertainment production into something a little more off-beat. With so many other sub-par Tarantino rip-offs out there, Pure Danger isn’t worthy of a look.
Director: C. Thomas Howell
Stars: C. Thomas Howell, Teri Ann Linn, Leon