RUSH

US, 1992, 120 minutes, Colour.
Jason Patric, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Sam Elliot, Max Perlich.
Directed by Lili Fini Zanuck.

Rush is a drama about drugs and undercover police agents, entering into the world of drug-dealing in a small American city and the lines blurring between their work and the effects of the drug world and drugs on them. (The kind of thing that was presented in William Friedkin's Cruising, where Al Pacino went into the gay world and it had effect on his personality and style.)

The film is based on a book by Kim Wozencraft, loosely based on her real-life experiences as a Texas narcotics officer. The film is adapted by writer Pete Dexter, who adapted his novel Paris Trout for a cable telemovie. The film was directed by Lili Fini Zanuck, wife of producer Richard Zanuck and partner with him in producing such films as Driving Miss Daisy. It is her directorial debut.

Jason Patric (Lost Boys, Beast, After Dark My Sweet) is the serious-minded, self-assured young officer who is destroyed by his work. Jennifer Jason Lee is particularly good as the officer who is his partner and who finds she has more physical and moral strength than she expected. (Jennifer Jason Lee's credits include Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Hitcher, Last Exit from Brooklyn, Miami Blues.) Singer Greg Allman makes his debut as the drug-dealing suspect. Sam Elliott is the police officer who acts as control for the partners.

The film is grim, shows drug-dealing in a small Texas city in the mid-'70s - which makes it easier, perhaps, for a '90s audience to appreciate the difficulties, seeing them dramatised in the historical past. The film was also reminiscent of stories like Days of Wine and Roses as the couple, trying to help one another, become victims of what they are fighting against. The film is grim, even pessimistic.

1. Interesting and entertaining? Drugs and police? A piece of Americana? The '70s from the perspective of the '90s?

2. The atmosphere of Texas in the mid-70s, the look, the sounds, the world of the dealers and users, the fringe - and the law, police, religious fundamentalists? The strong contemporary score?

3. The title, drugs?

4. Audience response to drug themes, addicts, dealers, the role of the police, the effect of drugs on contemporary society? Looking at an episode from the past - a microcosm, helping to understand contemporary problems?

5. The dramatic opening, the four-and-a-half-minute take, the focus on Gaines, his club, the clients, the lifestyle? Seeing Jim in this context? Audiences thinking he was an addict? In the police precinct, interaction with Dodd? Watching the runners, picking a partner, winning the bet about Kristen beating the two men?

6. The portrait of Jim Raynor: no background, his motives, appearance and dress, his apartment, lifestyle? Dedication to his work, tough? Assuming that he was street-wise and could beat the drugs? Explanations to Kristen, teaching her as an apprentice? Injecting - and frightening her, not having cocaine or heroin? The warnings? Life in the bars, the clubs, meeting people, the staff? The risks? Having to act? The enforced drug-taking to be authentic? The friendship with Walker, his contacts, leads, violent drug deals? The links with Dodd, the discussions, giving him the envelopes with the reports and evidence? His working with Kristen, working closely - her ability to take the drugs and to grow in self-confidence? The pressure for arrests? Suspicions of Gaines? The growing friendship, falling in love, the sexual liaison? Walker and his suspecting the truth, Jim and his hold over Walker? Forcing him to give information, leads? The blackmail? The effect of the drugs on Jim, his collapsing? Kristen trying to help him, covering for him? The interview with Dodd and the police chief? The plan for planting the drugs - after the prayer meeting? His being cleaned up, Kristen's help? The interview with Gaines? The arrests - and walking through the corridor with the cells and the reaction of those arrested? The fear, his being able to be blackmailed by his injections and holes in his arms - his branding himself with the iron to cover them? The last night together, the violence, his being shot, bleeding to death? The man and his ideals destroyed?

7. The contrast with Kristen, her background, seeing her run, wanting to do some good? Recruited by Dodd and Jim? As apprentice? Naive but willing, observing, listening, the surveying of the scene? Reaction to Jim using the needle? Developing the ability to act and not reveal the truth? Her going the rounds, having to take the cocaine, the effect on her? The warnings? The discussions with Dodd? The encounters with Walker, the other drug dealers? The fact that she was not suspected? Walker and his talking things over with her, her taking him to Jim? The pressure on Walker? The contact with the pills, her being forced to take one - and the dangerous driving? Jim's collapse, her trying to cover, helping to clean him out? The pressure from Dodd and the police chief? The prayer - and the plan for planting the drugs? The arrests, her going to warn Walker - and his speech to her, his hanging himself? The walk through the jail and the pill man attacking her? The fear, waking up with the gun in her face, Jim's death, her trying to help? The trial, her testimony? The interview in court, Gaines watching her and the indication that he had shot Jim? Her telling the truth, resigning from the force? Gaines being shot in his car - the presumption that it was Kristen?

8. Walker, the young drug dealer in the Texas town, his connections, getting high, his supplies? Keeping faith with his clients? Money? Friendship with Jim? His suspicions, talking to Kristen? The shock of finding the truth, his being trapped, thinking about prison, not wanting to betray his friends? Fear, giving the information? Working on the building site, his final explanation to Kristen, his not fearing anything, his being ashamed? Hanging himself?

9. Gaines, tough, owner of the clubs, pornography in the town? Ordering the man out of his car at the beginning - and the reprisal of this theme at the end and his being shot? His being guilty or not? Careful, the discussions with Jim, the arrests? In jail, the threatening looks to Kristen? His killing Jim, his own death?

10. Dodd, his own experience as a narcotics officer, his being addicted, cleaned out, surviving? Control, observations with Jim, the meetings, the help for Kristen? The meeting with the police chief? The set-up? His final attempt to help with Jim's death? In the court and his being exposed for the plan?

11. The acting police chief, the religious background, testimony in the court and the applause, his crusade, Gaines as target? The interviews, the prayer, the pressure - and God moving in mysterious ways? His being exposed at the end?

12. The world of dealers and users, the bars, the music and the dancing, the staff and connections, clients? Big and small in a Texas town? A microcosm for the rest of America?

13. The role of the law, undercover agents, the requirements, ego strength, ability to act? The lines blurring between good and evil, becoming absorbed in the world they were trying to attack?

14. Morality themes, the effect of immersion in this kind of world on the police officers? The consequences?