An extremely downbeat, low-key anti-drug thriller, "Rush" has eyes on being the "Lost Weekend" of the '90s. It's nothing if not ambitious.
And once you get past what it wants to be and see more clearly what it is, "Rush" works on a modest level as a sad look at the debilitating effects of drug use, demonstrating just how quickly addiction can take its toll.
All of this is bolstered by solid performances, especially impressive since the characters are woefully underwritten.
Jason Patric gets top billing as Raynor, a veteran narcotics officer who's been working on a potentially huge undercover drug bust when he's told he has to have a partner.
His boss, Dodd (Sam Elliott), takes him to look at new recruits, and Raynor, naturally, chooses the lone woman, spunky but inexperienced Kristen (Jennifer Jason Leigh).
Raynor drills her in the mechanics of doing drugs, showing her that trying to fake it can get you killed if you're in the wrong dealer's company. But it soon becomes apparent that Raynor is, as Dodd puts it, taking his work home with him. And it won't be long before he's pulling Kristen down as well.
Raynor and Kristen collect a mountain of evidence, but it's all against small-time dealers. The one they want is Gaines (Gregg Allman), owner of a local drinking-and-dancing joint, whom they suspect of being the big dealer in town. But Gaines is too careful; he re-fuses to tip his hand.
So, with a reluctant informant, a meek construction worker named Walker (Max Perlich), Raynor and Kristen begin to build their case. At the same time, some of the dealers begin to suspect their real motives.
The film is told mainly from Kris-ten's point of view, and she and Walker are by far the most sympathetic characters. We never really get to know Raynor at all, his motivations and inner turmoils being completely unexplored. For that matter, we never learn much about Kristen either. Screenwriter Peter Dexter was much more successful with character development in last year's cable movie "Paris Trout."
First-time director Lili Fini Zanuck (a longtime producer, whose hits include "Driving Miss Daisy" and "Cocoon") pulls terrific performances from her cast (especially Leigh) and tells the story at a deliberate pace that is quite unusual for a film of this type. And though the R rating is certainly earned, the amount of mayhem and sex here is also conservative in comparison.
What the film lacks is a serious emotional connection. We wince as Raynor and Kristen begin their downward spiral and we cringe when Raynor goes deeper, and Kristen, who manages to pull out, can't bring him up with her. But it's the circumstances, not a genuine feeling for the characters that elicits audience response.
Still, "Rush" has some effective scenes, and Leigh is something to see. (As a footnote, Eric Clap-ton's first movie score is also good.)