Gas Food Lodging (1992) User Reviews (33)

An American Movie with a Continental Feel

[michael-1151 · 7/10 · 7 January 2007]

Allison Anders motivation in making this film may be obscure, but I'm glad she made it. This, her debut feature, runs like a meandering stream through rivulets of teenage angst and single-mother frustration in small town New Mexico. Maybe its' the Mexico bit that made this movie seem more foreign than traditional action-based, marketing-oriented, formulaic American movies.

I'd heard the term "trailer trash" via Jerry Springer and guests, but this female family of free (alright, forget the alliteration - three) are far from "trash", just down on their luck. The mother, Brooke Adams is a waitress on a low income trying to bring up her girls; the older one, Ione Skye, discovers through a fraternisation with a gallant, geologically quizzical Englishman (for once, not Hugh Grant), that relationships beat one night stands.

Ione's brother, Donovan Leitch, also appears in this film, but it is Fairuza Balk as the younger teenager, who is outstanding. She wants the best for her mother, which she has difficulty in securing, but her film-buff instincts and a predilection for Spanish movies, enable her to find fulfilment for herself.

The movie concludes in a somewhat enigmatic manner without all loose endings tied up. But hey, when in life are any loose endings tied up? Our end, like this film's, leave us wanting more.

Peculiar, unsettling, but also courageous and amazing mood-piece...

[moonspinner55 · 7/10 · 31 January 2008]

Keen adaptation of Richard Peck's novel "Don't Look and It Won't Hurt", starring Brooke Adams in a terrific performance as the single mother of two headstrong young daughters who hopes for a better existence outside their backwater town in New Mexico, but not knowing just how to go about finding it. Arty, intriguing showcase for some very fine actresses (Adams, Ione Skye and the inscrutable Fairuza Balk), as well as James Brolin in a small but telling role as the girls' dreamy-quiet, estranged father. Director Allison Anders, who also adapted the screenplay, does hit an awkward snag or two in exploring these characters' emotions, but her feel for Nowhere U.S.A. is rich with complexity. Moody and unusual, it's a film worth seeing. *** from ****

rambling love lives of 3 women

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 23 November 2013]

Nora (Brooke Adams) is a single mom trying to raise two daughters in a small New Mexico town. Shade (Fairuza Balk) is a nice girl obsessed with a latina cinema heroine Elvia Rivero. Trudi (Ione Skye) is rebellious and sexually promiscuous.

Director Allison Anders has made a small movie about mother-daughter and sister-sister relationships. This is mostly about their love lives. The three female leads have created good compelling characters. There is one missing element from the movie. There isn't a one central idea to drive the plot. It's basically watching their love lives slowly unfold. The movie doesn't really have a direction. However, the three leads do a good job. The meandering love stories have memorable moments and are compelling.

Great Flick!

[juliecanton · 8 August 2006]

I recently watched this film with my husband who grew up in Deming, NM where the film was made. Very authentic story with regard to the lack of anything to do in the small desert towns of NM and the constant desire to get the heck out of there either by running away or using your imagination. Shade is a fantastic character and you will easily fall in love with her. Additionally, once you discover the reason for Trudi's attitude, you'll root for her too instead of wondering her problem is with everyone. This film is a real catch. Wish I heard about it sooner, my husband just remembered it one day when he was telling me how excited everyone was that a movie was being made in Deming. We were surprised to find it was available on Netflix.

Wonderful 90s movie

[birdsonthings · 7/10 · 19 January 2021]

Watching this in 2020, I really enjoyed this movie. Fairuza Balk was great as usual. Reading the other reviews, this definitely does portray what it's like to be a woman - whether a younger girl or older teen or single mother raising two daughters. I loved how the end message was really everyone gets lonely and love comes in all forms.

gas food lodging

[mossgrymk · 7/10 · 2 December 2020]

This film's sympathy and affection for its characters, male and female, is both its greatest strength and biggest flaw, in my opinion. While I certainly did not miss the usual gallery of obnoxious, abusive guys that one often gets in movies about single moms raising teen daughters, especially if the director is a woman, I did long for at least one of the several conflicts to be resolved at least somewhat bleakly rather than tied together, as seen here, with pink ribbons of optimism. I also could have done with less needless narration, a sure sign, along with expositional dialogue, of lazy screenwriting (i.e. director Allison Anders shoulda outsourced the job to Diablo Cody or Naomi Foner). However, to offset these negatives, Anders and her cinematographer Dean Lent do a good job of plunging the viewer into the splendors and miseries of southern New Mexico (you can almost feel the gritty autumn wind blowing through town) and there is not a bad performance in the entire cast, with special kudos to Brooke Adams as the harried mom with low self esteem, Fairuza Balk as her coming of age daughter who enjoys Mexican cinema, and James Brolin as a the mother of all deadbeat dads. Give it a B.

fantastic independent film

[rjfilms · 10/10 · 11 September 2005]

This film was the reason I became a film maker. Period. It is very inspiring to watch, with superb acting, quiet character building and developing. The film grabs you and pulls you into a small New Mexico town setting. You become completely engrossed with the story and the characters. It takes time to develop personalities within the female leads and the viewer becomes quite vested in their futures. I found Fairuza Balk's acting performance particularly compelling. One of my favorite acted roles in cinema (quality wise). This film is in my top ten favorites of all time, and also my twin has similar affinity for this superb film. Kudos to a film outside of the ordinary with a true independent vision.

Nice little drama

[vampyrecowboy · 7/10 · 20 September 2010]

Good performances from the women , but the rest of the cast was greatly underused.

Most of the cast- aside of the 3 major women had little or nothing to do or offer.

However, I did rent it 3 times over a period of 2 years for some reason and therefor, I find it to be watchable and entertaining - but yes, it's made by and for women for the majority - which is OK...

It is a slow moving drama and if you can handle that, you might be able to make it to the end.

As nice as nude women are - and I think Ione Skye looked excellent without clothes, I don't feel that there had to be nudity, because the little bit that there was, didn't offer anything to the story.

Brooke Adams and Fairuza Balk....

[MarieGabrielle · 10/10 · 1 August 2006]

I admit I am biased- I have always loved Ms. Adams since "The Dead Zone"...Stephen King at his earliest, and best.

This film is quirky and interesting. It is one of the few actually worth buying on DVD. Not just for the performances, which are excellent, by the way.

The visuals are noteworthy. New Mexico, the Southwest; a visual palette reminiscent of the artist Georgia O'Keefe. Beautiful photography, and a dysfunctional family trying to survive- two young girls living with their disillusioned mother.

This film addresses a niche which is not mainstream, but real...disappointed Americans living and working , trying their best, yet opposed by the realities. This film deserves 10/10- a must see.

one horse town, one dimensional characters

[paul2001sw-1 · 4/10 · 14 March 2004]

Will three feisty women, a single mother and her two daughters, find love and fulfillment in small-town Laramie? Allison Anders' debut film 'Gas, Food, Lodging' aims at a low-key, indie feel but the characters struggle to acquire more than a single dimension: Brooke Shields makes a reasonable stab at Mum, but the teenage characters are little more than outlines. The result is a film that is no better than it ought to be, never going anywhere unexpected. The soundtrack has a nice feel but is used to unsubtle effect; the film touches on America's racial divide, but quite shallowly; the teenage fashion on display has period interest for those who remember it at first hand. Otherwise, it's all a bit dull and obvious.

One of the best indie films out there!

[Blondie_ · 10/10 · 12 January 2002]

I have seen this movie countless times. Such a great, well-written story brilliantly executed by Anders. She has such a great artistic vision when it comes to camera angles, lighting, cinematography, and music. Great acting too all around! This is one of the few films I would give a 10/10!

Fail

[pietruccio · 4/10 · 12 November 2020]

The title and the promotional movie poster are the most redeeming elements of this movie.

Pull the heart strings

[daisy chain · 4 February 2000]

I absolutely loved this movie. There's no other way to put it.

Great acting from Fairuza and Ione and no matter what anyone says Ione Skye is a fabulous, talented actress. Every woman should see this movie and ultimately relate to it. We're all in search of a long-lasting relationship, but there are worse things in the world than being lonely. That's what I took away from the movie. For a change this film actually had an intelligent screenplay and top quality acting and directing. Again, I highly recommend the movie especially to women. Don't let this one go unnoticed!!

Such a good movie, such a great Fairuza.

[miguelfeyfer · 10/10 · 27 June 2007]

I read about this movie in a magazine in my country, Argentina. The critics had voted "Gas, food, lodging" as the best movie in 1992 or 1993, I can't remember. As I haven't seen it at the theaters, I had to wait a few years till was shown in cable TV, quite late I must say. I usually agree with the critics that voted it, but I was really skeptic as was not a hit at all... but they were right again. Wonderful movie, a touching Fairuza Balk that appeared to be a future star and ended making small parts or characters too much below her. I became quite a fan of this film, and as I have just registered here I decided not only to vote but to write a few lines about it. Please don't miss it. It is not only another indie film but a great movie.

Seems Very Personal

[cokramer · 9/10 · 12 March 2007]

I wish there were more films like this. Anders, the director, is a very wise person, especially in how she sees human relationships and treats them in this film. People call this an intelligent film and I'm not saying it's not, but that comment says a bundle about a lot of the other films that have been out there lately, where characters just don't seem human and act more like plot robots, void of any recognizable human feelings or dimensions. Evil and good in absolute black and white strokes. No, most people are more complex than that, even if mass media doesn't seem to want to poke much beyond the surface that they present to us. This movie is intelligent because it's very intuitive in its understanding of how most real people relate to one another. There are two particular scenes that I especially love. One is with the younger daughter bringing home purely by coincidence the ex-lover of her mom for a supposedly blind first date with the mom. She and the ex play it cool and ironically pretend they don't know each other and by the end of it, the lover comes to understand the mom's maternal love for her daughter and why she can't continue with him as her lover, which is all spelled out without anyone saying anything directly. The second scene is slightly less poignant, but also shows the unspoken understanding between good people. It involves the satellite cable installer and the mom and how they communicate indirectly and in a silly smart way the nature of their newfound relationship with one another and what they want from it. Their conversation in bed after the first time doing "it" was a gem. Very strong recommendation!

Poorly executed

[gbill-74877 · 4/10 · 19 January 2021]

A weak script and poor acting doomed this one for me. The dialogue seemed like it was written by an adolescent, and the story played out like a trite soap opera instead of delving deeper into some of the issues it touches on, e.g. coming of age, rape, divorce, teenage pregnancy, the class divide, and racism. It somehow even manages to make a sex scene in a cave cliché and boring. It probably would have scored some points with me had it used a real Mexican movie star from old films instead of the fictional Elvia Rivera. I liked the indie feel to it and what I think its intentions were, but it never grabbed me.

Excellent Film

[janevigor · 10/10 · 21 October 2007]

This is one of those movies that is often passed over by people who would love it if they watched it. Why? The cover art and tag line make this movie appear to be a low budget skin flick - which it is not. This film is touching and beautiful and quirky. The acting by Balk is spot on and her character is very well developed. But what really makes this movie so wonderful is the story line. In the summary of this movie you will hear something like.....Truckstop waitress struggles to raise her two daughters...while this is true, the story is so much more than that. I suggest anyone who loves quirky movies (like Lawndogs or Box Full of Moonlight) watch this one - just ignore the cover art and rent it already!

If you like Fairuza Balk ... (SPOILER ALERT)

[DaCritic-2 · 20 December 1999]

... then this is an excellent movie. FB (in an early role) portrays a young teen in a small southwestern town, discovering herself and falling in love for the first time, and meeting her father who has been absent from her life for as long as she can remember. Having lived through a very similar experience to that, I'd have to say that the way it was written and performed was unsentimental and realistic. Ione Skye also shines as the troublesome (and troubled) older sister with the bad reputation, and FB's ongoing attempts to set up her mother (Brooke Adams) with a nice guy are touching and heartfelt. But the movie never descends into saccharine sweetness ... that's the major strength of the script, and the performances. There's very little Hollywood in this flick, but there is a lot of heart, and it's worth seeing more than once.

**** out of *****

Seth Willenson, RIP

[lee_eisenberg · 10/10 · 19 May 2022]

Seth Willenson died recently, so I decided to watch one of the movies that he produced. Allison Anders's hard-hitting "Gas Food Lodging" focuses on a struggling waitress and her daughters in a trailer park in small-town New Mexico. A number of the scenes make you feel as if you're walking on eggshells.

I suspect that the movie accurately depicts the lives of many working-class people in the US. I seriously wish that we had more movies like this and fewer movies where Tom Cruise narrowly escapes all danger.

Anyway, it's one that I recommend. Brooke Adams, Fairuza Balk, Ione Skye, Donovan Leitch Jr. (how about that, both of Donovan's children from his first relationship!) and James Brolin all put on fine performances.

One of my favourite films

[sallyallan-09620 · 10/10 · 26 February 2021]

I love this film. When I was growing up I could really relate to a lot of the central themes around self confidence, rejection and feeling lost in the world. I think the 3 female characters perform their roles really well. I love Fairuza Balk in any film she is in but I really like her character in this.

One of the best movies of the '90s!

[SmileyMcGrouchpantsJrEsqIII · 10/10 · 26 October 2020]

As much a punk movie as "Repo Man" or "Slacker," this movie features people living better with moderate means than anything out of "Pagan Kennedy's Living." Music by J Mascis, witty repartee, it's a wonder more people didn't turn out in droves. (If folks'd my age caught this -- with both "Heathers" *and* "Pump Up the Volume" -- the '90s'd turned out different! As it is, we're catching up.) Much better than "Seinfeld." Or "South Park." Who are we kidding? The characters are etched in your mind forever after this one. Allison Anders really scored a homer, and I think her career would have been different if more people had shown up and hailed this one to begin with. As it is, it's not too late. A worthy follow-up to "Paris, Texas," etc., and other purveyors of what Paddy Chayevsky once called an attempt to perpetuate "dignity in our culture." I really love this movie!

A wonderful movie, especially if you want to understand women

[Tasha-22 · 17 August 1999]

I have seen this movie three times, and each time I see it, I appreciate it more. This is a story about a mother and her two daughters, and the personal struggles each go through as they try to be a family. While the movie is slow-paced, I highly enjoyed the cinematography. The ages of the three main characters gives a special insight into the difficulties facing women at different stages in their lives.

Nice little movie

[rjp-40901 · 9/10 · 3 January 2021]

Trailer park, single mom, teenage daughters, better than it sounds. Stunt casting of Donovan's kids, Ione Skye (major role) and Donovan Leitch Jr. (bit part).

Incredible

[akbeall · 10/10 · 25 March 2024]

I loved this movie. I don't get why a lot of people don't like it. It's cinematography is homey and beautiful. I think it touches into the lives of real people and their stories. The actresses did an amazing job in this film as well. Their acting was very raw and believable. I love how the movie talked about love and how it is tough but worthwhile and beautiful. The narration of Shade, the main character, was really interesting and told like a true teenage girl. I don't really understand how people find this movie boring, I mean it's about real life. Just because it's not packed with action doesn't mean it's boring.

Why I think every teenage girl in America needs to see this film

[viper2_41472 · 10/10 · 25 March 2005]

This movie is a must see for any teenage girl. It has more heart and soul then a lot of movies that I have seen in a long time. Trudi is a bad girl but when it comes down to it, she will do what is right for her. Shade is one who you can't understand at first but once you get to know her you can relate. This movie is worth a 10 because it can show that sometimes no matter what you have to do what is right for you and not the rest of the world.It also shows that if you get caught crying sometimes that it is not always a sign of weakness, sometimes it is a sign that you have just had enough! Any girl from the age of 13+ should get their best friends and mothers for a girls movie. It just might make all of the fighting stop!Even if only for a moment!