| Miles from Home | |
|---|---|
) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Gary Sinise |
| Produced by | Paul Kurta |
| Written by | Chris Gerolmo |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Robert Folk |
| Cinematography | Elliot Davis |
| Edited by | Jane Schwartz Jaffe |
| Distributed by | Cinecom Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 108 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $188,964 |
Miles from Home is a 1988 film starring Richard Gere and Kevin Anderson. It is about two brothers who, after being forced off their farm in the debt stricken Midwestern United States, become folk heroes when they begin robbing the banks that have been foreclosing on farmers. The movie was directed by Gary Sinise and written by Chris Gerolmo. The film uses many members of Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company of which Sinise is a co-founder.
The film was filmed entirely on location throughout the state of Iowa, including Worthington, Iowa and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was entered into the 1988 Cannes Film Festival.[1]
Plot
The Roberts family farm in Iowa is a prosperous one. Frank Roberts, Sr. and his two young sons are even visited there by Nikita Khrushchev during the Soviet Union premier's tour of the Midwestern United States.
Many years later, the boys are grown but their dad's pride and joy has fallen into disrepair and debt. A deluge of rain has ruined the crops. They must resort to desperate measures, even a yard sale, just to pay their bills. The anger of Frank Jr. builds until he ultimately suggests to younger brother Terry that they set fire to the farm, rather than let the bank seize control of it.
As the brothers take to the road, becoming thieves, the story of their action at home strikes a chord with neighbors and strangers who offer them shelter or even a hideout when the law's in pursuit. Along the way, the Roberts brothers encounter a wide variety of people, including Maxwell, a reporter who wants to tell their story before the inevitable tragic consequences can occur.
Cast
- Richard Gere as Frank Roberts, Jr.
- Kevin Anderson as Terry Roberts
- Penelope Ann Miller as Sally
- Helen Hunt as Jennifer
- Terry Kinney as Mark
- Brian Dennehy as Frank Roberts, Sr.
- Laurie Metcalf as Exotic Dancer
- Francis Guinan as Tommy Malin
- Judith Ivey as Frances
- Dennis Blome as Sheriff
- John Malkovich as Barry Maxwell
- Yancy Taylor as Kid at Fair
- Laura San Giacomo as Sandy (uncredited)
- Larry Poling as Nikita Khrushchev
- Moira Harris as Frank's Girl (uncredited)
- Dick Stout as Random Fair Goer (uncredited)
Reception
Box office
The film gained a limited release, and grossed about $188,000.
Critical Reception
The movie received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 60% "Fresh" rating based on 5 reviews. According to film historian Leonard Maltin, "Gere's actions, and his performance, are so off-putting that you wonder if he doesn't deserve his fate...which can hardly be the point."
References
- ^ "Festival de Cannes: Miles from Home". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-07-27.
External links