Taglines: fear never travels alone.
Kalifornia movie storyline. Brian Kessler, a journalist researching serial killers, and his photographer girlfriend Carrie set out on a cross-country tour of the sites of the killings. Sharing the ride and their expenses are Early Grayce, a paroled white trash criminal, and his girlfriend Adele. As the trip progresses, Early begins to appear more and more unstable, and Brian and Carrie begin to fear that they may have a real-life killer in the back seat of their car.
Kalifornia is a 1993 American road thriller film directed by Dominic Sena and starring Brad Pitt, Juliette Lewis, David Duchovny, and Michelle Forbes. The film focuses on a graduate student (David Duchovny) and his photographer girlfriend (Michelle Forbes) traveling cross-country to research serial killings, who unwittingly carpool with a serial killer (Brad Pitt) and his childlike girlfriend (Juliette Lewis). The film was released in September 1993 in the United States, and received generally positive reviews from critics.
About the Story
Brian Kessler (David Duchovny) is a graduate student in psychology as well as a journalist, who has written an article about serial killers, which draws interest from a publisher that offers him a book deal. After the book deal advance is spent, Brian realizes that he needs to start working on finishing his book. His girlfriend Carrie Laughlin (Michelle Forbes), a photographer, persuades him to move to California, and they decide to drive from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to California and visit infamous murder sites along the way. Short on funds, Brian posts a ride-share ad.
Meanwhile, psychopathic parolee Early Grayce (Brad Pitt) has just lost his job. His parole officer (Judson Vaughn) learns of this and comes to the trailer park where Early lives with his young girlfriend Adele Corners (Juliette Lewis). Early refuses the officer’s offer of a job as a college janitor, saying he wants to leave the state. The officer informs him that if he does not keep the appointment, he will be “having dinner with the sheriff”. Early decides to go to the job interview. However, when he is on his way out, he is confronted by his landlord over non-payment of rent. Early grows violent and spins out in his car, chasing the man all over the park.
Early sees the ride-share ad at the college and calls Brian, who agrees to meet him the following day. Early sends Adele ahead, then murders his landlord before joining Adele to wait for Brian and Carrie. Carrie’s first response to seeing the rough-hewn couple is to suggest Brian turn the car around and leave, but Brian asks her to give the plan a chance, and she reluctantly agrees.
On the road, unbeknown to his companions, Early murders a man in a gas station bathroom and steals his money. When they arrive at the first hotel, he cuts Adele’s long hair shorter, to try to match Carrie’s. At another hotel, Early invites Brian out to play pool, leaving Adele and Carrie alone together.
Carrie trims Adele’s hair in a less brutal, more stylish ‘bob-cut’ and Adele paints Carrie’s toe-nails. Adele explains that her mother did not approve of her relationship, because Early had just been released from prison. Adele reveals to Carrie that she is a rape victim and that she views Early as her protector, even though he has beaten her. While Carrie and Adele are drinking beer, Adele also admits to Carrie that Early forbids her to smoke or drink.
Kalifornia (1993)
Directed by: Dominic Sena
Starring: Brad Pitt, Juliette Lewis, David Duchovny, Michelle Forbes, Kathy Larson, John Zarchen, Judson Vaughn, Tommy Chappelle, Marisa Raper, James Michael McDougal
Screenplay by: Tim Metcalfe
Production Design by: Michael White
Cinematography by: Bojan Bazelli
Film Editing by: Martin Hunter
Costume Design by: Kelle Kutsugeras
Set Decoration by: Kate Sullivan
Art Direction by: Jeff Mann
Music by: Carter Burwell
MPAA Rating: R for strong violence, and for sexuality and language.
Distributed by: Gramercy Pictures
Release Date: September 3, 1993 (United States), September 8, 1993 (France), November 25, 1993 (Germany)
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