The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988)

So much average

An Exercise In Nonsense

Admirable film.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

High school drop-out Keanu Reeves (as Rupert) gets a weird haircut (long on the left side, short on the right). A biker dude, slash aspiring poet, Mr. Reeves works with conservative father Fred Ward for a coal-mining company. But, Reeves does not want to follow in his father's sooty footsteps. After tailing busty mother Bonnie Bedelia, Reeves confirms she has a sex buddy. Soon, Reeves has one too; it's ex-hippie ice-cream trailer owner Amy Madigan (as Carla). The couple decide to kidnap Mr. Ward, for money… The potentially interesting father/son dynamic never really amounts to much. Instead of working on its own, you're liable to flesh it out by thinking of how well the theme worked in other films. Writer/director Ron Nyswaner includes the intriguing potential for a one woman/two man familial relationship; not with Reeves' parents, of course, but in the proposition he receives near the film's end. The Pennsylvania locations are refreshing (check out the IGA), and Mr. Nyswaner gets good performances from his cast.***** The Prince of Pennsylvania (5/15/88) Ron Nyswaner ~ Keanu Reeves, Fred Ward, Amy Madigan, Bonnie Bedelia

i was 21 yrs old when this film released.never heard of it....on TV,commercial,trailer,TV guide,magazine,editorial,grapevine.whoever was the p.r. firm for this picture should be incarcerated.to this day,(20 years later)i still cant find anyone who has heard of or seen this flick. it's almost as if someone sabotaged its release!!!!!on a snowy Sunday,i flicked on an encore channel(avail thru direct TV sat.)and got lucky.i am male and not a fan of reeves or anyone in film.i love real filming locations, and especially ones in penn.we have the most diverse and beautiful state in the country.from huge cities(pitts&philly)to flat farm land, to mountains(Appalachian,Poconos,blue,Allegheny).my maternal side is from Pitts and I've driven right by that high school on I-79.the plot was comical and the movie was well acted and directed.it held my attn. for entire flick.mining was a big part of my life as a child(my g-pop,uncle m.,uncle Mitch.,all coal miners) i need to buy a copy of this movie for my mom.she was born and raised in pitts.well worth seeing,even if you have to buy it.coal and steel still rule!!!in my mind,at least.i am a little angry that i almost might have died w/out seeing this movie.?????why the 007 on advertising it?mmmmmm.......

I remember seeing this film in my late teens and I just could not get over Keanu's haircut: I think it's brilliant and only K could pull it off (Mike Patton's close second in the Epic days)! Also Fred Ward is quite funny in it and Amy Madigan rocks too (lucky girl...)

I listen to a friend for a year claiming that this was a good Keanu flick I couldnt take it any more got a old used copy off amazon the best 10 bucks I ever spent..Keanu's acting was Excellent and the fact the One of my favorites Fred Ward was in it made it a 10+ for me. So if your a Keanu Reeves Fan you need to see this movie.. BY:Keanu's Sorceress ps thanks KT