True Colors

Directed by Herbert Ross, True Colors follows college buddies Peter Burton (John Cusack) and Tim Gerrity (James Spader) as their friendship is tested by Peter’s ambitious post-school plans. Filmmaker Ross, armed with Kevin Wade’s screenplay, delivers a progressively engrossing drama that benefits from the top-notch performances of its stars, as Cusack and Spader offer up first-class work that goes a long way towards cultivating (and sustaining) the movie’s compulsively watchable atmosphere – with the actors’ stellar work here certainly matched by a strong supporting cast that includes Mandy Patinkin, Philip Bosco, and Richard Widmark. (Imogen Stubbs’ mostly ineffective turn as the protagonists’ love interest remains an obvious weak spot within the proceedings, however.) There’s little doubt, ultimately, that True Colors‘ success stems largely from its briskly-paced narrative that takes several unexpected twists and turns, and it’s worth noting, as well, that picture’s overall impact is heightened by the continuing emphasis on scenes and sequences of a decidedly engrossing nature – with this particularly true of a terrific, spellbinding interlude wherein Peter attempts to blackmail Widmark’s character during a round of golf. And although the film’s third act admittedly does feel just a little padded out, True Colors nevertheless comes off as an entertaining, engaging piece of work that does, in the end, fare much better than one might’ve initially anticipated.

*** out of ****