Episode 102: River’s Edge (1986)

In this episode of Dave’s Movie Diary, I revisit River’s Edge (1986), a film that still feels incredibly unsettling nearly forty years later. The murder itself happens before the film even begins — the real shock comes from watching how casually many of the teenagers respond afterwards, with some more concerned about protecting the killer than dealing with what has happened.

I look back at my first experience with the film as a teenager, the performances of Keanu Reeves, Ione Skye, Dennis Hopper and Crispin Glover, and the way Tim Hunter captures a generation of young people growing up with a frightening lack of guidance, connection and emotional responsibility.