FEELING MINNESOTA

US, 1996, 108 minutes, Colour.
Keanu Reeves, Cameron Diaz, Vincent D’ Onofrio, Dan Aykroyd, Tuesday Weld, Michael Rispoli, Levon Helm.
Directed by Steve Baigelman.

Feeling Minnesota take its name from a song. It indicates that there must be strange feelings in Minnesota.

This is a take-it-or-leave-it kind of comedy. All the characters are amoral and certainly behave in this way.

The film is sibling rivalry, two young boys growing up, clashing in adulthood, the younger going to jail, the older in league with local criminals, getting a bride who is part of a debt to the criminal. The younger is played by Keanu Reeves, the older by Vincent D’ Onofrio. And the girl in the middle is played by Cameron Diaz in one of her earliest films. There is a guest spot by Tuesday Weld as the boys’ mother. Dan Aykroyd is a corrupt detective.
There are some twists in the plot, especially in the seemingly ingenuous girl really being a femme fatale.

1. A serious comedy or a serious film which is comic?

2. A film of the 1990s, the touch of film noir, the touch of parody, a tangle of values?

3. The title, from a song, Minneapolis and Minnesota feeling? In each of the main characters?

4. Jjak’s story? The flashbacks to the boys, their rivalry, the scissors and paper game, hitting hands, the older boy conquering the younger boy? The role of the mother?

5. 20 years later, Sam, in league with Red, deals, the plan for the marriage? Freddie and her being part of the debt to Red? Love or not?

6. Freddie, dress for the wedding, running away, court, red and his threats? Giving her to Sam? The ceremony, walking up the aisle? The preacher and the consent? The aftermath? The guests?

7. Jjak, coming into town, from prison, arriving at the wedding, no gift, his mother’s complaint? Talking with Sam, the scissors-paper game? Jjak and winning? Freddie watching?

8. Freddie, the approach to Jjak, sexual approach, in the toilet? Jjak getting out the window, going to rob the store, Bob recognising him, his hitting him, taking the money, buying the gift, presenting it?

9. His mother collapsing, her death, the reaction of the boys?

10. The detective, being in league with Red, getting Freddie back? At the wedding, watching? Questioning Jjak about the store robbery?

11. Jjak, deciding to leave, Freddie wanting to go with him? In the motel? The confrontations with Sam?

12. Freddie, with Sam, his shooting her, carrying her into the motel room, leaving her dead? Jjak, his return, confusion, carrying her out, putting on the ground, covering her with leaves? Returning and her disappearance? The irony of her turning up?

13. Jjak urged to take Sam’s money, finding it, not enough, Freddie upset? The irony of Jjak and learning that Freddie had put a payment on the house?

14. Sam, going to Red’s place, confrontation, shooting him? The safe, taking the money?

15. The neighbours at the motel, ringing and demanding money, Freddie putting them up to it, Jjak getting their help? Sam’s arrival, ousting the couple?

16. The fight, the shooting? Sam and his arrival, the money, with Freddie?

17. The detective, his partner, Fredie abandoning him, the witnesses, his arrest?

18. Freddie, the phone call, indicating that Jjak was innocent, telling the police about the detective? Her going to Las Vegas?

19. Jjak, driving to Las Vegas, the bible salesman and his wise words, Jjak finding Freddie in the chorus, fulfilling her ambition, the finale together?