Ellie (the gorgeous Tiffany Bolling) and her sister Myra (the also gorgeous Robin Mattson) are living a pretty quiet, rural life with their stepfather, until one night when, in a drunken rampage, old pervy stepfather decides it’s a good idea to teach young Myra what it means to be a woman. Ellie steps in, shotgun in hand, and starts blasting. The two girls go on the run, straight to a rich uncle, the brother of their deceased mother, Bonnie. And it is here that the girls seem to find some calm in the storm of their lives. But the police are looking for them, and Ellie has stumbled into one of her uncle’s schemes, one which involves $400,000 in stolen dough. She convinces a private detective to join her in stealing it and going on the run. All they need to do is pick up sister Myra and they can be on their way. Old Uncle isn’t happy with this, of course, and hires two bickering hitmen to get the money back. And the chase is on, Ellie and the detective on the run, and Myra dealing with the predatory friends of her uncle while trying to reunite with her sister.
Bonnie’s Kids is a strange little movie. There’s lots of girl power going on here, as Ellie takes no shit from any man and lives her life how she wants. There’s a wanton recklessness to her actions, and she’s highly manipulative of the dumb and often conscience-stricken detective, Larry (brawny Steve Sandor). She strings him along, carelessly stealing the money and luxuriating in the freedom that being semi-rich brings. All the while, hell is nipping at their heels, and she doesn’t even know it. And her sister is dealing with a predatory woman who is doing some manipulating of her own. This is the story of two outlaws, one a young woman, the other a teenager, both sisters, and both who make bad choices. But for a while, they do live in freedom, free from the pigs, free from the men (and women) who would own their bodies but could never own their spirits.
There’s a lot to admire here. The dialogue is great, the action is gritty, and the downbeat ending will sour just about any stomach. But that’s what a life of crime brings you, more often than not. A lot has been said how aspects of this movie informs the later Pulp Fiction, and I can totally see that, especially in regards to the two hitmen characters. In the end, this film is pretty darned good, if a bit overly long. If you’re a fan of crime movies, come on down. This one is a gem that’s waiting to be discovered.
★★★☆