Gus Van Sant‘s masterful Drugstore Cowboy opened 30 and 1/2 years ago. I just bought a rental as it’s been a while. Matt Dillon‘s “Bob Hughes” will always be his finest role.
He was 24 or 25 during filming, and his career wasn’t exactly surging at the time.
Dillon’s debut performance in Jonathan Kaplan‘s Over The Edge (’79), performed when he was 14 or so, put him into orbit . Through the ’80s he was a solid marquee attraction, but the vitality had been ebbing. And then along came Drugstore Cowboy in the fall of ’89, and Dillon was right back on top.
Now he’s 56, and boy, does time fly.
My second favorite Drugstore Cowboy character? James Remar‘s “Gentry”, a narcotics detective. Followed by Kelly Lynch‘s “Diane.” And William S. Burroughs‘ performance as himself…perfect.
