Back home

The Living End

86 votes

Producing House

Two HIV-positive young men — a semi-employed film critic and a hot hustler — tear off on a cross-country crime spree.

movie

Status: Released

Released Date: 1992-08-21

Runtime: 85 mins

Director: Gregg Araki

Writer: Gregg Araki

Spoken language: English

Genres: Crime, Drama, Romance

Original title: The Living End

Production Companies: Desperate Pictures, Strand Releasing

Production Countries: United States of America

Reviews

G

Geronimo1967
Anyone else remember those robotic fish that you'd prod and they wagged their tails? We had one that also sang Bobby Darin's "Mack the Knife"! Here, one features occasionally, but quite amusingly, in this quite provocative drama that follows a road trip taken by "Luke" (Mike Dytri) and "Jon" (Crag Gilmore). The former guy is a gay hooker who's got by on the streets using his looks and his wits whilst contracting HIV along the way. The latter man is a journalist who has managed to arrive at the same fate - though not as a result of the same s(t)eamy existence. With nothing much left to lose, the unlikely pairing embark on a fairly hedonistic journey that pitches their two completely different personalities into a series of scenarios that ultimately, well you can guess what ends up happening. It doesn't pull it's punches this. It is gritty and sleazy and honest and illustrates well just how human beings react when faced with certainty - even if it's timeline isn't so set in stone. It's a love story, an hate story - and juggles loads of attitudinal and judgemental horrors as the two men meet homophobia and violence as they begin to rely more and more on each other (whilst simultaneously winding each other up fairly spectacularly). There's a bit of sex - nothing very graphic, and loads of ripe language - but nothing here appears gratuitous. It's a plausible road trip that Greg Araki has constructed to make us think, squirm, smile and well, endure too. It won't be for everyone, but it does remind us of how, just 20-odd years ago, AIDS was still killing people and there is a definite and engaging chemistry between the two actors charged with delivering this story of a messy and frequently anachronistic existence.
2023-11-11

Recommendations

Maybe... Maybe Not
3.1

Maybe... Maybe Not

1994-10-05

The heterosexual man Axel is thrown out of his girlfriends home for cheating and ends up moving in w

K-PAX
3.6

K-PAX

2001-10-26

Prot is a patient at a mental hospital who claims to be from a far away planet. His psychiatrist tri

The Wizard
3

The Wizard

1989-12-15

A boy and his brother run away from home and hitch cross-country, with help from a girl they meet, t

A Clockwork Orange
4.1

A Clockwork Orange

1971-10-28

In a near-future Britain, young Alexander DeLarge and his pals get their kicks beating and raping an

Trouble in Paradise
3.7

Trouble in Paradise

1932-10-30

Thief Gaston Monescu and pickpocket Lily are partners in crime and love. Working for perfume company

To Be or Not to Be
3.9

To Be or Not to Be

1942-03-06

During the Nazi occupation of Poland, an acting troupe becomes embroiled in a Polish soldier's effor

Discreet
2.1

Discreet

2017-02-11

After years in hiding and struggling to control his demons, an eccentric drifter returns home and di

Always Say Yes
2.6

Always Say Yes

2019-04-06

Héctor travels from Hermosillo to Mexico City in the hopes of posing naked for photography collectiv

Poppy Field
2.7

Poppy Field

2022-04-08

A young Romanian gendarme, Cristi, tries to find the balance between two apparently opposing parts o

My Old Ass
3.4

My Old Ass

2024-09-13

An 18th birthday mushroom trip brings free-spirited Elliott face-to-face with her wisecracking 39-ye

Paris, Texas
4

Paris, Texas

1984-07-16

A man wanders out of the desert not knowing who he is. His brother finds him, and helps to pull his

Pink Flamingos
3.1

Pink Flamingos

1972-03-17

Notorious Baltimore criminal and underground figure Divine goes up against Connie & Raymond Marble,

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
3.7

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

1953-07-14

Lorelei Lee is a beautiful showgirl engaged to be married to the wealthy Gus Esmond, much to the dis

Little Miss Sunshine
3.8

Little Miss Sunshine

2006-07-26

A family loaded with quirky, colorful characters piles into an old van and road trips to California

Niagara
3.1

Niagara

2022-09-16

A comedy drama about the fall, mourning and rebuilding of oneself around three brothers in their fif

The Constitution
3.3

The Constitution

2016-10-06

Four very different people live in the same building but avoid each other because of differences in

Love in Thoughts
3.1

Love in Thoughts

2004-02-12

A posthumous look at the last days of Guenther's life as he, his best friend, and his sister let loo

Alexander
3

Alexander

2004-11-21

Alexander, the King of Macedonia, leads his legions against the giant Persian Empire. After defeatin

The Constant Gardener
3.5

The Constant Gardener

2005-08-31

Justin Quayle is a low-level British diplomat who has always gone about his work very quietly, not c

My Blueberry Nights
3.2

My Blueberry Nights

2007-11-28

Elizabeth has just been through a particularly nasty breakup, and now she's ready to leave her frien