Julian Po
Encyclopedia
Plot
This is the story of a depressed man who comes into a town with no future. The title character (Slater) wanders into a small sleepy town with the intent to kill himself. When the townspeople learn of his plan, Julian becomes a minor celebrity, and is offered all sorts of free perks since this is the most exciting thing to ever happen in that town. However, Julian gets attached to the town and decides life is worth living after all, much to the annoyance of the townspeople who decide to set into motion plans for his suicide, assisted or forced if need be, as long as he keeps his word and carries through with his original plans, much to his desperation and anger.Julian is a man with no goals except to kill himself at the beginning of the movie. He is treated with suspicion, then sympathy once he explains his goal. Then, he meets Sarah (Robin Tunney
Robin Tunney
Robin Jessica Tunney is an American actress. She is best known for her lead roles in the movie The Craft and the television series Prison Break and The Mentalist.-Early life:...
), who says that she's been waiting her entire life for him. She rekindles within him the desire to live and experience love. After they make love, however, Julian awakens to find the bed empty and a letter from Sarah. He rushes to the bridge out of town, knowing that it is too late: Sarah has committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, explaining that she wants to see Julian "on the other side". Heartbroken, Julian's mental condition is not helped by the townsfolks' cruelty, forcing him to "keep his promise" on killing himself. Before this, many of the townspeople have tried to "assist" him with his suicide; the barber offering a quick, bloody death with a straight razor, the hotel manager showing off his multiple rifles, and the town sheriff expounding on the joy of death and killing.
The film ends with Julian walking out of town, dressed in a suit and tie, "supervised" by the town sheriff, mayor and barber so as to make sure he does not run away. It is assumed that he kills himself shortly afterwards, fulfilling his dream of "going to the sea".
Cast
- Christian SlaterChristian SlaterChristian Michael Leonard Slater is an American actor. He made his film debut with a small role in The Postman Always Rings Twice before playing a leading role in the 1985 film The Legend of Billie Jean...
as Julian Po - Robin TunneyRobin TunneyRobin Jessica Tunney is an American actress. She is best known for her lead roles in the movie The Craft and the television series Prison Break and The Mentalist.-Early life:...
as Sarah - Michael ParksMichael ParksMichael Parks is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in almost fifty films and has made frequent TV appearances, but is probably best known for his work in recent years with Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, and Kevin Smith as well as the 1969 television series Then Came...
as Vern - Cherry JonesCherry JonesCherry Jones is an American actress and recipient of the 2009 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Drama Series and the 2005 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play.-Career:...
as Lucy - Frankie FaisonFrankie FaisonFrankie Russel Faison , often credited as Frankie R. Faison, is an American actor.-Personal life:Faison was born in Newport News, Virginia, the son of Carmena and Edgar Faison. He studied drama at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois, where he joined Theta Chi Fraternity...
as Sheriff Leon - Dabney ColemanDabney ColemanDabney Wharton Coleman is an American actor, best known for his roles in 9 to 5, WarGames, You've Got Mail, Sworn to Silence, The Beverly Hillbillies and as the voice of Principal Peter Prickly in Recess and Recess: School's Out.-Early life:Coleman was born in Austin, Texas, the son of Mary...
as Mayor Henry Leech - Allison JanneyAllison JanneyAllison Brooks Janney is an American actress, best known for her role as C.J. Cregg on the television series The West Wing.- Personal life :...
as Lila Leech - Željko IvanekŽeljko IvanekŽeljko Ivanek is an Emmy award-winning Slovenian American actor best known for his role as Ray Fiske on Damages. He is also known for playing Blake Sterling on short-lived NBC series The Event and Emile Danko on Heroes....
as Tom Potter - LaTanya RichardsonLatanya RichardsonLaTanya Estelle Richardson is an American actress and television producer. She graduated from Spelman College in 1974. While at Spelman, she met actor Samuel L. Jackson who would later become her husband. She and Jackson married in 1980 and have one daughter, named Zoe...
as Darlene