Her relationship with Jonnie (Harry Dean Stanton, excellent as ever) is equally comical. Lula’s mother is also a consistently ridiculous character despite being the main antagonist- the scene in which she breaks down and cakes herself in red lipstick is hilariously odd. Both actors perform with a total lack of restraint, particularly Cage, whose unhinged madness lightens the mood even when the content becomes incredibly dark. The characters are ridiculously heightened- the two protagonists, Sailor and Lula, interact in a manner that is consistently funny and otherworldly. In some ways this even a comedy- the dark humour that underlies much of Lynch’s aesthetic is brought to the forefront. Related article: Finding the New James Bond? ‘No Time To Die’ Will Be Daniel Craig’s Final 007 Related article: ‘Dune’: Reactions from Timothée Chalamet, Denis Villeneuve, Zendaya, Jason Momoa & Co-Stars This looseness was mainly enjoyable because it was nice to see Lynch’s artful, abstract style applied to (slightly) simpler and sillier content- indeed part of Wild At Heart ’s appeal is that it is unafraid to be a fun ride whilst still engaging in dark themes. The lighting is bright and colourful, just like Sailor’s ridiculous snakeskin jacket. In every moment Wild At Heart is brash (it has one of the most violently contentious openings I have seen). The dialogue often provokes simultaneous shock and laughter.

At its heart, the film is also a romance story, and it leans on this forcefully and erotically- it’s intense, often graphic sexuality is key to its identity. The usual hypnotising drawn-out sequences are present yet they are infused with a sense of silliness and enjoyment- Wild At Heart ’s concert scene evokes a similar moment in Blue Velvet but is far more playful and ludicrous. Though Wild At Heart offers the typical madness you would expect from David Lynch, this time around it is presented through a lens that feels more accessible than the films he is best known for (Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, Eraserhead ). David Lynch Entertains with ‘Wild at Heart’ The film is filled with steamy romance, violence, hints of lurking evil, and a tone that is recognisably otherworldly yet perhaps more purely fun than the director’s classics. Wild At Heart finds David Lynch infusing a fairly standard road-trip premise with his distinctly odd sensibilities. Chased down by assassins, lovebirds Sailor (Nicolas Cage) and Lula (Laura Dern) take to the road to escape their demons.

Laura dern in wild at heart