Vroom – 1988 | 84 mins | Drama | Colour

Plot Synopsis

Formulaic road movie and directorial debut effort from Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason helmer Beeban Kidron. The quirky love story chronicles the adventures of a romantic young man with a vision who falls for an attractive older woman and together they leave flee Thatcher-era unemployment and domestic strife. The acting from the two headliners alone, Clive Owen and David Thewlis, make this low-budget road movie a worthwhile trip.

Two bored pals, suave Jake (Clive Owen) and dishevelled Ringe (David Thewlis) keep a lovingly restored 1950s Chevrolet under wraps in the hope of one day escaping life on the dole in their drab Northern town to fulfil their dreams. When Jake falls for middle-aged divorcee Susan (Diana Quick) at the local nightclub, she joins Jake and Ringe in hitting the open road, but the excitement of their initial freedom is short-lived. Soon tensions begin to rise and they are swindled out of all their money by a Preston-bound manager of a street boxer (Jim Broadbent). For a short while the trio find happiness in a deserted cottage in the Lake District but Jake soon realizes his two companions do not share in his idea of a carefree life. Ringe finds a job with a nightclub owner and Jake takes Susan back home. In a moment of fantasy, Jake symbolically flies in his vehicle over the town he left behind.