Truth or Consequences, N.M. (film)

Raymond Lembecke (Vincent Gallo) is an ex-con just out of prison after serving time for selling drugs for his boss Eddie Grillo (John C. McGinley). Lembecke was innocent, but took the fall for Grillo. Lembecke thinks Grillo owes him, so when his former boss gets him a measly job in a warehouse, he decides on revenge and plans to steal a million dollars' worth of drugs from him.

Lembecke plans the heist with Marcus Weans (Mykelti Williamson), who unbeknownst to them is an undercover DEA agent, and the disturbed trigger-happy Curtis Freley (Kiefer Sutherland). Lembecke's girlfriend Addy Monroe (Kim Dickens) also comes along. Curtis kills an undercover DEA agent (who's wearing a wire) during the heist. They decide to skip town and head to Las Vegas to sell the stolen goods; later they hope to make it to Mexico.

As they head out of the city they kidnap a couple who own a recreational vehicle. But soon, hostage Gordon Jacobson (Kevin Pollak) falls under the spell of the Stockholm syndrome and begins to emulate his kidnappers and wants to stay involved in their hunt. In addition to fleeing the police, the group must also now avoid an assassin named Sir (Martin Sheen) who has been dispatched by the mafia, because Eddie Grillo was merely working for the real Mob Boss in Las Vegas, Tony Vago (Rod Steiger) who they have just attempted to sell the drugs to. In effect they were selling Vago's own drugs back to him.

They visit Wayne, (Max Perlich ) a former jail mate of Lambecke, to try to make another connection to sell the drugs in New Mexico. This leads them to the empty home of Lembecke's brother in Truth or Consequences, NM to make the deal, where all forces convene against them.

• Vincent Gallo as Raymond Lembecke
• Mykelti Williamson as Marcus Weans
• Kiefer Sutherland as Curtis Freley
• Kevin Pollak as Gordon Jacobson
• Kim Dickens as Addy Monroe
• Grace Phillips as Donna Moreland
• James McDaniel as Frank Thompson
• Rick Rossovich as Robert Boylan
• John C. McGinley as Eddie Grillo
• Max Perlich as Wayne
• Rod Steiger as Tony Vago
• Martin Sheen as Sir

According to Paul Fischer, the film had ratings problems due to certain gruesomely violent portions involving Martin Sheen.[4]

Due to its limited release the film was not widely reviewed. Critic Jeffrey Lyons of WNBC called the film, "[a] gritty, effective crime drama", according to the film's theatrical poster.

Critic Dale Winogura liked the film, especially the first half, and was appreciative of the acting. He wrote, "Kiefer Sutherland overcomes some of the faults with a sleek stylistic sheen and rapid pacing in the early stages... [and] Gallo turns a typical loser part into a sympathetic antihero, and Dickens supports him with an equally strong and rounded portrayal"[5]

Critic Leslie Rigoulot called the motion picture "a good ride, not a great one,"[6] and Ben Hoffman did not like the film because "the actors have to do and say some pretty ridiculous things."[7]

The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 38% of critics gave the film a positive review, based on 16 reviews.[8]

The producers used the following tagline when marketing the film:

When you're running on fear, don't stop for gas.

The film opened in a very limited release on May 2, 1997.

After a few weeks the film went straight to video. Box office sales the first week in circulation were $19,528. Total sales for the run were $109,261 and in its widest release the film appeared in seven theatres.[9]

• Truth or Consequences, N.M. at IMDb
• Truth or Consequences, N.M. at Infinite Coolness (wall-papers and screen-captures)