Jesus’ Son. 1999. USA. Directed by Alison Maclean. Screenplay by Elizabeth Cuthrell, David Urrutia, Oren Moverman, based on the book by Denis Johnson. With Billy Crudup, Samantha Morton, Dennis Hopper. 107 min.
Alison Maclean’s film adaptation of the Denis Johnson short story collection, about an addict charting a crooked path through rural America, is one of the great if still underappreciated indies of the 1990s. Casting director Laura Rosenthal recalls, “This was the first film for which I had to attach actors in order to secure financing, actors that had some heat like Billy Crudup, Samantha Morton, Holly Hunter, and Dennis Hopper playing opposite newcomers like Michael Shannon, Jack Black, and Miranda July.”