Sergeant Jack Falen (Dennis Hopper) has just returned from duty during the Vietnam War. He’s now on special assignment–he must accompany the body of a fallen soldier (and friend) out to California. While riding the Tracks he encounters a young, beautiful college student named Stephanie (Taryn Power)--but his past experiences, and his struggles with war may stand in the way of their relationship. Only time will tell whether or not Jack will find happiness.
Jack Falen is incredibly eccentric–he’s one-of-a-kind really, and he’s difficult to explain. He struggles with women, but he’s genuine and honest, and there’s something incredibly likable about him. However, in the same moments that he’s likable, he’s cringy and difficult to watch. While you feel for the man as he attempts to woo a young woman, seeing how much he struggles while doing so makes things uncomfortable for viewers. There is an honesty that lives within this aspect of Tracks, and it quickly becomes impossible not to care for the film’s lead, Jack. Whether you’ve always been suave and smooth with the ladies, or you’ve struggled to find the words to say when talking to someone you find attractive, Tracks presents you with a character that will surely resonate with you.
Tracks, while serving a true purpose in the world of cinema, feels very much like a passion project. It’s said that the entire film was shot on Amtrak cars without permission–and furthermore, it’s said that the cast and crew were regularly thrown off of the trains, again and again having to find new places to film. If that’s not passion I’m not sure what is. While this fact doesn’t necessarily affect the film as a whole, it makes me appreciate the tenacity of the cast and crew and the production of Tracks even more than I already did.
There’s a documentary that exists called Who is Henry Jaglom?, and it explores the career of the titular director. Audiences are apparently divided when analyzing Jaglom’s works–with half saying he’s a visionary, and the other half referring to him as a voyeuristic fraud. I can see in Tracks why viewers would be divided, unable to come to an agreement on what Jaglom is. I, however, tend to lean more toward the side of visionary, as the content that he develops here is truly incredible. He explores the human psyche, and he explains through unique practices, what a person struggling from Post Traumatic Stress would be experiencing. Jack often repeats himself, as if he were unaware of how to deal with the things that he is seeing and saying. He’s in the middle of a massive break–and Jaglom’s decision to write the character this way should resonate with everyone.
Tracks is intentionally fractured as it follows Jack on his journey of romance and self-discovery. While the conclusion isn’t a surprise, the narrative keeps viewers on edge throughout, because they quickly become invested in Jack and his endeavors. He’s an interesting, multidimensional character developed wonderfully by Jaglom and brought to life with great vigor by Hopper. Tracks feels incredibly well developed–which is amazing considering the issues the cast and crew faced during production. Tracks turns into something of a trippy adventure, and viewers are likely to enjoy the journey.
Written & Directed by Henry Jaglom.
Starring Dennis Hopper, Taryn Power, Dean Stockwell, Topo Swope, Alfred Ryder, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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