Gleaming the Cube (Film Review)

1989 20th Century Fox
Directed by: Graeme Clifford; Written by: Michael Tolkin
Starring: Christian Slater and Steven Bauer
MPAA Rating: PG-13; Running Time: 100 Minutes
The Nicsperiment Score: 6/10

Brian Kelly is his family's problem child, living for skateboarding and generally being a rebel. His adopted brother, Vinh, is the family's golden child, hard-working and consistent. The amiable Vinh seems to be the only glue connecting Brian's family together...until the day Vinh turns up dead. The authorities rule Vinh's death a suicide, but Brian doesn't believe it. It's now up to this skateboarding punk to find out what really happened to Vinh, and to bring justice to his brother's killer.
Gleaming the Cube is a weird mishmash of genres and vibes. It's at its best when focusing on Christian Slater's Brian being angsty and skating out his frustrations, particularly as he deals with the emotions of losing his brother, and even more so when he's dealing with the disbelieving authorities. The movie is less interesting when it's actually dealing with its murder mystery, as those portions of the film feel more like they've been taken from an extended Magnum P.I. episode. Indeed, despite a not-so-modest budget, Gleaming the Cube is shot in an anonymous style, lacking excitement. The central mystery is never even a mystery to the viewer, who is given all the details from the start.
In the end, it's a very raw, yet still charismatic Slater who carries this film as Brian, along with the film's skateboarding aesthetic and vibe. That skater element feels authentic and fun, even when it's just Slater bristling at everyone around him. Overall, Gleaming the Cube is a fairly enjoyable film that feels like it could have been so much better; iconic, instead of just a pleasant, hazy memory.