Love and a .45

Love and a .45
Love and a .45
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	C.M. Talkington
Written by	C.M. Talkington
Produced by	Darin Scott
Starring	Gil Bellows; Renée Zellweger; Rory Cochrane;
Cinematography	Tom Richmond
Edited by	Bob Ducsay
Music by	Tom Verlaine; The Reverend Horton Heat
Production; company	Trimark Pictures
Distributed by	Trimark Pictures
Release date	November 23, 1994;
Running time	102 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$35,200

Love and a .45 is a 1994 indie crime drama road movie written and directed by C.M. Talkington, starring Gil Bellows and Renée Zellweger. It received positive reviews. It co-stars Rory Cochrane, Jeffrey Combs, Jace Alexander, Michael Bowen, Jack Nance, Ann Wedgeworth, Peter Fonda, and Wiley Wiggins.

The film is about, Watty Watts (Bellows) and his girlfriend Starlene (Zellweger) plan a convenience store robbery but soon face pressure from Creepy Cody (Alexander) and Dinosaur Bob (Combs), collectors for a mobster Watty owes money to. Watty's ex-prison buddy, Billy Mack Black (Cochrane), ropes him into a bigger heist that goes wrong due to Billy's violent outbursts. Watty and proposes to Starlene, leading the couple to flee to Mexico. Pursued by Billy, the mob, and the police, they become media sensations

Zellweger shared that she first learned about the project while working on Texas Chainsaw Massacre 4, when Matthew McConaughey was being considered for a role. After McConaughey set the script aside, Zellweger picked it up, was captivated by the character Starlene, expressed interest in the part which led to her casting. Bellows, who was cast as Watty, expressed his admiration for the character, despite Watty's profession.

While Gil Bellows, Renée Zellweger, Rory Cochrane, and the rest of the cast received high praise for their performances, the film itself received mixed to positive reviews. Bellows brought depth and charm to Watty, making him both engaging and sympathetic, while Zellweger added raw intensity to her role. Cochrane’s wild portrayal of Billy injected chaotic energy into the film. Despite some criticism of the visual style and familiar story elements, the film was applauded for its fast pace, witty dialogue, and energetic action sequences, which kept it engaging and entertaining throughout.