Honestly, if you mention a movie called Far From Home to anyone under the age of thirty, they’re going to assume you’re talking about Tom Holland swinging around Europe in a Spiderman suit. But for those of us who haunted video rental stores in the late eighties and early nineties, the Far from Home movie 1989 carries a completely different, much grittier vibe. It’s a strange, dusty, neon-soaked relic of a transition period in Hollywood.
It’s weird. It’s occasionally uncomfortable. And it features a very young Drew Barrymore in a role that feels worlds away from E.T.
Most people forget this film exists. That’s a mistake. While it isn't a "masterpiece" in the traditional sense, it is a fascinating case study in post-noir atmosphere and the "teen-scream" evolution of the late 80s. Directed by Meiert Avis—a man mostly known at the time for directing iconic U2 music videos—it has a visual language that feels more like a long-form MTV segment than a traditional cinematic thriller.
The Plot Nobody Remembers Clearly
So, what actually happens?
The story follows Charlie Cox (played by Matt Frewer, yes, Max Headroom himself) and his daughter Joleen, played by Drew Barrymore. They’re driving across the desert. Their car runs out of gas. It’s the most classic, almost tired, setup in the history of suspense cinema. They end up stranded in a dilapidated trailer park in a town called Sego.
It’s a literal wasteland.
The town is being terrorized by a serial killer, and because Charlie and Joleen are the "outsiders," things get complicated fast. The movie tries to balance a coming-of-age story with a slasher-adjacent mystery. Joleen is turning fourteen, she’s dealing with the unwanted attention of local creeps, and she’s trying to navigate her relationship with her father.
It’s a lot.
The pacing is deliberate. Some might call it slow. I’d argue it’s moody. Avis uses the desert heat to create a sense of lethargy that makes the bursts of violence feel more jarring. You have to remember that in 1989, we were at the tail end of the slasher boom. Audiences were tired of masked killers in the woods. Far from Home movie 1989 tried to do something a bit more psychological, even if it didn't always stick the landing.
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The Drew Barrymore Factor
Let’s be real: most people who seek this movie out today are doing it because of Drew Barrymore. At the time, she was in a precarious spot in her career. She was transitioning from child star to "troubled teen" icon, a narrative the tabloids were obsessed with.
Her performance here is actually quite grounded.
She plays Joleen with a mix of innocence and weary cynicism that feels authentic to a kid raised by a single, somewhat flighty father. There’s a scene involving a birthday party in a trailer that feels genuinely sad and desperate. It’s not the "polished" Drew we see in Scream or Charlie’s Angels. It’s raw.
The supporting cast is surprisingly stacked for what was essentially a B-movie. You’ve got Richard Masur, Jennifer Tilly (doing her signature Jennifer Tilly thing), and a young Andras Jones. Even Dick Miller shows up! It’s a "who’s who" of character actors who probably wondered why they were filming in the middle of a desert, but they all give it their best shot.
Why Far from Home movie 1989 Failed at the Box Office
The film didn't exactly set the world on fire.
Part of the problem was identity. Was it a horror movie? Not really. A drama? Sorta. A thriller? Primarily. In the 1989 theatrical landscape, you were competing with Batman, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and Lethal Weapon 2. A small-scale, atmospheric thriller about a girl in a trailer park didn't have a chance.
Vestron Pictures, the studio behind it, was also struggling. Vestron was the king of the home video market (they famously distributed Dirty Dancing), but by the late 80s, they were overextended. They didn't have the marketing muscle to tell people why they should care about this movie.
Consequently, it became a "shelfer."
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A shelfer is that movie you saw every single time you went to Blockbuster. You recognized the cover—usually featuring Drew Barrymore looking intense—but you didn't actually rent it until you’d already seen everything else.
The Cinematography is the Secret Star
If you watch the Far from Home movie 1989 today, the first thing that hits you isn't the dialogue. It’s the color palette.
Meiert Avis brought his music video sensibilities to the Nevada desert. The film is full of high-contrast lighting, long shadows, and a strange obsession with neon signs in places where neon shouldn't be. It feels "Hyper-80s." It shares a visual DNA with films like Near Dark or even Blue Velvet, though it lacks the surrealist depth of David Lynch.
The desert isn't just a setting; it's a character. It's dusty, yellow, and oppressive. Then night falls, and everything turns deep blue and electric pink. It’s a vibe that modern directors like Nicolas Winding Refn would probably appreciate.
Technical Details and Trivia
For the cinephiles, here’s the breakdown:
- Director: Meiert Avis
- Writer: Ken Wheat and Jim Wheat (The duo behind Pitch Black and The Fly II)
- Runtime: 86 minutes (Lean and mean)
- Release Date: June 30, 1989
- Filming Location: Gerlach, Nevada
A fun bit of trivia: The Wheat brothers, who wrote the script, are genre legends. They have a knack for taking isolated locations and turning them into pressure cookers. While Far From Home is more grounded than their later sci-fi work, you can see the seeds of that "nowhere to run" tension being planted here.
Does it hold up?
Yes and no.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced action flick, you’ll be bored to tears. But if you’re a fan of "desert noir" or you’re interested in the history of teen stars in the 80s, it’s a goldmine. The film deals with some pretty heavy themes—stalking, predatory behavior, and the loss of innocence—that feel a bit more "adult" than your average 89’ slasher.
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It’s also surprisingly short. At 86 minutes, it doesn't overstay its welcome. It gets in, creeps you out, and gets out.
How to Watch It Today
Finding the Far from Home movie 1989 isn't as easy as it used to be. It hasn't received a massive 4K restoration from a boutique label like Criterion (yet). However, you can usually find it on various "old school" streaming services or buried in the catalog of Amazon Prime or Tubi.
If you’re a physical media collector, the DVD is often found in those "4-Movie Mystery Packs" at thrift stores. It’s the ultimate bargain bin treasure.
Why you should give it a chance
- The Aesthetic: It captures a very specific 1989 "look" that has mostly disappeared.
- Matt Frewer: He’s genuinely good as the protective but flawed father. It’s a nice departure from his more eccentric roles.
- The Score: It’s synth-heavy and atmospheric, perfectly matching the visuals.
- Historical Context: It’s a pivotal moment in Drew Barrymore’s career.
The film is a reminder that the 80s weren't just about big hair and synth-pop; there was a darker, dustier side to the era's cinema that often gets overlooked. Far From Home is the poster child for that forgotten corner of film history.
Actionable Steps for Film Fans
If this peaked your interest, don't just add it to a list and forget about it.
Start by checking the "JustWatch" app to see where it’s currently streaming in your region. Availability for these older Vestron titles shifts constantly.
Once you’ve watched it, I highly recommend looking into the filmography of Meiert Avis. His work on U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name" music video uses some of the same sweeping, atmospheric desert shots that you see in this film. Comparing the two is a great way to see how a director's "short form" style translates to a feature-length narrative.
Finally, if you enjoy this "stuck in a weird town" trope, pair this as a double feature with The Hitcher (1986). It makes for a perfect, albeit very sweaty and stressful, Saturday night movie marathon.
The Far from Home movie 1989 is a flawed, interesting, and visually striking piece of late-80s ephemera. It deserves better than being confused with a Marvel movie. Go find it. Keep the lights low. Expect plenty of dust.