Excess Baggage
Director: Marco Brambilla Run Time: 101 min. Format: 35mm Rating: PG 13 Release Year: 1997
Starring: Alicia Silverstone, Benicio del Toro, Christopher Walken, Jack Thompson, Harry Connick Jr.
Using Clueless caché to produce her first feature, Alicia Silverstone optioned this romcom vehicle, starring alongside rising 90s actor’s actor du jour—the smoldering Benicio del Toro (in his first leading role)—in director Marco Brambilla’s Demolition Man follow-up, Excess Baggage.
In a b-side to Clueless’ Cher, Silverstone expands on her rich girl mythos to play Emily, who stages a kidnapping to win her dad’s affections. When hunky thief (Del Toro) inadvertently steals a luxury auto holding the staged ransom (Emily) in the trunk, the two are left to deal with the repercussions of an accidental abduction, while navigating mutually budding romantic interests. Coasting on strong chemistry between the leads, and leaning into very 90s-specific needle drops, Excess Baggage also stands as a fascinating attempt at transforming one of the decade’s most idiosyncratic screen actors into a poster boy.