review for Bonnie's Kids on AllMovie

This drive-in movie take on the film noir genre starts promisingly but ultimately runs out of steam. The problem with Bonnie's Kids is an unusual one: it has too much ambition. The script sets an impressive set of plot threads and double-crosses into motion at the outset but begins to lose direction around the midway point. As a result, the snazzy pace of the opening act devolves into repetitive chase situations that fail to build momentum and the film culminates in an underwhelming finale that fails to tie up its loose ends in a memorable way. Despite these problems, exploitation film fans might find themselves drawn to the film for a few reasons. The first is its cast: exploitation vets Steve Sandor and Tiffany Bolling are fun as the film's mismatched couple, Scott Brady is amusingly sleazy as the manipulative uncle of the title characters and Alex Rocco is both menacing and witty as a ruthless henchman. The other hook of Bonnie's Kids is its willingness to be faithful to the downbeat tone of film noir: even when the storytelling falters, it's ability to create a convincingly grim and gritty tone remains intriguing. In the end, Bonnie's Kids is too uneven for most viewers but those nostalgic for the drive-in era might get wrapped up in its downbeat charms.