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 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.

Love and a .45 was categorized among the wave of "Tarantino-esque" films that followed the style of director Quentin Tarantino, who had a recent breakthrough. Tarantino himself considers it the best film of that wave.