It was directed by Tamra Davis in her feature film directorial debut, written by Matthew Bright and starring Drew Barrymore.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Davis was interested in the script because of "the complex psychology of the female lead character, the lower-middle-class milieu where the tale unfolds, and how the story romanticizes the gun."

I wanted to show that America is obsessed with guns, and that if you have them around, bad things can happen because it only takes a second to pull the trigger.

'"[4] Merrie Lawson, the film's costume designer, observed girls at Pasadena's Eagle Rock Plaza shopping mall to determine how Barrymore's character should dress: "We were looking for a real-life gutter image.

[13] As of February 1993, the film was also being shown in Dallas, Cleveland, and Seattle, after it earned positive reviews from showings in New York and Los Angeles.

[14] Todd McCarthy of Variety wrote that the film is "competently made" but "lacks the exhilaration of a first-class lovers-on-the-run crime drama".

[9] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times wrote a positive review and stated, "Made with sureness and authority, this film doesn't condescend to either its characters or their relationship, and that counts for a lot."

Turan wrote that although the film "is very efficiently made (and stylishly photographed by Lisa Rinzler, one of a very few women cinematographers) it does occasionally overreach, going a little heavy on the rural grotesques as well as the romantic nature of the Anita/Howard relationship.

On the other hand, it is the film's ability to mostly show us that relationship on its own terms, to reveal both why these two are made for each other and why their very closeness inevitably leads to disaster, that is its strongest suit.

With moments of odd, dark humor sprinkled among the violence, this traditional study of psycho kittens in love breaks just enough new ground to be an impressive piece of work.

[16] Vincent Canby of The New York Times called the film "very accomplished and "cruelly entertaining", and praised the "excellent screenplay".

"[1] Hal Hinson of The Washington Post called the film a "source of constant surprise," and wrote that Bright's screenplay "gives the movie a strong sense of direction even when his characters are lost.

"[18] TV Guide gave the film three stars out of five and wrote, "Marketing-minded folks may be quick to position Guncrazy as a 90s take on Bonnie and Clyde (1967), and its title is certainly meant to evoke Joseph H. Lewis's 1949 classic Gun Crazy.

TV Guide also wrote, "Despite her character's actions and circumstances, Barrymore brilliantly makes the audience believe Anita is not a slutty piece of trailer trash with her guileless, winning smile and chirpy good-heartedness.

Beldin praised Barrymore's performance and called Drago's character "unforgettable", stating that he played the role "with just the right combination of huckster con artist and hardcore Holy Roller.