Chasing Amy (1997) [R] ****

A film review by James Berardinelli for ReelViews.net.

And to all the critics who hated our last flick -- all is forgiven. -- Chasing Amy's closing credits

Well, I didn't exactly hate Mallrats, but I thought it was a comedown for Kevin Smith, the talented writer/director who debuted strongly with 1994's Clerks. Chasing Amy is the third film in Smith's so-called New Jersey Trilogy (a series that may end up having more than three entries), so named because most of the action takes place in the Garden State. Like Clerks, but unlike Mallrats, principal photography took place in Smith's home town, as well as across the river in Manhattan.

Chasing Amy fits in nicely with the director's previous two films. As in Clerks and Mallrats, there are numerous references to pop culture (the ubiquitous Star Wars films, comic books, the Archie comic strip, TV shows Alice and Star Trek, and even a few in-jokes related to Clerks). Smith's brand of bawdy humor is also very much in evidence, although it should be noted that Chasing Amy isn't as hilarious as Clerks. In fact, it could be argued that this film isn't even as funny as Mallrats. Instead, Chasing Amy finds other ways to satisfy its audience, and the result is the most complete and mature film of Smith's short career.

With Chasing Amy, it's easy to anticipate a certain degree of inventive humor, but what's a bit unexpected is the solid drama, effective romance, and strong characters. Clerks worked because the dialogue sparkled, but Smith has honed his screenwriting and film making skills since then. While Chasing Amy boasts the same keen interplay, that quality, along with first-rate character development, acts as a supplement to the smart, surprisingly original plot. The movie starts out as light as a feather, but it doesn't take long for us to realize that Chasing Amy isn't just another lark for Smith. This movie is about something, and the deeper we get into it, the more we realize how emotionally on-target the script is.

Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck) and Banky Edwards (Jason Lee) are comic book authors. Their Bluntman & Chronic magazine is a big seller, and, when they attend a comic book convention in New York, they attract long lines for autograph signings. At that convention, Holden meets fellow comic writer/artist Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams). Alyssa's project is the less testosterone-oriented Idiosyncratic Routine. She and Holden hit it off almost immediately. They go out for a few drinks and play darts. Later, when talking to best friend Banky, he claims that he and Alyssa shared a moment and confesses that he has fallen for her. But, whether or not it's really love, Holden is in for a big surprise because Alyssa is a lesbian. So, while she wants to be friends and pal around with him, Holden finds himself helplessly, hopelessly smitten.

Smith clearly has his hand on the pulse of his generation ("X" marks the spot). His observations about comic books, video games, and other aspects of life in the '90s are as insightful as they often are scathing. But this is nothing new -- it was evident in both Clerks and Mallrats. What's different here is that Smith has crafted a touching, nuanced romance which may be the most memorable screen love affair since Before Sunrise. There are real human feelings and problems involved in Holden and Alyssa's relationship, and, every time the storyline threatens to devolve into a cliché, it somehow avoids the trap. There's also a rich subtext pertaining to the difficulty that many individuals face in attaining a level of comfort with their sexual identity.

The best scenes are those that explore the evolving relationship between Holden and Alyssa. There's a wonderful montage that depicts them doing all the kinds of things that friends do. Ben Affleck and Joey Lauren Adams, both veterans of Smith films, develop an effective chemistry. Adams, who looks a little like Cameron Diaz and sounds a little like Jennifer Tilly, displays surprising dramatic range and ability. She's someone to watch.

Affleck and Adams aren't the only familiar faces to appear in Chasing Amy. Jason Lee, who played one of the leads in Mallrats, is back, albeit in a different role. Brian O'Halloran, Clerks' Dante, has a cameo as a TV producer who wants to develop Bluntman & Chronic into a Saturday morning show. And, of course, Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith) are on hand, dispensing advice as only they can. The end credits once again promise their return (in the long-awaited, often-delayed Dogma, which was originally supposed to be the follow-up to Clerks).

Ever wondered exactly what lesbians do when they're together? Or how they define virginity? Banky does, and he's not shy about asking. This leads to a graphically funny sequence that results in Alyssa and Banky comparing war wounds gathered from past sexual encounters. Like Clerks, Chasing Amy doesn't shy away from profane conversations. There's even an instance when oral sex is compared to (of all things) The Weather Channel and CNN (you'll have to see the movie to understand why). In fact, I can't print any of Chasing Amy's best lines here -- they're all R-rated.

Chasing Amy is entertainment of the best sort. For nearly two hours, it keeps the audience enraptured. There aren't many missteps, and, those few that exist are minor and easily forgiven. Chasing Amy is touching, funny, sweet, and most important of all, real -- a welcome breath of fresh air. You can't ask for more than that from any motion picture, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a movie in theaters these days that offers anything more appealing, revealing, or enjoyable than Kevin Smith's third feature. [Berardinelli's rating: *** 1/2 out of 4 stars]

Labels: comedy, drama, lesbian, romance

Internet Movie Database 7.3/10

Metacritic 71/100
RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=74, viewers=70)

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Dante’s Peak (1997) [PG] ***

A film review by James Berardinelli.

Where are the flying cows (from Twister) when you really need them?

Dante's Peak is obviously predicated on the dubious idea that bigger is better. 1996's Twister brought in hundreds of millions at the box office by showcasing relatively small (if something so destructive can be gauged as small) natural disasters -- namely, tornadoes. The next logical step would be to go for something larger and more devastating. Apparently, hurricanes weren't deemed visually impressive enough and earthquakes have been done to death, so Hollywood has set its sights on volcanoes with not one, but two, similarly-themed disaster flicks. Let's just hope Volcano shows a glimmer more intelligence, not to mention a higher energy level, than Dante's Peak.

No one is ever going to accuse Twister of being a masterpiece of originality, but, as roller-coaster movie go, it's a great deal of fun. Part of the reason is the effective use of audio and visual effects; the other part is that director Jan de Bont knows how to get the adrenaline flowing. Twister is a rush. Dante's Peak, on the other hand, is a bore. Oh, it has its moments, but most of them are concentrated in the final forty-five minutes. The first hour, which is all typical disaster movie setup, is interminable.

In keeping with time-tested formulas, we have a male/female pairing, children and animals in danger, a voice of reason that no one listens to until it’s too late, and a character with a tragedy in the past. Volcanologist Harry Dalton (Pierce   Bond, James Bond   Brosnan) lost his beloved girlfriend four years ago when they were studying an erupting volcano in South America. As a result of this incident, he tends to be jumpy about any possible volcanic activity, and when there are signs that the snowcapped mountain overlooking the tiny Washington state town of Dante's Peak (population 7,400) may be about to blow its top, Harry calls for an evacuation. The local mayor, Rachel Wando (Linda Hamilton), backs him up, but the others on the town council aren't so sure. Enter Harry's boss, Paul Dreyfus (Charles Hallahan), and his group of roving geologists (who look like refugees from Twister's ragged band of storm hunters). Paul, sensitive to the delicate political situation of spreading panic without proper scientific evidence, calls off the evacuation. So, of course, when disaster inevitably strikes, people are needlessly killed.

The first hour of Dante's Peak is spent getting to know the characters. Not that we need that much time, since they're all familiar types. In addition to Harry and Rachel (who predictably become romantically involved), we're introduced to two kids, an independent old lady, and a dog. If you manage to stay awake through fifty-five minutes of drivel, you'll be rewarded with some nifty special effects as the mountain throws everything it has at the town: fire, water, air, and earth. No stone (literally) is left unturned. It's pretty impressive, I admit, but there's an unwelcome sense of déjà vu. As recently as the aforementioned Twister, we've already been there and done that, and it was a lot more enjoyable last time around.

Brosnan and Hamilton gamely try to generate some chemistry, and, while both are appealing in their own right, the moronic plotline and dumb dialogue defeat them at nearly every turn. It will come as no surprise for astute viewers to learn that the screenwriter for Dante's Peak, Leslie Bohem, also wrote Stallone's Daylight. Both movies feature some similarly embarrassing bad lines. Meanwhile, director Roger Donaldson (No Way Out, The Getaway) fails repeatedly to do anything interesting to enliven the proceedings.

Even discounting the first hour, Dante's Peak still isn't all that satisfying. I suppose there's a certain degree of tension as Harry and company flee rivers of molten lava and volcanic shockwaves in their attempt to get out of town before it's buried in ash, but, with everything being done according to a well-established formula, the level of excitement stays low. Once the film is over, you'll likely acknowledge that, although there's some nice eye candy, the experience as a whole leaves something to be desired.

And there aren't even any flying cows to redeem the situation.

Labels: action, adventure, disaster, thriller

Internet Movie Database
Metacritic 43/100
RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=49, viewers=54)
Blu-ray

October Sky (1999) [PG] ****

A film review by James Berardinelli for ReelViews.net.

There are a number of ways one can categorize October Sky. My preference is to call it Varsity Blues for those who don't like athletics. And, while such a facile description threatens to reduce this movie to a plateau far below its worth, it nevertheless captures October Sky's essence: that no path in life which leads to something rewarding is easily traversed. However, while the two films display certain key similarities, the differences define the gulf between their relative quality levels Varsity Blues is cartoonish, obvious, and only occasionally smart. October Sky, on the other hand, is believable, subtle, and consistently intelligent. The over-the-top villain played by John Voight is replaced by a three-dimensional character essayed by Lone Star's Chris Cooper. In short, October Sky is perfect fare for those who crave the ideas presented in Varsity Blues without the baggage.

There has always been a distinction between high school nerds and jocks. Those in the former category are on the chess club, play Dungeons & Dragons, and participate in academic contests, while those in the latter are guided by testosterone, muscles, and not much else. Jocks look forward to winning the big championship game and being scouted by college coaches. Nerds hope to score a 1600 on their SATs or take first prize at a national science fair, thereby attracting a university's attention. Things haven't changed much since the late '50s, the era in which October Sky is set. There's has always been a social dividing line between the grunts and the geeks, and it's very much in evidence here.

October Sky is based on the book by Homer Hickam, and relates the true story of four boys who experimented with home-made rockets during the autumn of 1957, the year that the Soviet satellite Sputnik blasted into orbit. Set in the coal mining town of Coalwood, West Virginia, this movie is about one boy's struggles to escape from a lifestyle that he views as an unsafe and unhealthy prison, and to pursue a dream that is born on the night when he gazes at a star-filled sky and sees the moving object that man put there. There's a wonder in that scene designed to remind us how majestic the idea of going into space once was.

Homer (Jake Gyllenhaal), along with his three friends, Quentin (Chris Owen), Roy Lee (William Lee Scott), and O'Dell (Chad Lindberg), is determined to make a rocket that will soar. His primary adult ally in the endeavor is his teacher, Miss Riley (Laura Dern), who supports and encourages his dream. But his father, John (Chris Cooper), who runs the local coal mine, dismisses his son's avocation as foolish. He wants Homer to follow in his footsteps. Football and mining are acceptable; hoping to get into college by winning a national science fair is a waste of time and effort. Indeed, for a while, it looks like all of Homer's efforts are doomed to failure as rocket after rocket explodes on the launch pad, but, when the four boys discover the secret to success, they become local celebrities - until one of their rockets is suspected of starting a forest fire. And, when an accident at the mine threatens to ruin Homer's family, the idealist must choose between preserving his dream and working to allow his parents to keep their home.

There are a lot of reasons to like October Sky, but the most compelling is the multi-faceted, complex relationship between Homer and John. This isn't the kind of one-dimensional interaction we have come to expect from movie fathers and sons; it's characterized on both sides by anger, jealousy, resentment, bitterness, respect, pride, and love. These two individuals act and react in a convincing fashion, not the way a screenwriter's constructs often do. While at first it appears that the rocket building lies at the movie's heart, we gradually realize that the connection between Homer and his father is more important.

October Sky gets a lot of the details right. With its use of period costumes and accessories, the film has the proper look for the late-1950s, and the soundtrack contains numerous pop hits from the time. The pervasive atmosphere of grimy grayness emphasizes that the action is taking place in a coal mining town. And, in a nice touch, at the end of the movie, during the where are they now segment, we are shown home movies of the real individuals whose lives are portrayed here (some of the actors are surprisingly close matches). Aside from Chris Cooper, who is excellent, and Laura Dern, who doesn't have a large role, the cast is largely comprised of lesser-known performers. The one with the most exposure is Jake Gyllenhaal, a relative newcomer who proves himself more than capable of handling the emotional complexity of this role. He is ably supported by Chris Owen (She's All That), William Lee Scott (The Opposite of Sex), and Chad Lindberg.

As good as it is, October Sky will likely prove to be a hard sell for Universal Pictures. It's one of those movies that doesn't lend itself to making a good trailer. With its lack of car chases, fist fights, and over-the-top melodrama, the film has to rely on solid acting, an intelligent script, and capable directing (by Joe Johnston, whose last outing was Jumanji), and those things don't come across in a 2-minute compilation of quick clips. By sneak previewing the film over three weekends, Universal is hoping to build a strong word-of-mouth. The strategy may work, but, if it doesn't, it will be because American audiences are unwilling to take a chance on an unknown. October Sky deserves that chance, and will not disappoint those who take it. [Berardinelli’s rating: ***½ out of 4 stars = 88]

Labels: biography, drama, family, Fifties, teenager

Internet Movie Database 7.8/10 

Metacritic 71/100 

RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=76, viewers=74) 

Blu-ray 

Picture Perfect (1997) [PG-13] ***

A film review by James Berardinelli for ReelViews.net, August, 1997.

As I've said before, predictability can often be a great asset for a romantic comedy. So far this summer, we've had three very atypical entries: 'Til There Was You (where the man and woman don't meet until the end), Addicted to Love (a revenge fantasy), and My Best Friend's Wedding (where not everything goes as expected). Now, August ushers in Picture Perfect, a harmless movie intent upon restoring formulaic comfort to the genre. There's nothing remotely surprising about this movie, unless it's how embarrassingly bad the resolution is.

For eighty minutes of Picture Perfect's one-hundred minute running time, I found myself smiling quite often. As obvious and unambitious as the film was, I actually liked it, and was prepared to file it in the guilty pleasures category. Then came the horrible one-two punch of the climax. I was flabbergasted. My smile turned into a cringe. There are times when a bad ending doesn't seriously damage a motion picture. This is not one of those. All of the goodwill I had built up during the bulk of the film was replaced by irritation at the silly, contrived conclusion. And the worst part is that the movie could easily have achieved the same resolution in a far more satisfactory manner. Apparently, director and co-screenwriter Glenn Gordon Caron prefers high melodrama to something more low-key.

It's a shame, because the ill-advised finale puts a damper on Jennifer Aniston's first starring role in a major motion picture (we'll ignore Leprechaun, which is probably what she'd prefer that we do). I've never been a big fan of Aniston in her TV series, Friends, but she's very good in the role of Picture Perfect's protagonist. As Kate, she's smart, witty, and appealing, yet manages to convey a degree of vulnerability, uncertainty, and downright nastiness. In short, she shows the beginnings of three dimensionality.

Kate is a junior agent for Mercer Advertising. She has a quick mind, but, even after she devises the tag line for a major ad campaign, she is passed over as a member of the account team. The reason: she's too much of a free spirit. The boss, Mr. Mercer (Kevin Dunn), wants someone who's married with children and a mortgage and is not likely to move to another agency, taking a client with them, not a single woman whose lifestyle mirrors the one she had when she was in college. So, while Kate is venting her frustration in the lavatory (this one scene single-handedly earns the movie a PG-13 rating), her best friend, Darcy (Illeana Douglas), concocts a story to advance Kate's career. Using a photo of Kate with a guy named Nick (Jay Mohr), whom she only met once – at a wedding, Darcy spins a tale to her boss about Kate's impending nuptials. Mercer immediately softens his stance and puts Kate on the team.

Although Kate is initially horrified by Darcy's fabrication, she soon learns to appreciate its advantages. A co-worker, Sam (Kevin Bacon), who will only sleep with married or engaged women, suddenly finds Kate irresistible. Everything seems to be going right until Mercer has to meet Nick, who’s become a hero after saving a child from a burning building. Unable to string her boss along any longer, Kate travels to Boston, finds Nick and offers him a proposition: she'll pay him $1000 if he comes to New York with her, takes her to dinner, and then stages a public break-up. Nick, who’s attracted to Kate and willing to jump at any chance to spend time with her, agrees.

For the most part, Picture Perfect has a nice, light romantic mood. Caron, who wrote for the TV series Moonlighting and directed the Warren Beatty/Annette Bening remake of Love Affair, clearly has a feel for love stories. Early in the film, during a wedding sequence, the camera subtly captures the bliss of being in a couple and the loneliness of being single. This idealized view of romance is then used as the springboard to the movie's central plot. The movie ends with another wedding, but the less said about that, the better.

Aniston is ably supported by a group of fine actors. Kevin Bacon is delightful as Sam, a man who enjoys one-night stands with unavailable women, then finds that he may be falling for Kate. Olympia Dukakis has a few amusing scenes as Kate's overprotective mother. Illeana Douglas is delightful as the effervescent Darcy. And Jay Mohr is solid, if unspectacular, as Nick (some viewers may have difficulty erasing the memory of him as the oily agent from Jerry Maguire).

In general, I consider myself to be a defender of romantic comedies, even if they're not terribly original. There's something refreshing about that kind of pure escapism. Unfortunately, Picture Perfect uses embarrassing contrivances to sabotage what should have been a pleasant excursion down a familiar road. Still, even considering its flaws, I think a certain percentage of die-hard romantics will derive some satisfaction from this movie. I wish I had been in that category, but Picture Perfect makes a few too many missteps to earn my recommendation. [Berardinelli’s rating: **½ out of 4 stars]

Labels: comedy, drama, romance

Internet Movie Database 5.5/10 

Metacritic 44/100 

RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=54, viewers=54) 

Tin Cup (1996) [R] ****

A film review by James Berardinelli for RealViews.net.

Saying that Tin Cup may be the best-ever golf motion picture isn’t exactly high praise, considering the competition (Caddyshack, Happy Gilmore), but it’s true nonetheless. In fact, as sports movies go (regardless of the sport), this one turns in a respectable showing, injecting some intelligence and maturity into a story that easily could have succumbed to a flood of struggling underdog clichés. That's not to say that elements of the formula aren’t here, but they rarely threaten to overwhelm Tin Cup’s better aspects.

When it comes to making sports movies, no one has shown more aptitude than Ron Shelton, whose writing and directing credits include films about baseball (Bull Durham, Cobb), basketball (Blue Chips, White Men Can't Jump), football (The Best of Times), boxing (The Great White Hype), and now golf. Shelton has structured Tin Cup a little like Bull Durham, interweaving an adult romance with the story of a man struggling to find self-respect through the sport he loves. However, while romantic subplots are frequently used as side dishes for motion picture athletic contests, Shelton keeps the two disparate elements of his movie on equal footing, which lends a sense of balance to the finished product.

One of the most laudable characteristics of Tin Cup is that the script never condescends to either of the main characters. These aren’t two mismatched caricatures engaging in a series of familiar romantic moves. Crisp, thoughtful dialogue replaces the empty banter we’ve become accustomed to in screen love stories. There’s a believability and depth to both Kevin Costner’s Roy Tin Cup McAvoy and Rene Russo’s Molly Griswold, and the understated manner in which they relate to each other is a welcome change of pace during this season of loud, ostentatious explosions. And, while the chemistry between Costner and Russo doesn’t sizzle, they work together in a comfortable, relaxed manner. As Roy puts it, they fit like a pair of old shoes.

The story centers on the title character, an aging club pro who lives in a Winnebago in the lonely west Texas town of Salome. He spends his day in the company of his best friend, Romeo (Cheech Marin), working for $7 an hour at a deserted driving range. Once upon a time, Roy had a bright golfing future ahead of him, but he blew his cool on the links, went for the trick shot instead of the smart one, and failed to qualify for the tour. Since then, he has been hiding out in obscurity, picking up cash where he can, and watching bitterly as his old college partner, David Simms (Don Johnson), a rich, happy, soulless man, rises through the PGA ranks.

One day, Roy’s marginal existence is turned upside down by the arrival of a woman psychologist named Molly Griswold. She wants to take golf lessons to impress her boyfriend. To the men of Salome, the concept of a female doctor is a revelation, and, in one of the film’s more slyly amusing scenes, they watch eagerly as Roy teaches her the basics of hitting a golf ball, wondering how such a pretty girl can have such an ugly swing. It doesn’t take long for Roy to fall in love with Molly, so it comes as a blow when she reveals that her boyfriend is none other than David Simms. Roy then decides that a grand gesture is needed to win her -- something like qualifying for the U.S. Open and beating David in front of a national TV audience.

Although this may sound like a very familiar, traditional sports movie, don’t worry -- Shelton applies enough tweaks and twists to the formulaic story to keep us interested and a little unsure of the outcome. The experience is akin to following an often-traveled road then suddenly taking a detour onto a parallel, but nevertheless different, course. Tin Cup isn’t concerned with blazing new trails – that’s beyond its scope or ambition. Instead, it’s content to offer a pleasantly likable, gently comic two hours of simple life lessons, with golf as the obvious metaphor.

As the saying goes, you don’t have to appreciate the sport to enjoy the movie. Undoubtedly, however, the film makers are hoping that the burgeoning popularity of golf will help at the box office. This is the first such movie to boast cameos by top-notch players, including Corey Pavin, Fred Couples, and Lee Janzen. Still, Tin Cup has a broad enough appeal that intimate knowledge of the joys and frustrations of playing 18 holes isn’t necessary. This movie ranks as better-than-par entertainment. [Berardinelli's rating: 3 stars out of 4]

Labels: comedy, drama, romance, sport

IMDb 64/100

MetaScore (critics=60, viewers=86)

Tomatometer (critics=66, viewers=72) 

Blu-ray
Berardinelli's review

Independence Day (1996) [PG-13] ****

Independence Day, along with Godzilla and The Day After Tomorrow are big-budget, special-effects-laden action/sci-fi/thrillers written and directed by Roland Emmerich. All three films contain a similar plot structure: (1) the Earth and all of humanity are threatened with extinction by an alien intelligence, our own shortsightedness, or both; (2) a single scientist clearly understands the threat and uses his knowledge to help neutralize it; (3) humankind recognizes the threat in time and acts to prevent its own extinction. Emmerich has successfully used this formula in the three films to rescue humanity from being exterminated by: an alien invasion, a huge, prehistoric sea creature and catastrophic abrupt climate change.

The alien invasion story in Independence Day is exciting entertainment with a great screenplay, thrilling soundtrack, amazing special effects and an outstanding cast, including Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, Margaret Colin, Mary McDonnell, Randy Quaid, Robert Loggia and Viveca A. Fox. However the film also contains a subtle message that we should not ignore. In a pivotal scene the U.S. President, played by Bill Pullman, describes his experience of thought transference from the captured alien: I saw... its thoughts. I saw what they're planning to do. They're like locusts. They're moving from planet to planet... their whole civilization. After they've consumed every natural resource they move on... and we're next.

Emmerich's point is that this is what the developed nations of Earth are doing. We're using the tools of globalization - multinational corporations, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Trade Organization - to drill, deforest and strip mine the remaining natural resources of the world to feed the voracious appetite of our consumer culture. In a very real sense we are the aliens, and we are destroying our own world. 

Labels: action, adventure, alien-invasion, flying, sci-fi, thriller, tragedy
Internet Movie Database
Metacritic 59/100
RottenTomatoes Averages (critics=63, viewers=70)
Blu-ray
An oral history of Independence Day

Stealing Beauty (1996) [R] ***

A film review by James Berardinelli, for ReelViews.net.

What do you call a character study with shallow, sketchily-drawn characters, but a gorgeous setting? A scenery study, perhaps. Or an atmosphere study. Either would be appropriate for Stealing Beauty, a stylish, sensual motion picture that's hollow where it should have a heart. This film is aesthetically pleasing but not emotionally satisfying. It's occasionally erotic but rarely dynamic. While these aren't unforgivable traits, I somehow expected more from a Bernardo Bertolucci (Last Tango in Paris) film.

The central theme of the movie is the attempt of the lead character, Lucy Harmon (Liv Tyler), to lose her virginity. At age 19, she's never slept with a man -- a revelation that causes a great stir among the residents of the Tuscany villa where she is spending the summer. Everyone is sympathetic to her situation, and they begin to consider who might best be able to accommodate her.

There is no shortage of candidates. Stealing Beauty presents them one-by-one, then dismisses them in the same manner. There's Richard (D.W. Moffett) the American boyfriend of Miranda (Rachel Weisz) the jewelry-maker daughter of Lucy's hostess, Diana (Sinead Cusack). There's Diana's son, Christopher (Joseph Fiennes), or one of his friends, including Nicolo (Roberto Zibetti), with whom Lucy shared her first kiss four long years ago on her last visit to Italy. Then there's Nicolo's shy, sensitive friend Osvaldo Donati (Ignazio Oliva), who turns away from the sight of an exposed female breast. And, it doesn't take a genius to weed through the choices to determine who will get the opportunity to deflower Lucy.

As the story, such as it is, develops, a mystery subplot is introduced: who is Lucy's real father? There are three apparent possibilities: Alex Barnes (Jeremy Irons), a dying writer; Ian Grayson (Donal McCann), the sculptor husband of Lucy's hostess; and Carlo Lisca (Carlo Cecchi), a mysterious ex-military man. We know the truth long before Lucy does, but Stealing Beauty is never surprise-oriented. 

Despite all the screen time accorded to Tyler, her character shows little development. Events seem to swirl around her, only briefly touching her shallow emotional center. Fundamentally, she's no different at the end than at the beginning (except that her hymen is no longer intact). Several of the supporting characters show greater depth. Most notable of these is Jeremy Irons' terminally ill author, who becomes Lucy's confidante and vicariously lives out his last days through her.

There's very little comic relief in this too-serious film, which makes for a rather grim movie-going experience. Stealing Beauty is long, but doesn't really go anywhere. It is most remarkable for its excellent sense of time and place. The Italian countryside becomes as vital a supporting character as Alex, and when Lucy dives into a swimming pool, you can almost feel the cool, clear water. Stealing Beauty functions as a two-hour, surrogate holiday -- diverting and visually captivating, but far from a cinematic landmark. [Berardinelli's rating: ** 1/2 out of 4]

Labels: drama, romance

Internet Movie Database 

Metacritic 60/100 

Tomatometer (critics=53, viewers=76)