Amazon.com

Let's get this straight: Drew Barrymore started a production company to develop original scripts outside of Hollywood and the first project she chose to produce was this, a romantic comedy written by USC grads Abby Kohn and Mark Silverstein about a nerdy, virginal woman who returns to high school as an undercover reporter, finally gets to be popular, and falls in love. And Barrymore decided, as producer, that the perfect actress to play this virtuous, clean-cut, and downright annoying geek would be... Drew Barrymore? It's hard to believe that after The Wedding Singer Barrymore's not getting enough dopey, formulaic, predictable romantic comedies coming across her desk. The complete inability to buy Barrymore as unattractive, awkward, and unpopular ruins Never Been Kissed from the start, but it's doubtful a better actress could have saved it. The jokes fall flat, the romance between Barrymore and her English teacher (played by Michael Vartan) lacks chemistry, and the portrayals of high school and the newspaper newsroom is clichéd and uninspired (big surprise here: the director, Raja Gosnell, previously made Home Alone 3). Gosnell can't even give the gifted character actor, John C. Reilly, anything to do. Only David Arquette, who plays Barrymore's out-of-control brother, brings any energy to the film. --Dave McCoy ... Read more

Reviews (208)

More teen cliches
Considering the number of 5 star reviews here, and the standard throwaway "Best movie I've ever seen in my life! " outbursts, I know not to rent a movie based on most of the stuff written here. In fairness, I'm sure alot the reviews here were written by teens, and I might have liked Never Been Kissed if I was a teen myself. But I'm in my late 20's now and seeing the same old teen cliches is tiresome. The dialogue in this movie was clunky, with rarely a funny sentence spoken by any of the characters. I've always liked Drew Barrymore, her sweetness comes across as genuine, and she was pretty likeable in this movie and fun to watch as well. But the intended message in this movie was this, if you're born ugly you're not worth a damn because did you notice how better-looking Drew became as the movie progressed? This coincided with her growing popularity with the other students. In real life, Drew isn't ugly, and neither was her outcasted "geeky" friend who was supposed to be unattractive as well. Other cliches: the young good-looking heartthrob teacher, the dumb jock, the three inseperable shallow bimbos who get what they deserve in the end (shocking), aren't these same three girls in every teen movie? The black guy with nothing but bad one-liners, and of course the embarrasing final scene where the "positive message" speech which is spooned down your throat like barium before a stomach x-ray. I happened to see Carrie on TV a few days after this, and it's shocking how much better that movie is. (similar elements but obviously more effective).

Wonderful!!
First of all, I must say that I was shocked and appalled when I read the official Amazon review for this movie. Never Been Kissed is one of my all time favorite movies, and I cannot imagine anyone saying such nonsense about such a great movie. I thought Drew Barrymore was excellent as Josie Gellar and totally believable as a geeky copy editor whose first real assignment as a reporter is to go back to high school. Once there, Josie quickly realizes that her second high school experience is not going much better than the first. However, she is helped on her quest to popularity by her brother, Rob, convincingly played by David Arquette. Once she has finally been accepted by the "cool" crowd, Josie realizes that there are more important things than being popular, such as her totally hot English teacher, played by Michael Vartan, whom she has fallen in love with. I must say that if I had an English teacher that looked like that when I went to high school, I might have made it to class more! All in all, Never Been Kissed is a wonderful movie about a woman finding success, love and happiness. Excellent!!

Drew Barrymore is hilarious
Never Been Kissed is a classic in film romantic comedies. Drew Barrymore rocks! Simply put: NBK rules!

I love it!!!
I loved this movie! (And its not just because I related Barymore's character.) I found it funny and touching at the same time. The plot was pretty original, the humor was great, and it left me feeling good. And, even though I can predict how almost all movies will end, they managed to throw in bit of temporary doubt at the last momment. Before this movie "Drew Barrymore" was just a name I had heard somewhere, afterward I not only knew who she was but came to respect her as an actress.

an okay movie at best
sure this movie was cute, but it must have been one of the dumbest films I've ever seen. David Arquette is the best thing about it. that's a little sad. Wow the cool kids and the uncool nerds...there are more people in the school than those types of people. The ending was sort of dumb too, it just seemed unethical...the actors do try however and at times this movie can be funny but at most times it is cheesy. ... Read more

Reviews (175)

Could have been better...
Could have been much better though some of the scenes in this film are worth watching...if you've read the book. Throughout the scenes depicting Morgaine's training...well, lets say those are the most worthwhile ones. Juliana Margulies was perfectly cast in this role. Joan Allen and Anjelica Houston also give great performances. However, if I were to have had my hand in the making of this movie, I would have added at least an extra two hours to it so that it didn't seem to be moving so fast. I also would have (and pardon my saying so) recast Mordred, Arthur, Lancelot, and Uther. The women did fine...the men...well, lets say they need dialect training and some acting lessons.
Oh, and as a side note, the music (especially Loreena McKennitt's Mystic's Dream) is fantastic. Go get the soundtrack.

Think of it as an intro to the book
Most tellings of the King Arthur story focus on Arthur and Merlin, and perhaps mention Gueneviere as the unfaithful wench that broke up the great friendship of Arthur and Lancelot. Marion Zimmer Bradley took a twist on the story, telling it from the point of view of the 'dark witch' instead of the 'golden haired beauty'.

It's a tale full of the raw power of medieval England, where a belief in nature and natural spirits was vying with the approach of Christianity. It tells not only of women and men's different views of the world, but of love triangles, Christianity ousting the 'old ways', and a changing of culture.

The TNT miniseries version stars Anjelica Huston, Julianna Margulies, and Joan Allen in the girl-power production. Huston is the magestic matriarch of Viviane, the Lady of the Lake, who in most stories is just the giver-of-the-sword to Arthur. Here she's the protector of Avalon, the center of the old power, one that is being replaced slowly by the bells of Christianity. They in fact share the same physical space, but only those with the power to believe can cross into Avalon.

Margulies is Morgaine, Arthur's half-sister. They share a mother, but Arthur is born when Uther Pendragon lusts after Morgaine's mother Igraine and through deception beds her. Igraine and Viviane are sisters, but while Viviane defends the old ways, Igraine turns to the new (Christianity). The third sister, Morgause, is jealous of the other two and causes quite a bit of trouble.

This was always a favorite book of mine, so I was very curious how they would bring it on screen. The locations were gorgeous - it was shot in Czechoslovakia and has the primitive wildness that medieval England would have had. The costumes were also gorgeous, and the actors and actresses were top notch. I really enjoyed the relationship Morgaine has later in her life.

I do understand that certain of the themes are sensitive to a TV viewing audience. After all, Arthur and his half-sister Morgaine sleep together (not realizing they're related) when they're teenagers, and she bears a son from this union. Also, Arthur and Lancelot were attracted to each other in the book. These layers of sexuality added another dimension to the story, but they were a bit too risque for many viewers. The story was altered to change the way a lot of this was presented.

Also, the scene where Morgaine and Gueneviere first meet was supposed to contrast the beautiful-blonde-Christian vs the small-dark-pagan - at least that's how Morgaine saw it. Because the book is told from Morgaine's point of view, it's not always the reality, of course, but her impression of it. But in the miniseries they stripped away a lot of the dialogue so you loose some of that sense.

And then, near the end, it slips completely away, and where at the end of the book I'm thrilled to have gone on the journey, with the miniseries I wonder just exactly was the spot where they went wrong. I think the key is to watch it and think of it as a way to get people to read the book. It's really enjoyable as a good movie to watch, and if it gets more people to read the book, that's fine by me!

Enchanting
I haven't read the book. I watched this movie without any expectations whatsoever, or any knowledge of the plot. Honestly, I didn't even know it was about the legend of King Arthur.

The movie was far better than any of the other Arthur films I have watched. It surpasses Merlin in terms of believability, Camelot in terms of maturity, and almost equals Excalibur. Julienna Marguiles portrays a very convincing Morgaine. The whole story is told from her point of view, and indeed it was a gorgeous retelling. For once, we are given the refreshing view that Morganne was humane, and good. We are given new explanations for the incest between Arthur and Morganne, as well as the blackness of Mordred's character, which is now blamed on Morganne's aunt, Morgause.

What intrigued me about the movie was the portrayal of the Pagan and Christian society, and most interestingly, about how the Pagan goddess still lives on as the Virgin Mary (I still find that interesting, although I don't quite agree with it). Certain things, like having Excalibur return to the goddess and fading off into the silhoette of the Christian cross puzzles me a little to what the symbolic meaning behind it implies. This intermingling of both religions - the link established wasn't as clear as it should have been.

Beautiful performances from Anjelica Huston (The Lady of the Lake), and Joan Allen (Morgause). I didn't really think that Samantha Mathis was suitable to play Guinevere (she didn't really look the part, nor act the part)... and Michael Vartan surprisingly pulled off the part of Lancelot well (Franco Nero is by far one of the most atrocious Lancelots ever). Hans Matheson (Mordred), a relatively new actor, does a better job here than what he did in Les Miserables.

A good cast, and a good movie. I found it a little controversial, and at times slightly disturbing, but it keeps the mystery and intrigue surrounding Avalon as palpable as ever.

Tremendously disappointing
I was glad to hear that someone was making a miniseries of this, and Juliana Margulies seemed like an excellent choice for Morgaine. Unfortunately, the finished production did not live up to expectations. The book dealt not only with the legend through the eyes of women, but with the clash of cultures. The movie paid lip service to this theme, but didn't really grapple with adequately. I don't think I watched it all the way through.

Magical and Mystical Experience
Yes, I have read the book, and while there are some differences between the film and the book, the most important parts of the story are in the movie. The actors and the rest of the crew did a brilliant job of bringing the magic and suspense to the screen. The music was beautiful and perfect for the movie and the setting is visually stunning. If you're not too picky about details, you should enjoy the movie whether you've read the book or not. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This clunky road movie about three drag queens (Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes, and John Leguziamo) who get stranded in a sleepy Nebraska town on their way to a beauty contest, is too uplifting for its own good. Released during drag's mid-'90s heyday when RuPaul and the Wigstock documentary were all the rage, To Wong Foo aimed straight for the mainstream with its inoffensive camp and "can't we all get along" moralism. While gay-activist groups howled about straights getting the lead roles in To Wong Foo, in the end the filmmakers really couldn't have done better than this trio of actors. John Leguziamo provides real sass and bite as a Latino (or should we saw Latina?) drag queen, and Wesley Snipes is surprisingly fierce as the imposing leader of the pack. Saddled with a cloying Southern accent and off-kilter wig, Patrick Swayze barely holds his own with his costars, though. To Wong Foo is best viewed as a cultural artifact of a time when it seemed as though drag could rule all tomorrow's parties. --Ethan Brown ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Schmaltz In A Purple Wrapper
[Add a half-star if you don't mind being manipulated.]

All during the summer, in seeing previews, I was worried about To Wong Foo... being an American version or rip-off of Priscilla: Queen Of The Desert. Trust me, there are a lot of similarities; however To Wong Foo... stands on its own as an enjoyable movie experience. In the audience I sat in, there was laughter and applause throughout and I found myself laughing and applauding along. (I hadn't expected to.)

Patrick Swayze is Vida Boheme, a drag queen from Bala Cynwyd, PA living in New York City. Bala Cynwyd is pivotal in his story. So is Noxeema Jackson (Wesley Snipes). Boheme and Jackson are friends competing against Chi Chi Rodriguez (John Leguizamo) and others for "Drag Queen of the Year". Well, as luck would have it, Boheme and Jackson tie for the honors and both win an all-expense paid trip to Hollywood.

Well, Boheme is a queen with a heart. She can't stand to see Chi Chi, who lives in the same building, so upset about not winning the crown; so, Vida bullies Noxeema into trading their paid-for airline tickets for a car and, together, the three set off to drive cross-country. Shades of Boys On The Side.

Early on, the trio is stopped in the middle of nowhere by a county sheriff (Chris Penn in a hoot of a role). What happens next brings more remembrances of Boys On The Side.

Eventually, our fun-loving "females" end up in Snydersville, a small hamlet where everyone seems to have a problem and our girls have a solution for every single one of them. Despite this manipulation, To Wong Foo... delights at every turn. It's laugh-out-loud funny and not at all subtle. Normally, that would be a criticism, but in this case, it turns out to be a refreshing change of pace.

Of course, all of the elements in the story come together for a schmaltzy conclusion. But, that's OK. You'll get all wrapped up in it anyway, just like I did.

(Boy, was I surprised.)

[Originally written 10 September 1995]

A Fine, Fun and Snazzy Film, anything but a Drag!
This movie is one of those rare perfect films. Casting is brilliant (especially Stockard Channing, who only gets better and better as the years go by--and she was always totally incapable of less than a fantastic performance). The general plot line of the movie is a congenial road trip, as three drag queens drive from New York City to California to compete in a contest, and the themes are fulfilling.

In essence, the movie deals with the healing of "broken people." (For other such films, see such gems as "Batteries Not Included" and "Fried Green Tomatoes.") The unlikely angels? The three drag queens. The situation? Their car breaks down in a red-neck hamlet. Unlikely hijinks and dangerous confrontations lead to a satisfying conclusion.

And Julie Newmar was never better!

Uneven but when it's good it's GREAT
"To Wong Foo" seemed horribly miscast when you found out who was in it ... I mean, John Leguizamo had done drag before, proving himself to be very convincing and most definitely in touch with his "feminine side" -- but Wesley Snipes and Patrick Swayze??! Two macho movie stars pulling off parts as drag queens on a road trip?

But then you saw the movie ...

The three men do excellent jobs, Wesley Snipes in particular a total surprise in his role as Noxeema Jackson, drag queen with Attitude. Swayze, as Vida Boheme, is the "lady" of the trio who can get down and dirty when she has to -- and Leguziamo as Chi Chi Rodriguez is nothing short of perfection.

The plot is simple: At New York's Drag Queen of the Year contest, Noxeema and Vida tie for the crown. The title comes with a free airline ticket to Los Angeles, to compete in the Drag Queen of America competition, and the two "girls" couldn't be more excited. But then they meet little Latin Chi Chi Rodriguez, whose drag queen self-esteem was not at all helped by losing this competition. Vida, the kind of person who always believes in helping those less fortunate, talks a VERY disgruntled Noxeema into selling their plane tickets ... and using the money instead to buy a cheap car and drive to the L.A. contest. The night of the win, Vida spots an autographed photo of Miss Julie Newmar on the wall of the reataurant they are dining in, and reads the inscription: "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar". For those not in the know ... for years actress/model Julie Newmar, best known for her role at Catwoman on the tv series "Batman," has had rumors floating around saying that she's a drag queen in real life -- not a woman. She's just too statuesque, her face too strong on bone structure, to be a real woman! When Vida sees the framed autographed photo on the wall, she takes this as a sign that the three of them will be blessed on their quest. She also takes the photograph.

Halfway 'cross country, in Nebraska, the threesome is stopped by a racist sheriff who notices their tail light is out. Taking Vide back toward his car, he comes onto her, thinking she is a real woman. When he reaches under her dress and learns the truth, Vida tries to break free ... and knocks the sheriff to the ground, where he conks his head. They drive off quickly, before he can come to and REALLY do them all some damage.

Soon after, their old Cadillac breaks down, and Chi Chi hitchhikes them all a ride into Snydersville, a town that makes Mayberry look like New York City. Tiny and hick and populated with small-town minds as well, Snydersville seems to be the LAST place three drag queens would want to get stranded (if they want to live, that is), but when these three are stalled there for the weekend, until they get their car repaired, they decide to make the best of it by making over the town's women, addding some spark to a Strawberry Social - and, in general, bringing tons of color to an otherwise drab existence. But little do they know that Sheriff Dollard (Chris Penn) - who is less than thrilled by being knocked unconscious by a "boy in a dress," is out to find them ...

The movie is uneven in spots - the scenes in the town go from hysterical to being too stage - but overall whenever Snipes or Swayze or Leguizamo are on-screen, you could never be bored. Funny and with some VERY sharp one-liners, the movie comes close (especially in the end) to turning sappy with its "why can't we all just get along" mind-set -- but never quite pushes that envelope. The three leads are EXCELLENT, and backed beautifully by a great supporting cast the includes Stockard Channig, Melinda Dillon, Chris Penn, Jason London - even "Alias" star Michael Vartan. Ru Paul and Robin Williams add both class and style to brief cameos ... as does the one and only Miss Julie Newmar herself.

Stylish and funny and just corny enough to work, this comedy is anything but a drag ...

Oh no girlfriend, did you just do a ue?
Nothing but praise for this great flick! Let's face it, while it may not be a movie that George Bush would ever watch (mind you if he did he could learn a thing or two about love and acceptance). I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to watch a great movie. Even after seeing it over five times I still laugh out loud and get a kick out of all three "ladies"! Robin Williams is hilarious and RuPaul makes a surprise visit! Rent it today and you will be glad you did!

"It comes down to that age-old decision: style or substance"
One year after the success of the 1994 Australian film "The Adventures Priscilla, Queen of the Desert", Amblin Entertainment and Universal Pictures joined to produce the 1995 American version, "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar". Like the Australian film, which featured a trio of drag queens traveling across the rugged Australian outback from Sydney to the isolated resort of Alice Springs in a pink bus, the American version featured its own drag queen trio traveling from NYC to Los Angeles in an aging yellow Cadillac convertible; but the similarities end there. The drag queen trio featured in the American version was Miss Noxeema Jackson (Wesley Snipes), Miss Vida Boheme (Patrick Swayze) and Miss Chi-Chi Rodriguez (John Leguizamo). After Noxeema and Vida share the title of a drag queen contest, they invite (with Noxeema's reluctance) Chi-Chi to join them to participate in a national contest in Los Angeles. Not having enough money for all three to fly to Los Angeles from NYC, Vida convinces them to instead use their winnings to purchase a car that all three could travel in. The film's title comes from an autographed picture of Julie Newmar that Vida steals from a restaurant and places in the used yellow Cadillac convertible that the trio purchases. Similar to the Australian version, the car breaks down along the way, forcing the trio to stay a few days in a small, languishing town. There, they meet the town's assorted residents that include hotel owner Carol Ann (Stockard Channing), her abusive husband Virgil (Arliss Howard), Beatrice (Blythe Danner), the polite Bobby Ray (Jason London), Merna (Melinda Dillon), Loretta (Beth Grant), the aging Clara (Alice Drummond) and restaurant owner Jimmy Joe (Mike Hodge) to name a few. They also meet law enforcement officer Sheriff Dollard (Chris Penn) who wants to arrest them.

Though arguably not as well made as "The Adventures Priscilla, Queen of the Desert", "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar" is still a very entertaining and engaging film that is sufficiently different from the former to not be redundant. Cameo appearances in the film include Julie Newmar, Robin Williams (as John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt), RuPaul (as Miss Rachel Tensions) and Naomi Campbell. Memorable scenes in the film include the restaurant, the used car lot, Vida seeing her mother (Margaret H. Flynn), Chi-Chi earning rites of passage, Sheriff Dollard, Noxeema's interactions with townsfolk, the clothing store, the beauty parlor and the closing scenes. Patrick Swawye received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical, and John Leguizamo received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor in the Comedy/Musical. Sadly, Wesley Snipes did not receive a nomination for his excellent performance. Overall, I rate the film with 4 out of 5 stars. After watching the deleted scenes on the DVD, I concluded that they were best left deleted. ... Read more

Description

While on a road trip to visit his ailing father, a man tells his two children their family history and how the family came to seem cursed. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Sentimental Horse Exhaust!!!
Phew...how did the Taviani brothers pull this one off? Well it does have pretty clothes, handsome actors & lovely surroundings. Kind of a Vogue/Réalités ambiance. But the corny sentimental, romantic & very SILLY family legend, good grief! This is the Italian equivalent of one of those 1970s Jane Seymour TV-movie bodice-rippers.

Yuccchh!

Llovetrain
Fiorile provides a very entertaining and thought provoking story for any viewer whether he be a casual movie goer wanting to be entertained, or a critic looking for a different perspective on human nature and the way he interacts with the rest of society.

Fiolrile follows several generations of a family cursed because of the greedy deeds of some of its early members. But are the following generations truly cursed by a superior being, or are they simply living out their lives equal to their perceived "cursed" potential? In a broader sense, do individuals live lives according to their perceived value and therefore fulfill expectations for good or for bad, or are individuals limited by their potential no matter how hard they try to break a mold that others have cast for them?

An intelligent, well-made film. I loved it.
The acting is excellent and the story is unique. I thoroughly enjoyed watching "Fiorile." Beware, you may need a few tissues during this film!

brilliant...
Fiorile was a captivating film showing the enchanting scenery of Italy. The plot is complex and wil demand you to submit your entire attention to follow. The dialogue between the actors is poetic and beautiful. The film journeys from the Napoleanic era to present times showing the tragedies that plague a family. A film worth seeing repeatedly... ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Pretty Good Story
I love Michael Vartan, and thats the only reason why I thought of even seeing this movie. But I was suprised, it was a good performance on the part of the actors and I enjoyed it more after I saw that Peter Facinelli is in too, its pretty good!!

More Than I Expected....
When I read the outline of this movie I frankly thought it would be depressing and only decided to watch because of the two stars. However, once the plotline got going it became a truly gripping story that had me glued to my seat waiting for the "happy ending" that seemed impossible half way through. For those hopelessly romantics out there - this is the movie for you! (Michael Vartan isn't to bad on the eyes either!) Enjoy!!

Must See Buried Treasure Romance
I think many viewers have avoided this film because they know HIV is in the plotline. We are used to movies about HIV and AIDS being movies about death and dying. However, this movie deals with HIV present day where one can be leading a life and be kept in fairly good health with the right medical care. The issues this person faces are entirely different from those faced back when HIV and AIDS hit the planet decades ago. Chief among those issues is whether one can have a love life, a romance, a career or children if one has been infected with HIV. This movie grapples with all these issues in a romance between the characters played by the wonderfully charismatic duo of Amanda Peet and Michael Vartan. This film is NOT a downer in any sense of the word. It remains utterly faithful to the romance genre and you will love it every step of the way if you love the genre. Women will adore Vartan as a leading man and men will adore Peet as the leading lady. You can't lose.

Micheal Vartan an exceptional actor!
What a great movie... love, romance, committment and unselfishness. Micheal you were just beautiful in everyway! Great story line and inspirational love story!

A poignant, original movie
Iron Home Entertainment's VHS video Touch Me is a poignant, original movie of a Los Angeles woman whose life is turned upside down when she learns her former lover is dying of AIDS. When she herself tests positive for HIV, she must confront prejudice, ignorance, and the challenge of continuing her life to the fullest in this profound moving, powerfully insightful, highly recommended story. Touch Me is also available in a DVD ...Running Time: 107 min. ... Read more

Reviews (264)

Robin Williams's creppiest hour.
One critic wrote that "One Hour Photo" will "Do for photo developing what 'Psycho' did for showers". It is a creppy and somewhat demented film, with an amazing performance by Robin Williams, but is flawed by a script that falters towards the end of the movie.

Williams plays Sy Parrish, a photo developer at a Savmart (a department store similar to ...) who takes special pride in the prints he produces. To him, developing is an underappreciated art form. His life revolves around his job, and for good reason, he has no real life to speak of outside of his work. He was never married, has no real friends or relations, and we learn very little about his past. What we know of his present situation is bleak and depressing. But Sy has taken a special liking to a suburban family, with a successful husband, a pretty wife, and a beautiful son. Domestic bliss personified. He, in his lonely state, becomes obsessed with the family, and longs for something he can never have. This pushes him to the brink of near insanity.

I will not give away any more than I already have, but I will say that the ending lets down the whole movie. The movie begins as a fascinating character study, and ends as a hollywood cliche (a diet version, if you will). While the creppiness and the quality of the acting keeps "One Hour Photo" entertaining, you feel unsatasfied in the end. Similar to movies like "Silence of the Lambs" and "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer", the characters are more interesting before the go over the edge.

The movie is the perfect starring vehicle for Williams, who is proving that his move from comedy to drama in his later years is indeed a good idea. The script, while meandering at times, is smartly written and doesn't turn the movie into a Hannibal-type affair. Williams is a lonely man who seeks love and attention, and only finds it out of his reality and in the photos he develops. He nailed the character perfectly.

While it's not Oscar material, it is definitely worth checking out. Most people will love Robin Williams's darker side, while others will like the unique story.

Makes you wonder about who is developing your pics
One Hour Photo is an interesting film starring Robin Williams (Good Will Hunting), Michael Vartan (ABC's Alias), and Eriq la Salle (NBC's ER). It features Williams as Sy "the photo guy" at Sav-Mart and Sy's obsession with the Yorkin family. It's rather creepy to see Robin Williams playing such a creepy character, but surprisingly, he does an excellent job with the wackiness.

I thought the coloring of each scene was interesting. The majority of the movie is done is white and "cold" colors. They definitely invoke a sociopathic feeling. Of course, at the Yorkin house (the one place that Sy really wants to be) there is a warm yellow-ish tone. It definitely sets the mood.

The movie is not as suspenseful as it is promoted to be. It's got a good premise, but the writing is lacking. I think that it would've been better with a little more development of certain parts.

Luckily, the talented cast makes up for what is lacking, and that's why I give it 4 stars.

Gets "under the skin"
The idea of this movie is not to scare the hell out of you with visions of gore, violence, or action. It's to scare the hell out of you with ideas of something that could easily happen to anyone. Little things that we take for granted could be something that brings the most harm.

In this case, the idea is that someone could be quietly "stalking" you without ever coming near you. Through a series of photos, a seemingly harmless man has come to know too much about a certain family. How did he get these photos? He develops them at the local photo lab. How many times have you given someone vacation photos or wedding photos? The idea that someone, through all of these photos, knows where you have been, where you live, even what the inside of your house looks like, is what makes this such a creepy film.

As far as casting, Robin Williams portrays the quickly-unravelling developer with perfection. He has just the right amount of madness to make it totally believable.

Overall, this is a movie that will get under your skin.

worst movie ever
this is one of the worst movies ive seen and i am a big robbin williams fan ive seen every thing he has done even the birdcage i thought thet insomia was ten times better then this garbege but thats just me im sure there are heeps of poeople out there who like it i thougt it was bouring

Robin Williams at his best....but something was missing
I have to admit Robin Williams is one of the most talented actors out there. he can play so many different roles. In this movie he plays a very lonely and depressed man named Sy who just wants a family. He works at a 1-hour photo store and stalks a family with a young son who are long time customers. The intensity is very good. you can really see how scary Robin Williams can be and i thought that was impossible. but some how the suspense dies off, and the ending left me disatisfied. I won't spoil the ending you have to see it for yourself. Good performance by Robin Williams! ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Michael Vartan....WOW!
I can't get enough of this guy! Why he doesn't get more work I'll never know. The scene in the park, when both have eyes closed and he says "Come with me" and takes her hand.....I melted like ice cream on a hot day! Takes me back to my favorite scene in "Moonstruck" during the opera. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is I felt it needed a "love scene." Don't shoot me, it's just an opinion, okay? Besides, it would have given me a chance to see Vartan with his shirt off! Final words: it ended with my favorite song! If you've ever been in love, you HAVE to see this movie.

Kinda Cheesy
I thought the movie had a good plot, but the writing was terrible! It was totally unrealistic - they meet and fall in love in like 2 days...i know its supposed to be "love at first sight" but they both don't get married because of some person they met over the weekend. The only reason to see it is because MICHAEL VARTAN is in it. Overall, if you have nothing else to watch, watch it. but don't watch this instead of another movie

Surprisingly Bad
This is one of the worst movies I have ever seen. It is almost in the so-bad-it's-good category. It's not that it's offensive (unless you're offended by a flimsy plot and ridiculously bad dialogue), it's just that it's a waste of time. (I am, however, surprised by viewers who hailed it as a wonderful family-friendly movie, because it has enough adult themes and dialogue that I do not think it appropriate for children. Of course, when I say adult, I do not mean in the sense of mature and intelligent.)

I looked it up here on Amazon after renting it, thinking I should have looked here first because it would probably have lots of negative comments. While it does have some, I was surprised to find some positive comments as well, so I thought I should add my opinion to help warn others away from this movie.

I should also add that I am not a movie snob. I have enjoyed many a brainless romantic comedy. But this brainless romantic comedy is completely unenjoyable.

Really disappointing
Being a die hard fan of ALIAS and Michael Vartan, I was on the search for any Michael Vartan movies, and stumbled upon this. To be honest I was quite disappointed in this movie. The script is so old and has nothing new to offer. The only redeeming quality was Micheal Vartan and even he couldn't carry this movie. He had nothing to play off of and it clearly showed since the movie went straight to video... So I would say skip it, unless you are a huge, I mean HUGE fan of Michael Vartan and just want to see him for an hour an half.

Better than expected
I just rented this for 99cents, expecting this to be some corny, silly movie, probably with people lying or deceiving one another (which is so common in movies lately)in order to fall in love, yet I was so surprised to find a very sweet, serious, romantic movie - not alot of comedy, but that was fine. I thought the characters were great - their personalities fit there actions - it wasn't a "You've got Mail" but I don't think they were going for the "Romantic Comedy" necessarily. Just a clean, sweet, honest movie. I really appreciated that they got together without dishonesty. Oh, yes, it had two love stories in it -- that even made it better!! I loved it... enuf to buy it!!! I think I like it equally as much as "You've Got Mail." ... Read more

Reviews (208)

More teen cliches
Considering the number of 5 star reviews here, and the standard throwaway "Best movie I've ever seen in my life! " outbursts, I know not to rent a movie based on most of the stuff written here. In fairness, I'm sure alot the reviews here were written by teens, and I might have liked Never Been Kissed if I was a teen myself. But I'm in my late 20's now and seeing the same old teen cliches is tiresome. The dialogue in this movie was clunky, with rarely a funny sentence spoken by any of the characters. I've always liked Drew Barrymore, her sweetness comes across as genuine, and she was pretty likeable in this movie and fun to watch as well. But the intended message in this movie was this, if you're born ugly you're not worth a damn because did you notice how better-looking Drew became as the movie progressed? This coincided with her growing popularity with the other students. In real life, Drew isn't ugly, and neither was her outcasted "geeky" friend who was supposed to be unattractive as well. Other cliches: the young good-looking heartthrob teacher, the dumb jock, the three inseperable shallow bimbos who get what they deserve in the end (shocking), aren't these same three girls in every teen movie? The black guy with nothing but bad one-liners, and of course the embarrasing final scene where the "positive message" speech which is spooned down your throat like barium before a stomach x-ray. I happened to see Carrie on TV a few days after this, and it's shocking how much better that movie is. (similar elements but obviously more effective).

Wonderful!!
First of all, I must say that I was shocked and appalled when I read the official Amazon review for this movie. Never Been Kissed is one of my all time favorite movies, and I cannot imagine anyone saying such nonsense about such a great movie. I thought Drew Barrymore was excellent as Josie Gellar and totally believable as a geeky copy editor whose first real assignment as a reporter is to go back to high school. Once there, Josie quickly realizes that her second high school experience is not going much better than the first. However, she is helped on her quest to popularity by her brother, Rob, convincingly played by David Arquette. Once she has finally been accepted by the "cool" crowd, Josie realizes that there are more important things than being popular, such as her totally hot English teacher, played by Michael Vartan, whom she has fallen in love with. I must say that if I had an English teacher that looked like that when I went to high school, I might have made it to class more! All in all, Never Been Kissed is a wonderful movie about a woman finding success, love and happiness. Excellent!!

Drew Barrymore is hilarious
Never Been Kissed is a classic in film romantic comedies. Drew Barrymore rocks! Simply put: NBK rules!

I love it!!!
I loved this movie! (And its not just because I related Barymore's character.) I found it funny and touching at the same time. The plot was pretty original, the humor was great, and it left me feeling good. And, even though I can predict how almost all movies will end, they managed to throw in bit of temporary doubt at the last momment. Before this movie "Drew Barrymore" was just a name I had heard somewhere, afterward I not only knew who she was but came to respect her as an actress.

an okay movie at best
sure this movie was cute, but it must have been one of the dumbest films I've ever seen. David Arquette is the best thing about it. that's a little sad. Wow the cool kids and the uncool nerds...there are more people in the school than those types of people. The ending was sort of dumb too, it just seemed unethical...the actors do try however and at times this movie can be funny but at most times it is cheesy. ... Read more

Reviews (99)

It Could Have Been A Lot More...
"Chosen Family" is an important concept to gay and lesbian people. Abbie (Madonna), a straight yoga instructor, and Robert (Rupert Everett), a gay landscaper, are best friends and, more importantly, chosen family. They've been through a lot together, so when they have drunken sex one night and Abbie ends up pregnant, they decide to move in together and raise the child together in their own little unconventional family. Neither of them counts on Abbie meeting someone and falling in love. When it happens, things take a nasty turn that ends in the courtroom.

As much as I love Madonna, there's a reason why most of her movies flop. With the exception of Evita, she seems to have very bad taste in movie scripts. This one is slightly better than some of her other choices, but it's really not all that special and it can't seem to decide what it wants to be, romantic comedy or serious family drama. Madonna and Rupert never seem to really inhabit their characters. Over all, it's rather depressing. This movie definitely falls far short of what could have been a powerful statement about modern families and gay parents. Not recommended.

Why not.
I watched this flick when it first came out in year 1999. I can't be bothered by the Academy winning director. And I couldn't bother the DVD until I realised the special features include a video of the soundtrack: AMERICAN PIE. Like our spotlight reviewer Ruma, I grab it since I really like most of the music videos by Madonna. AMERICAN PIE is as great as melancholy to look at.

Industrially speaking, this film was released in a "smart" timing (Thanks to Rupert Everett who claims to have brought the script to his friend Madonna). Cinema-goers were terribly missing that kind of gay-straight friendship chemistry after MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING. Benjamin Bratt was dating Julia Roberts. And Madonna, what can I say, as usual was desperately in need for the next best surprise at all her risk for her Hollywood status. So no matter how bad we know who can or cannot act sometimes, we still queued up in the movie liners then.

It also doesn't matter how this film did not example a good ending for the moral of gay-parenting. Sam (the biological son of Abbie and her ex lived-in Kelvin) is taken care of and loved and will always remember that the gay man Robert has been the father from the very beginning. So blood is thicker but doesn't count in this circumstance.

The Next Best Thing (1999)
Some people thought this movie sucked. Man, are they wrong. This movie was excellent. I really enjoyed it. I wasn't too thrilled with Rupert Everett's performance, but Madonna's performance was spectacular, as usual.

Madonna plays Abbie Reynolds, a yoga instructer, whose boyfriend has just left her. She goes to her best friend, Robert (played by Rupert Everett) for a way to get over this. One night, the two become lovers. Abbie then finds out that she's pregnant, and Robert is the father. But Robert is also... gay. Seven years later, while getting ready to do a yoga class, Abbie meets Ben, a charming guy who is very interested in Abbie. The two begin dating. Ben decides that he wants to marry Abbie and it makes Robert furious because he does not want anyone taking his place as Sam's father.

If any one of you took the advice from the one's who said that this movie sucked, give that advice back. This movie did not suck. It has a real good storyline and it's a movie that everyone can enjoy.

Not the greatest movie, but not bad.
I generally liked The Next Best Thing. After Evita it wasn't a bad performance from Madonna. As Evita was just singing, of course her performance would be great. However, her acting has been touch and go. Additionally, I never really thought about the male perspective when divorcing females, and hearing how angry they would get about their bi*ch ex-wives. After seeing the scene in the courtroom, I had a new understanding. The only thing unbelievable was Madonna driving away in a Lexus ES300--ya right! Other than that, it was not bad.

Difficult to Empathize with the Characters
With all the star power behind this movie, it should have been executed skillfully, pulling the viewer into the lives of nice people, exploring the novel living arrangements and lifestyles of the main characters, even highlighting what should have been a key, dramatic moment in the movie. Instead, the movie drags on for nearly an hour before we have an inkling of what this movie is really about, and as it drags itself forcefully along we have great difficulty identifying with the characters or their plight.

Abbie Reynolds (Madonna) is a woman who hears her biological clock ticking. She wants to meet a nice guy and have one or more children. Failing meeting Mr. Right, she would at least like to have a child. After breaking up with yet another boyfriend, Madonna commiserates with a homosexual friend, Robert Whittaker (Ruppert Everett), and the two end up (good heavens!) doing something sexual together. Soon after, Madonna reveals she is pregnant. Robert decides he wants to be fully involved as Sam's (Malcolm Stumpf) father.

Well, time flies and Ben Cooper, excellently played by Benjamin Bratt, enters the picture, quickly falling in love with Abbie. Ben behaves just as we would like or hope he would, and adjusts his life to suit Abbie, Robert and Sam's as much, if not more, than is reasonable. Unfortunately for poor Sam, the relatively immature conflict between Abbie and Sam washes aside all Ben's good deeds and flexibility, and a nasty court battle ensues. I'll not give away the ending or any other details in the event you wish to try the movie yourself.

In addition to the star horsepower already mentioned, Lynn Redgrave, Neil Patrick Harris, and Joseph Sommer, all with extensive acting credentials, appear. The director and producer add even more horsepower. The problem is that all this horsepower didn't help me to understand the plot, or empathize with the characters. This movie presented a wonderful opportunity to help explore having a homosexual as a parent, and deal more in depth with the issues of homosexuality and stereotypes surrounding homosexuality. Instead, the movie pays only brief lip service to those issues and some cases opens the door to the issue, and then sweeps it under the rug. In one example, Sam asks Robert about a inappropriate word he heard associated with homosexuals, and what the word meant. Instead of dealing with the issue, the answer was more akin to "babies come from the cabbage patch." If the movie did not want to deal with sensitive issues, it should not have brought them up in the first place.

After forcing myself to watch this movie for an hour or more in the hope that it would really take off and make a statement, it devolves into legal bickering between Abbie and Robert, with all sorts of uninteresting confusion thrown in by Ben and an old boyfriend of Abbie's. Instead of a grand statement regarding homosexuals as parents, the movie became just another couple bickering over child custody and I became extremely disappointed with the plot development.

Even in the final moments of the movie, the opportunity to do more than have a trite and cliché ending was passed by. There is little more I can say about the ending.

The movie is not a total loss. Benjamin Bratt and Malcolm Stumpf have good chemistry during their interactions with others in the movie. Had Benjamin and Malcolm been absent, this movie would have been a total loss. As it is, I rate this movie three stars largely on the basis of the performance of these two actors and what they brought to the movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A Sundance Festival special, this indie family comedy-drama was given unduly harsh treatment by critics when it was released.Starring as the long-estranged son of an emotionally distant father, Noah Wyle comes home to his family for Thanksgiving in hopes of reconnecting with his old girlfriend, and receives unexpected results. But he's not the only one coming back. There's the brother with a cute fiancée (Hope Davis), who doesn't quite understand what all the tension is about. There's the glum sister (a hilarious Julianne Moore) who is down on love and everything else until she connects with a childhood acquaintance. And Mom (Blythe Danner) is there to referee it all. But the central conflict involves Wyle and his father (Roy Scheider in a wonderfully eccentric performance). --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Creepy - nobody EVER discusses anything REAL ..........
I've watched this movie several times - to see if I missed anything before, just to see it again, because it's mesmerising (for me, anyway), and because I'm secretly hoping that it wasn't really THAT sick ......... the acting, photography, direction were all superb - the message came across so very true to life in every way ........... and because of all that, I often watch it when it's re-run on the tube; Noah Wyle does an excellent job of portaying the son who suffered so pointedly, the betrayal that goes on in this family - and as in all (or most anyway) families - this one is affected via the trickle down of the tone set by the parents - the father - Roy Scheider - isn't just distant; he's downright mean and destructive - blurred from being discerned clearly, because of his eccentricities - although I did feel that he contrived all of those too. And Blythe Danner did an excellent job of portraying the mother who goes on for decades overlooking her husband's cruel streaks, his creepy deceits, his silence, anger, and his tone-setting refusal to tolerate open communication; in spite of all this unpleasantness in the household, and the effect this all has/had on the now grown children - I enjoy this movie because it all "hangs together" so real and true. It's hard to believe that in this day and age, that there surely are families like this - who simply never communicate openly atall - ever!

Excellent acting; interesting but unsatisfying movie
The acting and the beautiful cinemetography carried this movie, gave it its emotional core and made you care about the characters, whom were largely unsympathetic to begin with. The movie was lacking in a plot but was more about a series of cathartic small revelations between each of the characters which didn't reach a Hollywood type climax where everyone made peace with their pasts, but I sort of felt was appropriate in showing that not all dysfunctional families reach such a conclusion. I enjoyed the moments of silence and tension between the characters as it provided a lot of great acting, reminding me of theatre in that respect. I thought Roy was very compelling as the distant father, although I wished they'd attempted explaining why he behaved the way he did. I thought that Noah Wyle was excellent as Warren, he portrayed his hurt, vulnerability and burried resentment at his father so well that his was the most moving and convincing character, his character basically carries the movie. I also thought Julianne Moore was great in her role as the icy (albeit they never explained why she was that way also) sister, she was unlikeable and amusing in that, but interesting to watch. Varten's role was smaller, and less engaging (he was almost unnecessary), but I thought he did a good job with what he had.

If you're a fan of any of the actors, this movie should be worthwhile viewing as the performances are all top notch and the direction is wonderful in places, but I was left feeling something lacking in the overall structure of the film and its writing.

disfunctional Wyle
lots of love making in this one. Wyle gives a great role as the son of a father and their lives arent really great as Wyle comes back after he is gone for awhile. Roy Schider is great too as Wyle's dad. people will note if there Alias fans that Michael Vartan of Alias is in this movie. powerful piece with some dry emotions.

I Know Them
Loved this movie with an all-star cast playing characters who seemed too familiar. Thanksgiving in Maine was the perfect setting for the 4 adult siblings who return home to display the "matured" issues of a very messed-up childhood. Nothing resolved, nothing tied neatly in a bow at the end, just like life. I recognized pieces of me, pieces of my sibling and of course, pieces of my parents - just a little more extreme, but enlightening.

If you want a dysfunctional Thanksgiving Family movie
go with Home for the Holidays instead. I caught Myth of Fingerprints on Lifetime and fell asleep before it ended. Why was I watching? Well, it's the whole car wreck thing. Kooky kid sister was annoying and trying way too hard. But the prize for annoyance is tied between Ms. TMI (too much information), the girlfriend of one of the brothers and the bug up her butt older sister. Ms. TMI likes to announce that she's having sex as often as possible, blah blah "let it all hang out" cakes. She's like one of my mom's cousins who makes me long for old school Irish Catholic repression of my grandparents generation. ... Read more

Amazon.com

David Schwimmer plays a drifting twentysomething who receives a telephone call out of the blue to be a pallbearer at the funeral of someone he supposedly knew in school. Trouble is, the caller has mistaken Schwimmer's character for someone else, but our hapless hero--who still lives with his mother at home--doesn't know how to say no. An encounter with the dead man's mother (Barbara Hershey) leads to a sexual relationship, while an old flame (Gwyneth Paltrow) from high school is suddenly on the horizon if only Schwimmer's loser character can quickly get his act together. This umpteenth variation on the Oedipal conflicts in Mike Nichols's The Graduate doesn't have the imagination, vitality, or authority to take classic themes about growing up all the way to the finish line. But in its brooding, comic way, it is honest about the difficulties of crossing the line into adulthood when one doesn't know how. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (17)

sadness as a comedy?
I have to say to those who didn't see this film - it's not a comedy at all, it's about being lonely and being sad, and about how when you live in a lonely sadness all your life, what happens when you have to change it in a moment? I thought it was lovely, the acting was perfect for the rolls, and the soundtrack added a lot to the movie.

One major flaw with this film.
David Schwimmer. I'll admit it. He grates on my nerves like it's no one's business. I find him annoying, cloying, and repulsive in every role I've seen him in. He's the major reason I avoid Friends like the plague (although there are plenty of other reasons for that). But this movie also has the anti-Schwimmer: Gwyneth Paltrow. I can't explain exactly why, but I find her enchanting and intriguing. (Maybe it's because she is a terrific actress, or because she seems so sweet and nice even off the screen.) So, there you have have it. A movie with two polar extremes ... the hideous and the sublime, the awful and beautiful, the appalling and the ... you get the point.

Some people might quickly dismiss this movie as a Graduate wannabe. There's some truth to that. The Pallbearer is quite derivative of the Graduate; it's a play on the young man, older woman, younger woman triangle, and it certainly doesn't have the Graduate's silkiness--or it's wise intelligence. There's nothing in the Pallbearer that matches the uneasy end where Dustin Hoffman and Katherine Ross nervously sit at the back of the bus with this quietly panicky, "What now?" look on their faces.

But it does have some well-orchestrated moments, including a brunch from hell, and some genuine, quirky characters. I'd give it a chance; it's worth watching. And if you can stomach David Schwimmer, you might really like it.

Not funny
The box advertises a hilarious movie. It was not bad, just not funny.

Pleasant enough little film.
Despite the utter comtempt and loathing I have for Friends (For being the most obvious, stupid, unfunny comedy very much
like the equally appalling Will & Grace), I nevertheless quite enjoyed David Swimmer's performance in this film. It was quite an enjoyable, lighthearted if slightly predictable romantic comedy. Paltrow was even reasonably good in it. So whilst not exactly a masterpiece, nonetheless an interesting little Black comedy for those moments whwn you have nothing else better to do.

good
i liked this despite my mothers views. it's a cute romance and tragedy. ... Read more

Description

Running away from the twisted violence of his family, Tyler Briggs moves to a secluded beach town where he spent time as a child. As he begins his new life, his brothers show up looking for trouble. They assault his girlfriend, brutalize his friends, and that's just the beginning... ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Wow--Incredibly Awful
First of all, why does this movie list for over $20?? This movie had to be a major letdown for all involved, an unremarkable addition to anyone's resume. The actors obviously attended the Keanu Reeve's School of Acting--I kept waiting for the "dude" to come out of the surf at any moment. I think the director became confused with the story, and it's obvious the production ran out of money before completion. I'm sure there were several yards of footage left on the proverbial "cutting- room-floor", because there seemed to be a lack of continuity throughout the film.

The only redeeming quality (and hence the only reason I rated it 2 stars instead of 1) was Denis Leary. While I don't care for him much as an actor or person, he did a fine job in what was otherwise a horrible film. Michael Vartan, the main character (also from Never Been Kissed and ABC's "Alias") was simply OK, but nothing he or Leary could do could resurrect this movie.

I put this on the level of "Eye of the Beholder"--star power with star suckage. Here's a mental note to myself next time--stay away from "dramas" that costar Jon Lovitz & Emilio Estevez. Blockbuster, I want my $3.99 back.

What did i just watch?
I'm sorry. I love Alias and thought "heh! the guy from Alias is in this movie. Maybe it's worth watching." Well, I was most definitely wrong. Why?

-It doesn't make any sense. Why are is the family there? Why are some of the family more stupid and irritating than others (besides the main one)? How the hell did those two guys die?

-The acting in the movie was overall very bad. Maybe a D. The only people saving the movie (hahaha) was Dennis Leary and Michael Vartan. Leary actually had some character and Vartan had character during the first half of the film and in the second half of the film he seemed liked he was making a cameo every ten minutes. He totally diappears in the movie.

-What are with the cameos? Jon Lovitz and Julie Delpy? Yeah, they were useless. Where they intended to be comic relief? Well, they weren't funny. And, he's the best cameo yet. Emilio Estevez who was front dvd case and starring status. He appears for so little of the movie that we dont even know what he is supposed to be. A beach bum? No idea.

-The characters were quite an embarassment. Seriously, the only character with a brain were Wurher (the character, not her acting), Vartan, and Leary.

-There seems to be missing scenes scattered about. How did their couples relationship occur? How did the baddies die? What are they doing in town? Why is this movie so dumb?

-I paid 10 bucks to watch this. Blockbuster owes me 20. double for bothering to watch the movie.

not bad
this movie wasnt that bad. it was good. Michael Vartan did a great job in the lead and Denis Leary as he always is was dynamite. along with Kari Wurher(who was good) makes up for a some what of a powerful picture that had flaws, non the less the premise is great and some scenes are hard to swallow. strickly for fans of Vartan or Leary

So, so bad
What a waste of time! Michael Vartan must have been broke when he took this part because it was just such a bad story. And kind of annoying how he kept asking his father and brothers to leave his house and they kept saying "no, we can't do that right now"- ugh! Just kick them out! Call the cops! Then Emilio Estevez, in the movie for about 2 minutes, no idea why. Denis Leary is the only one giving this dead movie mouth to mouth to breathe some kind of life into it, something! Overall awful.

Falling asleep on the beach
I came to this movie with low expectations after reading the reviews on this site. Sand is not a great movie, but it's not terrible, as in say, The Sum of All Fears was a terrible movie. I think Sand achieves on the level it was meant to achieve. I suppose it's "real" enough to be boring.
The plot is fairly thin. A young man who looks like an alumnus of Beverly Hills 90210 or Dawson's Creek leaves home after his mother's funeral. From what we learn early on about his dad and half-brothers, it's perfectly understandable wanting to be as far away from them as possible.
He arrives at a small town on the Californian coast where he gets a job and befriends some surfer boys who seem to have nothing better to do than get stoned on the beach. Unfortunately, his family follows him and his idiot brothers attempt to rape his new girlfriend, starting a feud with the surfer boys that spirals out of control.
This movie is definitely a post-Tarantino effort, aspiring to the same mix of "deep" and silly conversations that ordinary people have, as with Kari Wuhrer's conversation with the male lead about "coming home." Sand also boasts an odd assortment of character players a la Tarantino, in the form of Harry Dean Stanton, Emilio Estevez, Jon Lovitz and Julie Delpy. Denis Leary does his usual Irish gansta bit.
The best things about this movie were the ever hot Kari Wuhrer (even though she's a bit old to be playing a fresh out of college grad) and Kayce Martin as the male lead's mother, seen only in flashback. Kayce reminds me of Jayne Heitmeyer from Earth: Final Conflict. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Clever indie movie
This straight-to-video release is actually a lot better than a lot of postmodern thrillers that have been scurried to the shelves in the wake of the hugely successful 'Scream' movies. It's plot has two college guys plotting to kill off their roomate because it will ensure them a 4.0 grade average, getting them both into Harvard. After all, their friend Rand is an easy target, what with his girlfriend Natalie getting pregnant and the depressing range of books and CDs that his mates leave by his bed. And so it's done, the only problem being that a body can't be found and the police start sniffing around.

Lillard is exceptional as the canniving lead, especially when the extent of his scheme becomes apparent to the guy he plots with. Twist after twist follows this but unlike something like 'Wild Things', the movie manages to pull them off well. In particular the last scene is very gripping indeed, and it's not without a good dollop of black humour. If this is never quite as scary as 'Jeepers Creepers' or as consistently witty as 'Scream', it is still a real original in the horror field and is genuinely intelligent.

Good little pickup.
If you are into great performances.. then this movie is definatley not for you. However if you are looking for good movie to watch on a friday night, then this one is a winner.

The movie is based on a urban legend that is prevalent on college campuses. The story goes that many colleges have a policy that if your roomate commits suicide, you get all A's. Ok its absurd, but it provides a good backdrop for the movie.

Scream's diamond in the rough performer, Matthew Lillard, once again provides a high strung element to the movie. Felicity's Keri Russell does a good job playing both the good girl(first half of the movie) and the bad(last half).

The movies two main characters are college students. One of course is the ambitious,pre law type(Played by Michael Vartan. The other(played by Lillard) is the crazy(a bit psychotic), no-care-in-the-world type. However the two students soon hatch a plan to get rid of their obnoxious roomate(played by Randall Batinkoff). The plan? To throw him from a cliff and make it appear he commited suicide. Why? In this strange alter universe where College deans care, to recieve straight A's.

In the meantime the two begin to go head to head. Lillard's character seducing his roomates girlfriend, and the poor girlfriend of the suicidal roomate killing herself. The battle heats up as the two begin fingering each other to the police with subtle suggestions to the police. As the net tightens, Vartan's character makes his final showdown with Lillard's character at the scene of the first suicide. However a few surprises will be for all those involved.

So typical good guy vs bad guy with good guy winning in the end? Not quite. The final plot twist reverses the roles showing the sinister side of many of the "good guys". In typical good suspense movie fashion, the given is no longer a given. To tell the plot twist would totally ruin it. But its a rather good one. The plot twist alone is worth watching the movie. What you are left with is a pretty good movie. Not a outstanding one. But a good watch that will surprise ya.

Woefully underrated gem.
The Curve (Dan Rosen, 1998)

It is the painful reality of the American moviegoer that in any year more than one film is released on the same subject, the better film will never fail to either be completely eclipsed, publicity-wise, by the worse film (the good, but nothing great, The Lost Boys overshadowing one of the best modern American films, Near Dark), or the better film will simply not be widely released. Such was the case in 1998 with the horrifically bad Dead Man on Campus and its clever companion The Curve. The latter debuted at the Sundance Film Festival eight months before the release of the former, then disappeared until a video release almost eighteen months later. More's the pity for those who subjected themselves to the MTV-Films-produced monstrosity that was Dead Man on Campus.

Both films center around the same idea-the urban legend that if a collegiate's roommate commits suicide, that collegiate will be granted a 4.0 grade point average for the semester. (Both were, in fact, inspired by the same event-a monologue on a standup comedy show on MTV, which is presented in voiceover at the beginning of The Curve.) Dead Man on Campus played the idea for laughs. The Curve, on the other hand, took the idea and turned it into one of the most intriguing pieces to come out of the new film noir movement.

The film centers around five college seniors. Rand (Randall Batinkoff, of Christy fame), Tim (Matthew "Shaggy" Lillard), and Chris (Michael Vartan, most recently seen in One Hour Photo) are roommates; Rand and Chris are also dating roommates Natalie (Tamara Craig Thomas of Odyssey 5) and Emma (Keri Russell, back when she still had great hair). Chris and Tim's grades have both dropped over the semester, and Tim suggests the inevitable: the two of them conspire to kill Rand, whom no one's fond of anyway, and make it look like a suicide. The plot twists, turns, and hairpins from there, becoming that rarest of film birds, an impossibly complex maze that remains easy to follow until the last few minutes (and a few moments of reflection after the movie is over will put everything into place that happens during the climax and denoument).

Many of the reviews I could drum up about the obscure little gem focused on the performance of Matthew Lillard as the borderline psychotic Tim, but to me it was Vartan who truly stood out in this high-powered cast (which also includes such B-level stalwarts as Dana Delany and Henry Strozier). Rare is the role that requires an actor to play the kind of apathetic confusion one often finds in bad slasher films; here we get a chance to see that done right, it's actually workable. Chris, likeably confused throughout, is the perfect foil to Lillard's manic Tim, and the two create an atmosphere of friendship concealing a barely suppressed violence towards one another that gives the film an electricity it needed to stay on track throughout.

Obscure, but well worth tracking down for folks who like their mystery with more twists and turns than a Jane Russell Playtex ad. ****

Well Worth a Look
My college age son and I were enthralled by this film which features three roommates whose zealous attempts to get into Harvard Business school lead to an elaborate plot involving their present university's policy of handing out 4.0 grade point averages if a roommate commits suicide. The plot which begins with a manipulated suicide twists and turns with Hitchcockian flashbacks told in different points of view until the viewer is not quite sure what has happened until the ending---some rewinding may be necessary here to catch some of the nuanced and crucial dialogue. None of the characters in this film are likeable accept perhaps for Chris (Vartan). As he takes his grades so seriously that the stress renders him impotent, the audience at least sympathizes with him on some level albeit not a moral one. The other male characters, Tim and Rand, are so disgustingly unethical and devoid of any inner spiritualism one has to wonder how the actors maintained that empty black hole look that mirrored so effectively the conditions of their characters' souls. Keri Russell of 'Felicity' fame manages to shrug off her good girl persona with an equally ambitious attempt at a portrayal of an essentially soul-less character, although she doesn't quite succeed in being as believable as the two lead males. The most fascinating aspect of the film was the idea that such abject lying and cheating could be employed to move obstacles obstructing the heart's present desire without the physical blinking of an eye or any other sign of psychological reomorse. Makes you wonder what kind of people the writers of this film hang out with and if these are the types that actually go to the nation's top schools. Very scary.

Awesome plot and suspense
Great plot and suspense! It's the Usual Suspects set to a college enviornment!
The plot twists and turns, keeping you constantly guessing, with no way for you to know how it ends. It's one of those films, like the Usual Suspects, that you want to watch multiple times and every time you see it you catch something new.
The dialogue is clever, the acting superb. This is a definite must-see!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Creepy - nobody EVER discusses anything REAL ..........
I've watched this movie several times - to see if I missed anything before, just to see it again, because it's mesmerising (for me, anyway), and because I'm secretly hoping that it wasn't really THAT sick ......... the acting, photography, direction were all superb - the message came across so very true to life in every way ........... and because of all that, I often watch it when it's re-run on the tube; Noah Wyle does an excellent job of portaying the son who suffered so pointedly, the betrayal that goes on in this family - and as in all (or most anyway) families - this one is affected via the trickle down of the tone set by the parents - the father - Roy Scheider - isn't just distant; he's downright mean and destructive - blurred from being discerned clearly, because of his eccentricities - although I did feel that he contrived all of those too. And Blythe Danner did an excellent job of portraying the mother who goes on for decades overlooking her husband's cruel streaks, his creepy deceits, his silence, anger, and his tone-setting refusal to tolerate open communication; in spite of all this unpleasantness in the household, and the effect this all has/had on the now grown children - I enjoy this movie because it all "hangs together" so real and true. It's hard to believe that in this day and age, that there surely are families like this - who simply never communicate openly atall - ever!

Excellent acting; interesting but unsatisfying movie
The acting and the beautiful cinemetography carried this movie, gave it its emotional core and made you care about the characters, whom were largely unsympathetic to begin with. The movie was lacking in a plot but was more about a series of cathartic small revelations between each of the characters which didn't reach a Hollywood type climax where everyone made peace with their pasts, but I sort of felt was appropriate in showing that not all dysfunctional families reach such a conclusion. I enjoyed the moments of silence and tension between the characters as it provided a lot of great acting, reminding me of theatre in that respect. I thought Roy was very compelling as the distant father, although I wished they'd attempted explaining why he behaved the way he did. I thought that Noah Wyle was excellent as Warren, he portrayed his hurt, vulnerability and burried resentment at his father so well that his was the most moving and convincing character, his character basically carries the movie. I also thought Julianne Moore was great in her role as the icy (albeit they never explained why she was that way also) sister, she was unlikeable and amusing in