As Good as It Gets

As Good as It Gets
December 25, 1997
TriStar
Drama, Comedy, Romance
VHS
B-

Although this won critical acclaim and I remember it as being pretty well liked, including by my almost 30-year-old self, it has, in a different way than Spice World, not aged well.  Not that it's embarrassingly '90s or anything, but I just think the whole idea that a man whose obsessive-compulsiveness is the least of his problems can be cured by love and friendship is a bit much.  I could sort of buy him turning human under the influence of one of the all-time cutest movie dogs (a Brussels Griffon), and I could even believe that he would be changed by getting to know a single mom waitress and his gay artist neighbor.  But when he starts playing Santa Claus and winds up with the girl, plausibility is stretched to breaking point.  And that's ignoring the facts that the "hero" is not only about 25 years older than the girl, but an incredible bigot.

That said, the performances remain strong, not just by the three leads-- Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, and Greg Kinnear-- but by such supporting players as Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Yeardley Smith as Kinnear's friends, and Shirley Knight as Hunt's mother.  And, yes, the three dogs playing little Verdell are incredibly expressive.

Frank Slaten had been a henchman in Johnny Dangerously and is Miffed Partygoer here.  Alba Albanese is a New Yorker here and would be Woman in Central Park in The Object of My Affection.  Oriana Nicole Tavoularis is uncredited as a Restaurant Patron here and would be uncredited as Rocker Girl in 200 Cigarettes.  Maya Rudolph who has a very small role as a Policewoman here would have a major role in Bridesmaids, as Lillian.  One of the other waitresses in the cafe is played by 25-year-old Missi Pyle, who would go on to be the one and only Alexandra Cabot in Josie and the Pussycats.

Harold Ramis has a small but pivotal role as Dr. Bettes, while Brian Doyle-Murray is a Handyman here.

Is this as good as it gets?

Bob Roberts

Bob Roberts
September 4, 1992
Miramax
Comedy, Drama
VHS
B-

This "documentary" about the imaginary title politician, a "rebel conservative" whose folk singing parodies Dylan, is not exactly dated, in that it's very specifically set 1990-91, so much as it's a time capsule.  It matters that it's not only set in the months leading up to that particular Gulf War, but that this is long before Sarah Palin and the Tea Party and the rest of the more laughable but scary elements of the modern Republican Party.

It stars 33-year-old Tim Robbins, who also wrote and directed it.  His political rival is perfectly cast, Gore Vidal, then 67 but looking older and more tired than that.  (The novelist and essayist was himself the grandson of a senator, and he provides an insider's viewpoint.)  More surprising casting is that of Roberts's power behind the throne, Alan Rickman, as Lukas Hart III, here sounding very American and fast-talking.

I would actually recommend this movie most for the cast.  Not that it's boring or anything, but the satire is never as sharp or as funny as it should be.  When the movie satirizes Saturday Night Live in the guise of Cutting Edge, it's a bit glass-housey, as is some of the political satire.  (The music satire is actually fairly savvy, as in the INXS-like music video.)  The movie also seems to want to be a mystery and a drama, or even a tragedy.  There is some good acting and some hmmm moments, but it's not up there with mockumentaries like Zelig or Spinal Tap.

Allan Nichols was Rough House in Popeye and plays the director of Cutting Edge here.  Brent Hinkley, who's Bif the Patriot here, was Larry in Zapped Again!  Joe Shelby, who has an uncredited role as a doctor here, would be an uncredited bus rider in Dogma.  Bob Balaban plays Michael Janes here and would be Morris Weissman in Gosford Park.  Robbins's long-time partner Susan Sarandon appears as a TV news anchor, while Helen Hunt is a reporter.  This time Peter Gallagher plays Dan Riley.

Both John Cusack (the Cutting Edge host) and Jack Black (obsessed fan Roger Davis) would of course appear in High Fidelity, which would have one of the vigilantes here, Brian Powell, as Middle Aged Customer.  And the screenplay would be by Steve Pink, who's the Penn State Professor here.

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

Girls Just Want to Have Fun
April 12, 1985
New World
Musical, Romance, Comedy
DVD
C+

At 17, I was a shade too old for this movie, which apparently didn't do well at the box office without my help.  (I got it for like a $1 a couple years ago.)  GJWHF probably is of more interest now than at the time, and that's not saying much.  It has only thematic connection with the Cyndi Lauper song, which is covered by someone more obscure.  (Lauper allegedly appears as Woman in Diner though.)  The main plot elements of a teenage girl getting on a dance show, with the help of her loyal best friend, while falling in love with a cute boy she dances with, would be done much better in Hairspray three years later.  (And Hairspray would manage a lot more of course.)  Lee Montgomery isn't a particularly likable or compelling love interest, although he does have more charisma than Gil Petersen in The Cool Ones.  The film doesn't have the charming absurdity of a '60s teen movie, although there are certainly plot-holes and unexplained character motivation, notably in the debutante ball crashed by punkers, New-Wavers, female body-builders, and others with no better way to spend a Saturday night.

This movie is better than Thank God It's Friday, for what it's worth.  It's more focused and we actually see more of the dancing.  My marginal recommendation though is for the early glimpses of 21-year-old Helen Hunt, 20-year-old Sarah Jessica Parker, 18-year-old Jonathan Silverman, and 14-year-old Shannen Doherty.  Hunt, often with fake creatures on her head, steals every scene she's in, although the other "girls" are watchable enough.  Silverman's character is obnoxious but he tries hard in his first big-screen role.  (The gals were already TV vets by '85.)

As for the rest of the cast, real life d.j./v.j. Richard Blade plays the host of Dance TV.  Twenty-year-old Robert Downey, Jr., whom if I recall correctly was dating Parker at the time, apparently was uncredited as a Punk Party Crasher.  Extra Helen Kelly, who's Woman at the Park here, had previously appeared in Spinal Tap and Johnny Dangerously and would go on to Hamburger: The Motion Picture.  Of the nameless dancers, Karen and Sharon Owens would dance in Earth Girls Are Easy, while Tita Omeze would be Tanya in that movie.

"Dude, don't touch my hair!"