Friday, 4/11/97
Screenscene
"Paradise Road"
Directed by Bruce Beresford
Starring Glenn Close, Frances McDormand
A film with an all-star cast of women is often considered a
"chick flick," and the emotions it deals with sometimes inspire
accusations of mushiness.
With performances by Glenn Close, Oscar winner Frances
McDormand, "ER’s" Julianna Margulies, Pauline Collins and Jennifer
Ehle, this period film has all the makings of another "Joy Luck
Club" or "Steel Magnolias."
But what transforms this female bonding flick is the overseas
location, in a Japanese internment camp during World War II.
Based on a little-known true experience, the film centers on the
capture of thousands of women and children from all over the world.
Forced into a prison camp by the Japanese during the remainder of
the war, these women’s struggles to survive include making
life-long friendships and forming a vocal orchestra to keep their
spirits alive. With virtually no male leads in this film except for
their cartoonish Japanese captors, the women take center stage and
do not disappoint. "Paradise Road" is more proof that there are
many capable actresses who are in need of meaty roles like the ones
offered here. Glenn Close and Pauline Collins are heartwarming as
the leaders of the vocal orchestra, whose determined vision keeps
the other prisoners sane and hopeful. Their touching friendship is
the heart of the movie, as Close’s and Collins’ characters
gradually depend on each other for support and strength. There are
a potpourri of complex female characters offered in this movie,
weaving different personalities in order to create both conflict
and closeness between the women.
Some highlights include McDormand’s ("Fargo") gritty portrayal
of a German-Jewish doctor and Ehle’s (BBC’s "Pride and Prejudice")
heart-wrenching performance as a British model who lives only to
see her beloved husband again. Since the female characters are
allowed to shine in this film, the actors portraying the Japanese
soldiers are left in the dark, often never going beyond the
stereotype of the brutalizing, malicious enemy. They are only seen
as hateful, sadistic men who take out their frustrations on the
helpless women and children. The audience never can tell if there
is an ounce of humanity in them. While the grim depictions of abuse
and torture of the women prisoners can be a bit too much for those
with queasy stomachs, "Paradise Road" is nonetheless a fine
showcase for the talented cast and a history lesson for the
audience, who may not know the story of these courageous women and
the unspeakable horrors that they endured.
Aimee Phan
Grade: B+
"Chasing Amy"
Directed by Kevin Smith
Starring Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams
Witty dialogue that pokes fun at the inanities of real life has
always been director Kevin Smith’s specialty, as seen in both his
indie hit "Clerks" and his bigger-budget sophomore failure,
"Mallrats." But Smith has bounced back with "Chasing Amy," a film
that is far superior to his previous films. Not only is "Amy"
better written, better acted, and more polished, it also marks
Smith’s maturation as a dramatic storyteller, when he deals with
serious issues in this bittersweet romantic comedy.
Borrowing some of Smith’s cast from "Mallrats," "Amy" centers on
Holden McNeil (Affleck), a sweet comic book creator who falls in
love with Allysa Jones (Adams), an intelligent and charming comic
book writer whose flamboyant nature endears Holden to her.
But there is a delicious twist in this seemingly standard story
of boy-meets-girl. She only likes girls. Yet this doesn’t stop
Allysa from becoming friends with Holden, and the unique
camaraderie between the two baffles her circle of lesbian friends
and Holden’s best friend.
As their friendship slowly evolves into love, Holden and Allysa
confront their personal insecurities with the past, as they
struggle with their own strong feelings for each other.
While Smith’s razor-sharp wit and pop culture references are the
biggest highlights in the film (if only real people could be as
clever and perceptive as Smith’s characters), the stellar
performances cannot be ignored. With her baby-doll voice and
almond-shaped eyes, Adams moves beyond her girlfriend roles in
movies and television. She delivers a star-making performance,
winning in her early courtship with Holden and heartbreaking in the
later scene when her past catches up to her. Affleck, in his
biggest leading role in a feature film to date, convincingly
portrays Holden as a typical ’90s male, a self-proclaimed liberal
who won’t admit to his insecurities about his girlfriend’s sexual
past.
Audiences already know Smith’s amazing talent from "Clerks," but
with "Chasing Amy," Smith delivers a double punch that makes
viewers laugh and cry by showing how hard relationships can be at
any age.
Aimee Phan
Grade: A-
The following films will be released this Tuesday, April 15th,
in local video stores:
"The Ghost and the Darkness"
"101 Dalmatians"
"The Associates"