Responses to this message:
My mom's had pneumonia for the last week and has been obliged to stay at home, very depressed. Last night was the first time she was able to get out, so she called me at work and asked me to meet her at the movies. I should have known we were going to see this movie. She's a devoted disciple in the church of Ray.
The problems with this movie are numerous:
1. The plot devices are sloppy and there are too many of them. Ray really only needs one good reason to run for mayor against Hackman, but instead we're given twelve little stupid reasons, none of which are believable.
2. I love Gene Hackman, and he does his best with the material he's given, but like Jack Nicholson (and, in his day, Clark Gable) he's of an age where it's not cute to see him chase the young girls anymore. It's been a long time since The Poisedon Adventure, dude, and the sight of your wrinkled puss contorting as you french a chick is no longer exciting.
3. Like Seinfeld, Romano is inextricably connected with his sitcom personna. Every time he moved in on his love interest, I kept thinking "Debra's gonna kill him." It just didn't work.
4. Why do older women like him so much? Is it because his TV character is so tolerant of and good to his mother? I sort of understand why people would clap and cheer at a movie like LOTR, but it's inexpressibly lame to watch old ladies golf clap and sniffle when Ray Romano presents his girlfriend with a ring he dug out of the sewer.
5. As usual, Christine Baranski was fabulous. She's a great character actress. Like Thelma Ritter, Edna May Oliver, and Marjorie Main, you can put her anywhere and she's great.
Responses to this message:
Post a response to this discussion thread