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Reviews
The MatchMaker (1997)
Wonderfully filmed, but Garofalo is grating
I've seen this movie perhaps six times or more over the past few years, have lived in Massachusetts for awhile, and have traveled around Ireland -- so I feel fully qualified to comment on the content of this film.
First, it has a totally believable premise: an idiot Senator from Massachusetts (no surprise here), based on advice from a slimeball consultant (deftly played by Dennis Leary) sends a lackey (Janeane Garofalo) on a mission to Ireland to document his family roots, so that he can use this information to pander to his Irish constituents during a close re-election campaign.
The lackey (named Marcy) arrives in a small village during the middle of a match-making festival, tries in vain to research the Senator's family history, ends up questioning her own morality and hypocrisy, and eventually falls for a local bar-keeping Irishman (Sean, played by David O'Hara). Love triumphs in the end back at Quincy Market in Boston. How sweet.
The MatchMaker was beautifully filmed, has an excellent soundtrack, and the Irish characters, who are the true stars of the film, play their parts well. Many of the actors in the delightful movie "Waking Ned Devine" appear here as well. Overall it's a pleasant comedy. Especially fun to watch is matchmaker Milo O'Shea, and the banter he shares with a competitor (Rosaleen Linehan). The scene where the local townsfolk rebel against the Senator in a "staged" family reunion is also a laugh-aloud hoot.
However, the film is not without its problems. It's chock full of Irish stereotypes (numerous references to JFK, and lots of drinking, singing, and dancing in the pubs). The characters all seem to be overtly friendly to Marcy. Yes, the Irish are indeed friendly folk, but this movie goes way over the top at times. Marcy's in town for but a few days, yet the townspeople speak and interact with her as if they've known her for years, even after they discover her true motive for being there. Pleeeease.
The biggest problem I have with the movie is Garofalo herself. She's just not cut out to play a romantic part. She's a drinking buddy, not a lover. Her scenes with David O'Hara are awkward at best. Sure, she's mildly attractive (at least she was in 1997), but she's also gruff and gritty. These are Garofalo's supposed comedic traits, but, like her political opinions, they wear on you after awhile, and it becomes clearly and quickly apparent that she was miscast here.
One final dig against Janeane. I try to separate one's politics from the performance, but, like her character in this movie, Garofalo is a hypocrite. She's often labeled those in the current administration as "stupid," even though she's just a "hip" college dropout who has little qualification (other than being famous), to question their intelligence. The accuracy of Garofalo's views is best illustrated in the following exchange in the film between her and O'Hara...
Marcy: Is being "stupid" like being high all the time?
Sean: No, it's like being right all the time.
Well said Sean, well said.
The American President (1995)
Left-Wing Liberal Gibberish
Having a long bus ride with nothing to read, I started watching "The American President" out of shear boredom. That boredom quickly turned to anger as the left-wing bias of the movie clearly became evident: liberal democrats are good, conservative republicans are bad (and not just bad... evil).
Before seeing the final credits, I knew that "Meathead" Rob Reiner had to be involved in some way. "Meathead" is better off sticking with comedy (like the brilliant "Spinal Tap"), than pushing his liberal left-wing, fantasy-based agenda onto the American public.
Such as shame, because the scenes involving the inner workings of the White House were actually quite entertaining. I suppose partisan politics have to be injected in any movie about an American president, but the concept of balance (especially on Reiner's scale of late, to pardon the pun) seems to be long forgotten in Hollywood.
Ruby (1992)
Possibly the worst film I've ever seen
Lets start this review on a good note: Sherilyn Fenn is a stunner in this film. She's absolutely gorgeous. Her acting, of course, is terrible given the poor script she had to work with (Candy Cane? What about Sticky Sweet?). However, her strip-tease scenes alone almost make it worth sitting through this 111 minutes of celluloid dung.
That being said, I'll repeat my summary, that this is possibly the worst film I've ever seen. I'm a big fan of mob movies. I'm also a student of the Kennedy assassination, so when films address this topic, or attempt to reference the event, I like it when they at least TRY to address the facts. JFK made a brave attempt at this, even though it made Garrison look like the saint of all good causes (he wasn't), and accused everyone but the Pope of being involved in the plot.
Ruby is just a bad movie, pure and simple. What made Ruby so bad wasn't the actors per se, but the terrible writing, which was non-stop speculation and fantasy, and the direction, which seemed non existent. Aiello, like Fenn, did the best with what he had, but his performance was laughable. He had to portray Ruby as a mobster with a heart, and if I had heard any more exasperated cries of "Candy Cane!" from him, I was going to puke. All the stereotypical mob elements, and actors, are in this film. Even Joe Viterelli, who like Frank Vincent seems to be in every mob movie, makes an appearance here as Joe Valachi.
Yes, Ruby was a hood from Chicago, and he shot Oswald, and he associated with elements of the mafia, and he was chummy with the Dallas cops, and he went to Cuba on occasion. At least the film got this right, but that's where it ends. Ruby killed a mobster with a .38 hidden inside a movie camera? Ruby was in the same hotel in Las Vegas with a red-haired David Ferrie when Kennedy was getting laid? That's news to me. That same night, The Sun (The Sands), featured Tony Montana (Frank Sinatra), while Santos Alicante (Santos Trafficante) and the boys hosted Appalachia II right out in the public eye. Sure. Besides trying to avoid a lawsuit with all the reworked names (they did properly refer to a Sam Giancana though), the film muddles through bad plot lines with this kind of tie-it-all-together nonsense.
And what was with the mysterious Maxwell character played by Arliss Howard? "I know everything Jack. Here Jack, here's a rifle. Go kill Castro. And by the way, who's the girl?" Absurd.
Don't waste your time seeing this film, unless you are a Sherilyn Fenn fanatic. Fast forward, play the first strip scene, fast forward, play the last strip scene, eject, then toss it in the garbage, where it belongs.
The Godfather Part III (1990)
A good story ruined by one bad apple
I found Godfather Part III to be a plausible, but somewhat flawed, ending to the Godfather saga. The story of Immobiliare and corruption within the church was riveting. Most of the parts were acted well, especially Pacino's and Garcia's. The notable exception, as many have pointed out, was Sofia Coppola - she was definitely miscast for the central and crucial role of Maria. The woman just cannot act, at least in this film. A good film would have been a much better one had Winona Ryder stayed on.
Other shortcomings: the hit scene in Atlantic City was just not believable. More people would have fled that room than what was shown. Also, the final scene in which Mary is killed is overly melodramatic, while it defies the law of physics. I don't know of anyone who could take a shot in the chest from a 9mm at close range, then have enough strength to keep standing and say "Daddy" before collapsing (OK, maybe the guy from Halloween could).
Also, what happens to Connie, and Vinnie after the hit at the opera? A short glimpse of their lives after would have been good.
Despite the flaws, it is still a good film. It could have been much, much better, perhaps even one of the best in the saga, with better writing and casting.
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
A Moving Film that Created a Moving Personal Moment
I was deeply moved after seeing Saving Private Ryan. It is simply the best war movie ever made. And to the European critics: it was not meant to be an all-encompassing work about the allied effort in Normandy during World War II (see The Longest Day for that). It is an American story, about American sacrifice, made by a master of American film. Its purpose is clear: to help remind and educate our country about the sacrifices made by the Greatest Generation, and this education is long overdue. If Spielberg had to wave a flag and tug at emotions to do this, so be it.
Beyond mere words, this film has spurred people to action. Many Americans now seek out World War II veterans to give them the respect they deserve, and to hear their stories, before they are gone. For me, it was a catalyst. My father landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day, and it was with great pride that I took him back there last year for the 55th anniversary of the event. He was able to meet and discuss his experiences with many American, Canadian, and British veterans.
In a particularly personal and memorable moment, and reminiscent of the opening and closing sequences of the film, my father and I visited his buddy's grave at the American Cemetery in Colleville Sur Mer. His friend was killed in action on Omaha Beach on D-Day. Memories of the friendship shared and lost overwhelmed him, and brought the visit into perspective. Yes there is honor and glory in war, but also incredible waste. May it never happen again.