ISHTARRIFIC!
A film review by Neil Pollner
Copyright 1987 Neil Pollner
I went and saw a 40-million dollar movie today--but guess what: it only cost me $4.50. And I adored it! I call that a deal. What's scary is that I almost didn't see this film because of all the negative reviews. Most critics branded ISHTAR a barely humorous, overly costly disaster. Why should they care what it cost to make--they were *paid* to see the movie!
In the past, a consensus "thumbs down" may very well have kept me from a new release--there are so many films popping up, even a religious movie-goer like myself needs some screened input--but this is straw that breaks the camel's back! What are you guys, blind?!? ISHTAR had me laughing hysterically; not only were the performances genuine and the characterizations humanly animated, but it created two characters that I could care about, which I am finding to be a unique trait that usually evades films today.
Yet one of the comments I have heard most frequently from critics, was that they found ISHTAR to be poorly cast, therefore making the characters unbelievable; there can not be a more inaccurate statement. Beatty was magnificently convincing as the stiff, southern klutz who has a hard time attracting women--sure he is Warren Beatty, but HE'S AN ACTOR! And in ISHTAR he proved to me that he is a good one. As far as Dustin Hoffman goes: I've never *not* believed a performance of his--and here it applied threefold. There were scene where he almost made me fall out of my seat. The two of them were spectacular together! Not to mention that, whey they're not on the screen, the supporting cast, led brilliantly (as usual) by Charles Grodin, unerringly complements the shinning appeal of this always outrageous, sometimes chaotic, and oftentimes sincerely human adventure/comedy.
Well, even though I feel that I can't say enough about ISHTAR, I have said my piece. Also, in a way I must thank all the reviewers that blackballed the film. Thanks to your critiques coupled with the timely release of BEVERLY HILLS COP 2 (which, incidentally, I loved too), I was able to view ISHTAR in a relatively unpacked theatre free from all the annoying audience banter that has been making weekend movie-going an unpleasant experience in my area recently. But that is another argument (and possibly another article). See ISHTAR for yourself--it's a very complete, good time.
Neil Pollner
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