L. A. STORY
A film review by Jim Pellmann
Copyright 1991 Jim Pellmann
This one took me by surprise: none of the ads, clips, or reviews I saw prepared me for this good a movie. It's an intelligent, funny romantic comedy, using Los Angeles as a surreal backdrop.
Written by and starring Steve Martin, it's the story of a "wiggy, wacky TV weatherman" who gets dumped by his status-conscious girlfriend (Marilu Henner), has a brief affair with a frenetic valley girl named SanDeE* (no, that's not my terminal acting up), and ultimately pursues a British journalist (played by Martin's real life wife, Victoria Tennant).
But this is L.A. and the city is as much a character in this story as anyone else. Indeed, a central "character" is a freeway road conditions sign that magically communicates with Martin and helps him in his romantic quests. One reviewer compared this movie's fairy tale aspects to those of ALICE, but with a lighter touch.
As is expected from Martin, L.A. is the butt of a continual string of jokes and the film is filled with jabs at the people and lifestyles of southern California. Some are mildly amusing: Martin driving over sidewalks and neighbors' lawns, and down steep staircases to avoid traffic jams; power lunchers' blase ignorance of an earthquake. Others are wickedly hilarious: the TV station's ever-changing news show format; Martin's attempts to obtain a reservation at the city's hottest new restaurant, L'Idiot, where potential customers must submit complete financial records, and diners are offered designer dental floss between courses. Two days later, I'm still finding myself chuckling over some scenes.
This is the type of California bashing the rest of the country loves to see. But in this case it is all tempered by gorgeous scenes of the tropical, the bright, the successful side of L.A. life. Martin may complain of living in an "intellectual-free zone", but everybody is enjoying it, and we do too. There are many visually stunning scenes and liberal use of time-lapse photography. The mood is capped by lush musical interludes from new-age artist Enya.
With so much going on, you have to look fast. You'll easily miss some of the visual humor if you don't pay close attention. There are also literally dozens of uncredited cameo appearances by well-known movie and TV personalities. Rick Moranis shows up as a Shakespeare-quoting gravedigger, Chevy Chase as a restaurant patron whose financial failings relegate him to a table in the back, and Patrick Stewart (Capt. Picard on the new "Star Trek") as the owner of L'Idiot.
While all the performances are on target, it's Steve Martin's writing that impressed me the most. All in all, thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended.
-- Jim Pellmann (jpellmann@rational.com) RATIONAL Santa Clara, California
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