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KISSING A FOOL
What a fun movie! The story may not be the most believable but the acting is so deliciously good and fast-paced you are not going to care; it will seem like a true story.
The movie opens with a wedding in a large outdoor garden.
Max (David Schwimmer) and Jay (Jason Lee) are best friends who go way back together. While Max, a sports broadcaster who has more women than should be allowed any one man in a lifetime, that is about all he does know. Women and sports. Jay, on the other hand, is more literary and cultured. One day Jay tells Max he has a girl, Samantha, whom Max absolutely must date. Affectionately called "Sam," she (the adorable Mili Avatal), happens to be an editor at a publishing house where Jay is having his book made ready. Playboy Max and cultured Sam could hardly be less alike.
In a hysterically funny scene, a real belly-laugher, Max berates Jay for having ruined his reputation by having himself be seen and photographed with a loud-mouthed drunk. In detail he describes last night to an incredulous Jay.
Very shortly thereafter Max is moving into Sam's apartment. Surprised? Never fear; it is all explained in the movie.. Sam makes an announcement, on a sports broadcast listened to by his many female friends, that he is no longer "available." At this point I should mention that while Schwimmer and Lee are handsome, the beautiful, Ms. Avatal, a shining star in Israel, has the most expressive eyes and face anywhere on the screen today. Lovely. Worth the price of admission;
All would be well as both Sam and Max appear to be deeply in love. But Max, the kind of guy who never heard "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," begins to worry what if one day Sam decides she has had enough of him and dumps him; he has always been the dumper and now is afraid of possibly ending up a dumpee. He must find out if Sam is a one-man woman. If Jay would play up to her with flowers, dinners, nice words, would he be able to get Sam into the sack? If "Yes" then he better know before he marries her.
Jay, of course, tells him he is crazy and he will not do it but Max begs and so Jay goes along. The idea is not to bed her but only to see if that were possible. As well we all know, nothing ever works out as planned which is why this riotous comedy takes a very humorous turn.
Almost stealing the movie from the three main characters is Bonnie Hunt as Linda, a woman at the wedding who is relating to two breathless guests what the wedding is all about.. She knows every bit of the story that leads up to the wedding and she relates what is happening while the movie flashes back and forth in time to show what it is she is describing. A gimmick but here used to perfection. Not to be missed.
Directed by Doug Ellin
Screenplay is by James Frey and Doug Ellin
from story by James Frey.
3 Bytes
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Copyright 1998 Ben Hoffman
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