THE ADVENTURES OF SEBASTIAN COLE A film review by Steve Rhodes Copyright 1999 Steve Rhodes RATING (0 TO ****): **
High school student Sebastian Cole (Adrian Grenier) has been having the sort of little, slightly bizarre adventures that happen in movies. Lying in his underwear on the roof of his house while the rain pours down is typical of the episodes in first-time writer and director Tod Williams's THE ADVENTURES OF SEBASTIAN COLE.
In another, a stranger with strawberry-flavored lipstick kisses Sebastian as he lies in the grass one evening. "Sorry, I thought you were someone else," she apologizes before vanishing into the dark.
Most of the time Sebastian hangs around with his buddies, smoking and drinking. Once he guzzles one and a half fifths of whiskey in order to see how it feels to be seriously drunk. This is one of the few times in his life when he over achieves, waking up afterwards in the hospital. The movie, however, shows him not the least bit tipsy before he passes out and not looking any worse for wear when he finally awakes days later.
The one dramatically unusual aspect to Sebastian's life is his stepfather Hank (Clark Gregg) -- soon to be his stepmother Henrietta. The sweet but assertive Hank/Henrietta is an exemplary father/mother, something that Sebastian's real father, Hartley (John Shea), never has been. Among other things, Hartley complains that Sebastian has "way too many friends and cares about way too many people." This sensitivity, he fears, will dull Sebastian's creative writing edge.
Other than wearing dresses and light make-up, Henrietta looks and acts little changed from Hank after her first operation. She's a tough mom, who's willing to slug a guy who gets out of line, but who still likes hitting on cute waitresses. She is, however, a minor character. The story is structured as a montage of incidents from Sebastian's life.
His rich paternal grandmother can't figure Sebastian out. "I don't understand how such a vain boy could spend so much time making himself unattractive," she complains about his slightly streaked hair. Actually, the quiet and pensive Sebastian is anything but vain. He doesn't seem to care much about anything, least of all his appearance, even if he is strikingly handsome. His life is a blur, much like the movie.
The small film is filled with tiny, frequently unrelated incidents that never amount to anything. The filmmaker shows no talent at storytelling, leaving the movie to live or die on the basis of the characters it creates. And none of them, save Hank/Henrietta, are compelling.
THE ADVENTURES OF SEBASTIAN COLE runs 1:40. It is rated R for language, crude sexual references and some substance abuse and would be acceptable for teenagers.
Email: Steve.Rhodes@InternetReviews.com Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com
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