SUGAR TOWN A film review by Steve Rhodes Copyright 1999 Steve Rhodes RATING (0 TO ****): ***
"Remember, it's just as easy to make rich friends as poor ones," Gwen (Jade Gordon) writes in her list of life's rules. "Remember, stardom is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration," she continues. "I think Cher said that."
Gwen thinks she's on her way to the top in the entertainment world, just as soon as her junkie songwriter (Jeffrey McDonald) comes up with the songs she has carefully ordered. She requested, for example, that one of them should be a love ballad about rape.
SUGAR TOWN by joint writers and directors Allison Anders and Kurt Voss is a bitingly sardonic tale about fame and the lack thereof. Like a mixture of THE PLAYER and SHORT CUTS, the satire successfully includes over a dozen leads and yet manages to develop all of them into interesting individuals in their own right. A thoroughly enjoyable movie, it is full of laughs, small and large.
The plot surrounds some once successful rock stars who have trouble getting their songs produced anymore. The story also concerns their wives, lovers and friends. Their collective troubles include rehab, financial insecurity, promiscuity and love.
Eva (Rosanna Arquette), an ex-horror movie star, has just had the most frightening experience of her life. She has been offered a part as Christina Ricci's mother. Horror of horrors! Eva thinks she's too young for that. Still, it is work. Her husband, Clive (John Taylor), who was "like the rock god of the 80s," can't get a gig even though groupies still show up at his doorstep to offer their panties in tribute.
Ally Sheedy, after her highly acclaimed dramatic performance last year in HIGH ART, shows off the comedic side of her talents. She plays Liz, a movie production designer, who has a miserable track record when it comes to men. Poking fun at New Age theories and health food stores, the story has her turning to holistic massage and other techniques to remove her perceived mental and physical blockages in order to find love. When she meets a guy working the wheat-grass machine at a health food store, she thinks she has finally located Mr. Right. Needless to say, he will prove less than organic.
Liz's connection to the rest of the story includes her dating Burt (Larry Klein), the record producer whom Clive's band is trying to convince to back their new album. Their lead song, "gravy-stained girl," sounds terrible, at least according to Nerve (Vincent Berry), a devilish 12-year-old recently dumped on Clive's doorstep. Nerve's mom claims Clive impregnated her on one of his tours. Clive has a wonderful, but unprintable, explanation to prove that he couldn't be Nerve's father.
The quirky comedy, full of biting sarcasm, is also educational. What is the secret to successful songs? "It's all about the microphone," Bert explains. What he does is find just the right mike for the singer. Simple, huh?
SUGAR TOWN runs a fast 1:32. It is rated R for strong language, some drug content and sexuality and would be fine for teenagers.
Email: Steve.Rhodes@InternetReviews.com Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com
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