COOKIE'S FORTUNE ***1/2 (out of five stars) A review by Jamey Hughton
Starring-Glenn Close, Julianne Moore, Charles S. Dutton, Liv Tyler, Chris O'Donnell, Ned Beatty and Patricia Neal Director-Robert Altman Rated PG October
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Cookie's Fortune is a light, quirky and enjoyable small-town comedy about a single homicide that shakes everyone up. However, it's not a murder mystery. We know how the events transpired. What Cookie's Fortune revolves around is the manner in which the townspeople react to the tragedy - some with despair, and others with insane lunacy.
The title character, played by Patricia Neal, is a kindly and thoughtful old lady has inherited the wealth of her husband who died several years earlier. Just as Easter weekend approaches, Cookie has gone and done something shocking: she's committed suicide. Her two nieces, Camille (Glenn Close) and Cora (Julianne Moore), stumble onto the body while searching for a salad bowl. Camille is disgusted by the thought of suicide in the family, and so she rearranges the scene to make it appear as if Cookie had been murdered by an unidentified burglar who broke into the house. Cora, desperately short on brain cells, agrees to back up Camille's story when the police investigation begins.
The small local police force is led by Sheriff Lester (Ned Beatty), and backed up by rookie officer Jason (Chris O'Donnell), who jumps enthusiastically at the chance to grab his gun from the holster and approach a crime scene like the fourth member of Charlie's Angels. After Camille and Cora explain their tall tale to everyone, a fingerprints check is run. A match is found in local booze-hound Willis (Charles S. Dutton), a good friend and loyal companion of the victim. In reality, Willis was only cleaning Cookie's guns the night prior to the incident, one of which was used as the ‘murder' weapon.
Altman's detailed character relationships are what makes Cookie's Fortune such a pleasant experience. The interactions between Willis and catfish girl Emma (Liv Tyler), Cora's rebellious daughter, are flat-out delightful. Everyone in the film has a sweet, agreeable characteristic of some kind. Jason and Cora are dim-witted but charming, Willis is honest and reliable, and Emma has a magnetic personality. The one character who perhaps doesn't register under that category is the apprehensible Camille, who treats even her closest relatives like dirt. Close, with wonderful over-the-top zaniness, shines brightly with the stand-out performance of the cast.
Another actor who demands immediate attention is the swift and assured Charles S. Dutton. A veteran actor of countless supporting roles, Dutton is easily one of the most convincing auras to grace the good screen in months. The natural charm that he so amiably carries is welcome throughout Cookie's Fortune - but he's backed in style by the remainder of the talented cast, with particular emphasis on Close and Tyler. Veteran Academy-award winning actress Patricia Neal lends just the required amount of lovable nature to the instantly endearing character of Cookie, up until her expected demise.
Cookie's Fortune lacks the nasty edge of other Altman material (such as The Player and MASH), but there are a lot of minor delights. For example: the romantic liaisons between O'Donnell and Tyler, as they slip behind a Coke machine for some secretive physical engagements. And the way Tyler slips in some appreciated Jack Daniels into Dutton's coffee when he's camping out in his jail cell. `Do you want cream with that?' she asks. `Yeah,' he replies, `heavy on the cream.'
Cookie's Fortune cannot maintain it's comic ease until the credits roll, but the experience, although somewhat slight, is a pleasantly diverting method of spending a few hours. The ensemble cast is delightful, and while the film doesn't offer any groundbreaking elements, it's engaging from beginning to end. The bottom line: this light Cookie will do for a tasty snack if you should feel a craving for something mild and enjoyable.
(C) 1999, Jamey Hughton
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