SEVEN GIRLFRIENDS A film review by Steve Rhodes Copyright 2000 Steve Rhodes RATING (0 TO ****): ***
If you wanted to redo your past, how would you know what to change? In Paul Lazarus's sweet comedy, SEVEN GIRLFRIENDS, Jesse (Timothy Daly) thinks he has a solution for that problem.
In his 18 years of dating, he has had no trouble finding girlfriends, but he has had great difficulty in forming permanent relationships. When Anabeth (Laura Leighton), his favorite, albeit not his latest, girlfriend dies, he decides to research his past relationship failures starting with the first of his seven girlfriends. He'll simply ask them what went wrong with their relationship?
This research isn't as straightforward as it seems. As his first love, Marie (Mimi Rogers), explains to him, "Usually the reasons a person tells you that they broke up with you are never the real reasons." She then explains how she is different, telling him things that she didn't like, from his lousy presents to his strange singing to his rushing sex. At her house, the story first demonstrates its ability to surprise and delight the audience. Some things that seem obvious prove to be anything but. These surprises make for some of the movie's best humor.
Using flashbacks, dream sequences and alternative versions of what could have been, the movie keeps the momentum going and the film never sags. There are also lots of delightful little subplots, including one about Jesse, who is a professional chef, which concern his ability to cook without an oven. Radiators, light bulbs and dishwashers prove perfectly acceptable substitutes for a traditional oven.
The casting is excellent and other girlfriends include Hannah (Olivia d'Abo), a bad psychic, Lisa (Jami Gert), a very angry ex-girlfriend and Martha (Elizabeth Peņa), the most changed woman. Lisa's friend Laura (Melora Hardin) is an insomniac who comes to Jesse's aid and helps him through some of his tough times. Although dead, Anabeth, gets the most screen time through frequent flashbacks. She was, after all, the real love of his life. Her funeral provides the equivalent of the movie's big game conclusion.
The good-spirited film doesn't try to provide big insights into life, although the messages are there nonetheless. The fun picture, which is happy just to entertain us, gives us more than our money's worth of laughs. With so many big budgeted Hollywood films being so bad, it's nice to see the producers of a modestly budgeted picture trying to rock the boat by distributing the film themselves outside of the studio system. If the film comes to your area, don't miss it. And if it hasn't yet, ask for it.
SEVEN GIRLFRIENDS runs 1:40. It isn't rated but will undoubtedly be an R for sex, nudity and language. The movie would be fine for older teenagers.
Email: Steve.Rhodes@InternetReviews.com Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com
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