INTERSECTION
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1994 James Berardinelli
Rating (Linear 0 to 10): 4.0
Date Released: 1/21/94 Running Length: 1:38 Rated: R (Mature themes, language, brief nudity, sex)
Starring: Richard Gere, Sharon Stone, Lolita Davidovich, Jennifer Morrison, Martin Landau Director: Mark Rydell Producers: Bud Yorkin and Mark Rydell Screenplay: David Rayfiel and Marshall Brickman based on the film LES CHOSES DE LA VIE by Claude Sautet Music: James Newton Howard Released by Paramount Pictures
The meeting of two fateful roads isn't the only intersection dealt with in this movie. There are also four lives and two loves, hopelessly entwined and inseparably crisscrossed in a web of emotion. And there's the past, present, and future, all coming together at one explosive moment. Too bad that INTERSECTION isn't a silent movie, because the concept sounds reasonable until the characters start reciting some truly dumb dialogue.
Vincent Eastman (Richard Gere) works with his wife Sally (Sharon Stone) and lives with his mistress Olivia Marshak (Lolita Davidovich). Torn between the two--the cool, rational Sally and the wild, tempestuous Olivia--and the different lives they represent, he's unable to commit to either. The only one to whom Vincent is able to give his unconditional love is his daughter Meaghan (Jennifer Morrison). Yet, as he begins to untangle his relationships, a stalled van and a rain-slickened highway take the course of the future beyond his control.
INTERSECTION is told non-linearly, with numerous flashbacks and one critical flash-forward. In scene after scene, the present-day circumstances of Vincent are revealed, along with key incidents that contributed to the situation: his early relationship with his wife, his first meeting with his mistress, his decision to leave Sally, and the an awkward luncheon between Olivia and Meaghan. When Vincent's highway accident occurs, we are supposed to know him, so all that remains is to see how the final act will be played out.
As intriguing as the premise might be, the execution is lacking in several fundamental areas. Richard Gere is an actor of limited range, and INTERSECTION's script demands too much from him. A similar observation can be made regarding his two co-stars, as the performances of Sharon Stone and Lolita Davidovich lack strength and consistency. While Stone's character is supposed to be emotionally-reserved, the actress gives a one-note portrayal that too often renders Sally lifeless. Davidovich, on the other hand, overacts whenever a forceful display of emotion is required.
Regardless of how the actors perform, there's little they can do with the appalling dialogue scripted by writers David Rayfiel and Marshall Brickman. This isn't a case of isolated lines sprinkled throughout; nearly every scene is bursting with cliches and melodramatic sentences that no real person would ever say. The actors' delivery is the lesser part of the problem.
INTERSECTION frequently drags. This shouldn't be the case, since the emotional dynamics inherent in this situation should give the movie a momentum independent of its non-standard narrative style. That doesn't happen, however, principally because too many of the flashbacks aren't convincing or interesting. A prime example is the auction meeting between Vincent and Olivia. More than any other sequence, this one seems scripted and contrived.
Then there's the ending, which takes an interminable amount of time to arrive. The last twenty minutes crawl by as we're treated bad melodrama designed to bring tears to the eyes. Ironically, this part of the movie is where Sharon Stone has her best scenes.
Likability of the characters is also a problem. Sally lives beneath a cold, emotionless shell and rarely, if ever, courts the audience's sympathy, while Vincent is the sort of self-absorbed person that one wishes an accident upon. If there's a desire to feel sorry for anyone, it's for Meaghan, the daughter of these two, yet she appears surprisingly well-adjusted.
Those who like Richard Gere, Sharon Stone, and/or Lolita Davidovich will find something to enjoy about INTERSECTION. The presence of a favorite performer should be enough to eclipse numerous faults. Everyone else, even those who generally enjoy teary histrionics, will likely find this a trying experience. In more ways than one, this particular love triangle is out-of-synch.
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
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