WITH HONORS
A Film Review by Michael J. Legeros
Copyright 1994 Michael J. Legeros
Forget that the ads hint at something more silly, WITH HONORS is a calm college comedy cum drama about a homeless man (Joe Pesci) who enters the lives of four Harvard roommates (Brendan Fraiser, Moria Kelly, Patrick Dempsey, and Josh Hamilton).
The plot device is a 100-page thesis, lost by Monty (Fraiser) and rescued by Simon (Pesci), a "financially challenged" individual who lives under the college library. Simon offers a trade: one page for one favor. Said favors range from a "pristine glazed donut" to a place to stay for the winter. In comes the bum, out comes astonishment (from Monty's roomies) and everyone ends up with a squishy life-lesson for their troubles.
William Mastrosimone's dialogue is rather ripe, but director Alek Keshishian (TRUTH OR DARE) keep a tight reign on both the tone and Pesci. The diminutive Oscar-winner doesn't have much room to expand, much less scene-steal, and that's probably the point. At least up until a cornball ending which reunites the bum with his son. P-l-e-a-s-e.
Watch for Gore Vidal, a stitch as a Monty's mentor. A sample of his dialogue : "I don't agree with what your brain has produced."
If nothing else, WITH HONORS makes a pleasing alternative to the abandon- hope-all-ye-under-30 outlook portrayed in REALITY BITES.
Grade: C+
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