RENAISSANCE MAN
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1994 James Berardinelli
Rating (0 to 10): 5.5
Date Released: 6/3/94 Running Length: 2:08 Rated: PG-13 (Language)
Starring: Danny DeVito, Gregory Hines, Stacey Dash, Kadeem Hardison, Khalil Kain, Marky Mark, James Remar, Cliff Robertson Director: Penny Marshall Producers: Sara Colleton, Elliot Abbott, and Robert Greenhut Screenplay: Jim Burnstein Cinematography: Adam Greenberg Music: Hans Zimmer Released by Touchstone Pictures
Penny Marshall films (BIG, AWAKENINGS, A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN) are like cotton candy--pure sugar spun into a semblance of form that collapses and dissolves after consumption. That's generally not a bad thing and, as far as motion pictures are concerned, it has its place. Unfortunately, RENAISSANCE MAN is far from the director's best effort. In fact, it's like someone injected a dash of bitter lemon to the confection.
Danny DeVito plays Bill Rago, a big-time ad man who loses his job when his tardiness at a meeting costs his firm a $6 million contract. After enduring the rigors of the unemployment line, Bill lands a job as a teacher at an army base. His function at Fort McClane is to take the eight most educationally-challenged recruits and "teach them to comprehend" so that they can graduate. There are problems, however (there have to be, otherwise there wouldn't be a movie). First, Bill has never taught before. Second, he doesn't want to teach now--his desire is to return to advertising. And third, his students don't respect him because he's a civilian.
Taken as a whole, RENAISSANCE MAN is a typical offering from the director. It's about earning mutual respect, righting wrongs, and enjoying a too-sappy happy ending. However, along the way, this movie wanders, never offering much insight into any of the characters, relying on poorly-concealed plot devices, and manipulating with a surprising heavy-handedness. The feel is not right, and it has as much to do with the movie's failed attempt to deal with too many individuals as with its overlong running time.
One of the first rules of storytelling, whether it's through cinema or another medium, is "show, don't tell." RENAISSANCE MAN violates this from the start, having each of the eight students recite a brief history. As if hearing a poignant snippet is going to create an immediate emotional attachment....
HAMLET and HENRY V are Bill's principal teaching materials. While the circumstances of Shakespeare's introduction into the classroom are forced, once the students get into the Bard's work, there are some worthwhile moments (including a lively rap synopsis of HAMLET). There's not enough content for RENAISSANCE MAN to function as a Cliffnotes, but those familiar with the plays shouldn't have any problem following along.
What saves RENAISSANCE MAN is its cast. From Danny DeVito and Gregory Hines on down, everyone turns in a fine performance. While all of the actors portraying students are convincing, a couple are worth singling out. Stacey Dash, who plays Miranda Myers, the only female member of Bill's group, is tremendous, combining energy, sex appeal, and intelligence in a lively mix. Marky Mark, hitherto known only as a "personality", proves that he can actually do some acting. His low-key style is oddly reminiscent of that of a young Tommy Lee Jones.
RENAISSANCE MAN is a movie of moments, too many of which are mediocre or unfulfilling. Feel-good movies are a staple of summer viewing, and in order to succeed with one, there has to be enough originality to transcend the run-of-the-mill product. This film, with its total predictability, misses the bullseye. A bad Penny Marshall picture still has appeal, but RENAISSANCE MAN is a disappointment, and far from the best that's available.
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
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