STUART SAVES HIS FAMILY
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1995 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 4.2
U.S. Availability: general release 4/12/95 Running Length: 1:37 MPAA Classification: PG-13 (Language, mature themes)
Starring: Al Franken, Laura San Giacomo, Vincent D'Onofrio, Shirley Knight, Harris Yulin, Lesley Boone Director: Harold Ramis Producers: Lorne Michaels and Trevor Albert Screenplay: Al Franken based on his book Cinematography: Lauro Escorel Music: Marc Shaiman Released by Paramount Pictures
STUART SAVES HIS FAMILY is yet another feature spinoff of a SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE skit. Unfortunately, like the notable flops that preceded it (THE CONEHEADS, IT'S PAT), this one should have remained confined to television. Stretched out to an agonizing ninety-seven minutes, STUART goes from being passably amusing to tedious to virtually unwatchable. Of course, part of the problem is the script, which suffers from a bizarre case of split personality--this has to be the first SNL movie that attempts to deliver a drama-based denouement.
Since FORREST GUMP debuted to universal popular acclaim, the movie- going community has been awaiting the inevitable copycats. Odd that the first should come from the same production company that distributed GUMP (Paramount), and that it should emerge from under the SNL umbrella. While it wouldn't be unexpected for writer/star Al Franken to parody Robert Zemeckis' megahit, that's not the approach he chose. Instead, with only the barest hint of mockery, he has tapped into the mawkishness that made GUMP so well-loved. Stuart isn't necessarily a Forrest clone, but he's a socially-challenged individual who overcomes great adversity to attain fame and prosperity.
The film starts out with a light, satirical touch, showing us part of an episode of a cable access show called DAILY AFFIRMATION, which is hosted by Stuart Smalley (Al Franken). Stuart, a member of about half-a- dozen support groups, including Al-anon, Overeaters' Anonymous, and Debtors' Anonymous, lisps his way through the short program, dispensing pop psychological advice. His "fifteen minutes of fame" are in jeopardy, however, since the director of programming has moved DAILY AFFIRMATION from its customary 12:00 noon slot to 2:45 am, right after a hair replacement infomercial.
Stuart's family is as dysfunctional as they come. His father (Harris Yulin) and brother (Vincent D'Onofrio) are alcoholics, his sister (Leslie Boone) is angst-riddled and overweight, and his mother (Shirley Knight) is indecisive and insensitive. As Stuart puts it (in one of the film's wittiest lines), "Seeing my mother is like a trip to the dentist's before the advent of modern pain killer." Fortunately, Stuart lives in Chicago, where he has friends like the equally screwed up Julia (Laura San Giacomo), while his family is a long bus trip away in Minnesota. Nevertheless, a series of events, beginning with the death of an aunt, keeps Stuart shuttling back and forth between states.
It's difficult to say whether, given a chance, the movie could have succeeded as a uncompromising lampoon. The opening half-hour, which is played almost exclusively for laughs, has its moments (several of which are highlighted by Marc Shaiman's perfectly-toned score), but there's a feeling that the material is already being stretched beyond its natural limits. The film, however, decides to get serious. Instead of continuing its jokey, farcical tone, it turns almost grim as the storyline centers on the cancerous effects of alcoholism in Stuart's family. There's nothing humorous in the scenes where Stuart and his siblings confront their father about how his drinking has scarred their lives.
While on the surface it might seem laudable that Franken has decided to guide his film in this unexpected direction, the problem is that the drama doesn't work. It comes across as flat and heavy-handed. Since each member of Stuart's family is initially introduced as a stereotypical caricature, it's difficult to accept any of them in a situation where they're intended to be taken seriously. Franken doesn't seem to realize that his one-dimensional characters lack the depth necessary for believable drama. The result is a failed attempt to turn a SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE spinoff into a social commentary.
Like Forrest Gump, Stuart Smalley has his arsenal of pithy sayings, including "It's easier to put on slippers than to carpet the entire world." Such comments seek to put a lighter spin on a bleak topic, but they're offered up too late. By then, a heavy dose of gravity has already capsized the floundering ship. In the end, it's this movie that needs saving--but there's no life preserver.
- James Berardinelli (jberardinell@delphi.com)
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