THE INCREDIBLY TRUE ADVENTURES OF TWO GIRLS IN LOVE
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1995 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 6.3
Shown at the Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema U.S. Release Date: June 1995 Running Length: 1:33 MPAA Classification: R (Mature themes, profanity, sex)
Cast: Laurel Hollomon, Nicole Ari Parker, Dale Dickey, Nelson Rodriguez,
Stephanie Berry
Director: Maria Maggenti
Producer: Dolly Hall
Screenplay: Maria Maggenti
Cinematography: Tami Reiker
Music: Terry Dame
U.S. Distributor: Fine Line Features
THE INCREDIBLY TRUE ADVENTURES OF TWO GIRLS IN LOVE, director Maria Maggenti's debut feature, is a lesbian romantic comedy. Coming hot on the heels of BAR GIRLS and last year's GO FISH, it provides a different, although equally lighthearted, perspective on a romance between two females. In this case, the protagonists are high school girls, and the experience represents the first stirrings of true love for each of them.
ADVENTURES gets off to an unpromising start, with some mediocre opening music that screams "I'm a comedy!" (as if the overlong title wasn't enough to get the point across). For about the first half-hour, most of the jokes fall flat, and the few that work are unlikely to cause more than a smattering of laughter. The characters follow fairly traditional patterns. Randy (Laurel Hollomon) is a tough-as-nails tomboy living in "your typical, normal lesbo household." Eve (Nicole Ari Parker) is a well-spoken, intelligent young woman who has just broken up with her boyfriend. The two get together and become friends.
Although the opening scenes aren't a memorable example of movie making, at least they're infused with a high level of energy and enthusiasm. Regardless of script and budget limitations, it's clear that director Maria Maggenti invested a great deal of herself in this project. She made ADVENTURES to show the world that lesbian love is just as funny and touching as its heterosexual counterpart.
Fortunately, as things start heating up between Randy and Eve, the screenplay gets a needed influx of winning humor. And, as the level of comedy escalates, the audience warms up to the characters. While it's true that neither is fleshed out to three dimensions, both radiate auras of likability. The laughter and general goodwill generated by the final hour makes the plodding first thirty minutes forgivable.
ADVENTURES doesn't offer any new or unexpected revelations about lesbian lifestyles or gay/straight interaction. Many of Maggenti's secondary characters are caricatures, but Randy and Eve thankfully settle on a slightly elevated plane. This is in part due to fine performances by two little-known actresses, Laurel Hollomon and Nicole Ari Parker, who didn't get paid for the work they contributed.
This film is probably a little too predictable to appeal to the wide, "crossover" audience Fine Line is aiming for, but it offers a better-than-average entertainment experience for those who suffered through the likes of CLAIRE OF THE MOON and the aforementioned BAR GIRLS. THE INCREDIBLY TRUE ADVENTURES OF TWO GIRLS IN LOVE represents a moderately enjoyable, if somewhat silly, diversion, which, in essence, makes it a typical -- although untraditional -- entry into the romantic comedy genre.
- James Berardinelli (jberardinell@delphi.com)
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