BEAUTIFUL GIRLS
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1996 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 5.0 Alternative Scale: ** out of ****
United States, 1996 U.S. Release Date: 2/9/96 (wide) Running Length: 1:50 MPAA Classification: R (Mature themes, sex, profanity, violence) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Timothy Hutton, Matt Dillon, Michael Rapaport, Max Perlich, Lauren Holly, Natalie Portman, Uma Thurman, Rosie O'Donnell, Martha Plimpton, Mira Sorvino, Annabeth Gish Director: Ted Demme Producer: Cary Woods Screenplay: Scott Rosenberg Cinematography: Adam Kimmel Music: David A. Stewart U.S. Distributor: Miramax Films
Despite its name, BEAUTIFUL GIRLS is actually about a group of irritating, twenty-something males whose adolescent attitudes have remained with them well into adulthood. This film centers around a 10- year high school reunion, which explains why so many twenty-eight year olds are gathering in a town where "nothing changes but the seasons." Of course, it goes without saying that most of the principals never left this sleepy, snowy New England hamlet in the first place. Of the nearly-dozen characters assembled for the reunion, only one -- musician Willie (Timothy Hutton) -- had the ambition to head for distant horizons. He returns home with a girlfriend named Tracy (Annabeth Gish) and a host of uncertainties about whether or not he should marry her.
Willie isn't the only one going through an under-30 life crisis. Borrowing heavily from other, better films, director Ted Demme and screenwriter Scott Rosenberg give each of their male protagonists a case of commitment angst. Tommy (Matt Dillon) is caught between two women: the gorgeous-but-married Darien (an unconvincing Lauren Holly) and Sharon (Mira Sorvino), a quiet girl who is desperately in love with him. Paul (the always-irritating Michael Rapaport) would rather fantasize about trysts with supermodels than admit his feelings to his girlfriend, Jan (Martha Plimpton). And Tommy's best friend (Max Perlich) prefers to spend his nights drinking rather than risk becoming involved in a serious relationship.
Dozens of previous releases have plowed the paths traversed by BEAUTIFUL GIRLS. This uninspired retread offers little in the way of originality or freshness. Especially disappointing is the ending, which pulls together all sorts of melodramatic cliches, then uses handwaving to construct hard-to-swallow resolutions for nearly every dilemma. Suddenly -- surprise, surprise -- just about everyone is willing to make a lifelong commitment. Along the way to this conclusion, we get lots of snappy patter that sounds like it came straight out of a script-writer's pen.
There are some high points. Several of the characters, notably those essayed by Timothy Hutton, Matt Dillon, Uma Thurman, and especially Natalie Portman, attain some semblance of believability. Portman, playing a charming, precocious 13-year old who develops a crush on Willie, deserves special recognition. While this subplot could easily have devolved into LOLITA-inspired soap opera material, Portman uses her considerable talent to keep things on a higher level. After each of her too-few scenes in BEAUTIFUL GIRLS, we're eagerly anticipating the next one (they're about the only things worth waiting for). It's interesting to note that in her two significant roles to date (this film and THE PROFESSIONAL), Portman has fallen for much older men.
Other than the interaction between Portman and Hutton, effective moments are rare. There's an admittedly-dopey sequence in a bar where everyone gathers to mangle Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline", and another where Willie and Andera (Uma Thurman) share a quiet evening conversation about life, love, and what it means to devote yourself to someone else's happiness. Besides those rare occasions, though, BEAUTIFUL GIRLS doesn't have much to offer. A great deal of this film is derivative, and you're likely to leave the theater with an unpleasant sense of deja vu.
- James Berardinelli e-mail: jberardinell@delphi.com, berardin@bc.cybernex.net web: http://www2.cybernex.net/~berardin
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