GIRL 6
A film review by Scott Marcus
Copyright 1996 Scott Marcus
Cast: Theresa Randle, Isiah Washington, Spike Lee
Cameos: Quentin Tarantino, Madonna, Naomi Campbell, Richard Belzer,
John Turturro, Halle Berry
Director: Spike Lee
Writer: Suzan-Lori Parks
Composer: Prince
Grade: D
GIRL 6 is, in a word, a mess. I was never able to determine what Spike Lee was trying to accomplish with this film. There was no sense of where the film was going, or any kind of coherent narrative. If there was a point to the film, I missed it. Girl 6, by the way, is the way Theresa Randle's character is addressed in the phone sex workplace; all the girls are known by their numbers.
The plot, such as it is: Theresa Randle is a struggling N.Y. actress, and eventually takes a job as a phone-sex operator. She begins to lose contact with reality, as her job consumes her. Also, she must deal with the advances of her ex-husband (Isiah Washington). He is an ex- con thief, and she tries to keep him away, while at the same time, it's clear that she still harbors feelings for him. Her neighbor, Jimmy (Spike Lee) functions as the observer; mediating between the ex- husband and Girl 6. He also functions as a point of stability, as he watches her become seduced by the lurid world of phone sex.
The soundtrack, consisting of songs by Prince, was jarring. It kept taking my attention from the film - not altogether a bad thing, I'll grant you, as what was transpiring onscreen wasn't that riveting. For parts of the middle of the film, the music stayed blissfully in the background. In the opening sequence and one scene later in the film, however, the music was particularly loud and distracting. Of course, I've never really cared for Prince's (or TAFKAP if you like) music. Prince fans might love the soundtrack, but it will probably be distracting, even to die-hard fans.
Of the performances, the only one that stood out was Spike Lee's buddy character, Jimmy. He was excellent as the always-broke neighbor of Girl 6. He should have stuck to acting in this film. There are several sequences that gave me the impression that he'd like to be Oliver Stone when he grows up. There are scenes shot with different types of film, which are purposely grainy, and reminiscent of some of the scenes in Oliver Stone's NATURAL BORN KILLERS. In that film, they worked to propel the narrative. In this film, they just made me more confused.
There are some amusing moments, and a few insights into the lives of the women who use their voices to make the phone-sex industry the multi-billion dollar industry that it has become. Other than that, though, nothing much happens. There are a few intense moments, as when one caller becomes frightening, but even that is rather lackluster.
I'm not the biggest fan of Spike Lee, though I'd agree that he has done some very good work in the past. In GIRL 6, though, he seems to be floundering. He had an interesting idea, a fairly good setup, and seemed to wander aimlessly from there. GIRL 6 earns a grade of D.
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