JOE'S APARTMENT
A film review by Michael John Legeros
Copyright 1996 Michael John Legeros
(WB)
Directed by John Payson
Written by John Payson, based on the short film
Cast Jerry O'Connell, Megan Ward, Jim Turner, Sandra Denton,
Robert Vaughn, Don Ho
MPAA Rating "PG-13"
Running Time 79 minutes
==
The year's best tag-line, "sex bugs rock 'n' roll," is actually a bit of misnomer. There's precious little skin and only a mild rock sensibility to this feature-film expansion of the MTV short. John Payson, who created the original, writes and directs this absurdly amusing comedy about a young man from Iowa (Jerry O'Connell) and his adventures living with thousands of talking (and singing, and dancing) cockroaches in a run-down, rent-controlled apartment in New York City. Animated by stop-motion and CGI effects, the bug sequences (roach clips?) are delightful. The insects squeal like Joe Pesci on helium as they bicker, banter, and break into song. (My favorite: a Busby Berkeley number set inside a toilet bowl.) The plot, involving a romantic interest and some serious landlord woes, is awfully thin and makes the 79-minute running time seem longer than it really is. JOE'S APARTMENT works best as a mild comedy about life in the Big Apple. How will gags about 911 operators, street violence, and pooper scoopers play in Peoria? Only the grosses will tell. With appearances by David Huddleston, Don Ho, and Robert Vaughn, who has aged into a fine Strother Martin look-alike.
Grade: C+
--
Mike Legeros - Raleigh, NC
legeros@nando.net (h) - legeros@unx.sas.com (w)
Visit me in MOVIE HELL
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