BIG NIGHT
A film review by Mark R. Leeper
Copyright 1996 Mark R. Leeper
Capsule: The issue of pragmatism vs. ideals
and the contrast of Old World and New World values
are treated in a slice-of-life comedy-drama. Comic
actor Stanley Tucci shows that he has many film-
making talents in this bittersweet tale of a
restaurateur with one final chance to save his
high-quality restaurant from going under. This
film is predictable but touching. Rating: +1 (-4
to +4)
Every once in a while a particular performance grabs my attention and I begin to watch for the actor gave it. Perhaps the best thing about PRELUDE TO A KISS was the comic acting of Stanley Tucci. I saw him several times after that and always liked his performances. But he always seemed to have small parts; generally he plays thugs and henchmen, at least in the films I have seen. Apparently to actually star in a film he had to co-write the script, co-produce the film, and then co-direct it. But it is worth it to see much more of his acting.
Tucci plays Secondo, an immigrant from Italy trying to run the aptly-named Paradise, an Italian restaurant somewhere on the New Jersey shore in the late 1950s. Secondo manages the tiny restaurant while his older brother Primo (Tony Shalhoub) does the cooking. And what cooking he does! Primo is an artist who believes that "to eat good food is to be close to God." Eventually we see some of what Primo can do. Like BABETTE'S FEAST and LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE, this is definitely not a film to see when you are hungry. Among other things this film is a paean to great Italian cooking. The problem is that the customers are expecting spaghetti and meatballs. Every dish must have a spaghetti side dish and most must be buried under cheese. New Jersey is just not ready for great authentic Italian cooking in the late 1950s. The customers just don't get it. Making things even harder is just down the street is the fabulously successful Pascal's Italian Grotto. Pascal (Ian Holm) makes an art of living, not of cooking. His philosophies are "bite life in the ass" and "give the people what they want, then later you can give them what you want." That "later" may never come, but in the meantime he is making a fortune selling steaks and spaghetti with meatballs. To help the failing brothers he arranges that the famous singer Louie Prima (playing himself) will come to the restaurant to eat and thereby endorse the establishment. The brothers have one night to demonstrate the best in Italian cuisine for Prima and some invited friends. Secondo has to balance the preparations for dinner with his diffident relationship with his woman friend Phyllis (Minnie Driver) and his mistress (Isabella Rossellini).
This is probably Stanley Tucci's favorite role, since he did, after all, write it for himself. However his acting is just a little more reserved than is some other films. Complete with Italian accent he is certainly believable in the role, but I still prefer some of his humorous touches in PRELUDE TO A KISS. He is looking for more authenticity in this part than in some of his others, apparently. He seems a little too unflappable as Secondo and the film foregoes some comic possibilities as a result. On the other hand Tony Shalhoub is just a bit over-the-top as Primo boisterously rebuking a boorish customer or accusing Pascal of "culinary rape." Even more exaggerated is Ian Holm's wild and crazy Pascal, literally biting people on the ass as part of his life-loving routine. Tucci co-directs with Campbell Scott (of LONGTIME COMPANION, DEAD AGAIN, and MRS. PARKER AND THE VICIOUS CIRCLE).
A well-made period piece is always a pleasure to watch, though Tucci does not flood us with late-50s detail. Occasionally we notice a price has been changed, a car has fins, or a pair of glasses has the same distinctive fin-styling. The feast itself is complete with titles for each of the courses and includes some authentic Italian dishes that are unfamiliar even today. The photography of food preparation and of the final product is at times gorgeous, but not all the film is as well-paced as it might be. At times the plot just stops dead while the camera watches somebody prepare food. In the end there are still many loose ends intentionally not tied up. But then not everything in life is tied up at the end of a day. BIG NIGHT will leave some audience members feeling that there should be more to the story, while others will be happy it is over so that they can proceed to dinner. I give BIG NIGHT a +1 on the -4 to +4 scale.
Mark R. Leeper
mleeper@lucent.com
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