RIPE
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1997 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): 1/2
As any film festival goer knows, there are many movies made that are so bad that their chance of finding a distributor for a theatrical distribution are slim. A direct-to-video deal is probably their only hope of making money from the production. The preposterous film RIPE miraculously did find a distributor. Perhaps the controversial topic of underage sex sounded profitable. This shamelessly exploitive picture does not deserve a theatrical release even if first-time writer and director Mo Ogrodnik tries to be sincere. The result reeks.
Rosie and Violet Wyman are fraternal twins played by Janna and Donia Silver-Smith at age 5 and Daisy Eagan and Monica Keena at age 14. As the show opens we find that their father likes to chase the 5-year-old girls with a loaded rifle. We also learn that Rosie has an obsession with killing animals as the animals have sex. The highly predictive script leaves no doubt that both of these behaviors will be repeated later and with much more devastating effect.
When a car crash kills the 14-year-old twins' parents, they rejoice and go hide in an army base with the worst security imaginable. They live in the base house of a civilian named Pete (Gordon Currie). Although their pictures are on the front page of every newspaper with World War III sized headlines about them, no one on the base realizes the missing girls discussed in the newspaper are Rosie and Violet. The soldiers are too busy most of the time singing cliched songs like, "I don't want no teenage queen; I just want my M-16."
Carefully titillating without running afoul of the child pornography laws, the girls go braless and run around with their panties showing. Although many scenes come within millimeters of showing their private parts, none do. The girls have sex, but again, the director holds off just enough to keep from getting in trouble. In America you can show anything you want so long as the actors are adults, but if they are under 18, all of the rules change.
The director wanted to make a serious film. One scene has Violet shocked with her sudden onset of menstruation. Pete comes in to console her with "I'm sorry, (pause) God." Currie's exceedingly bland performance makes Pete less a character than a visual wallpaper for the girls act in front of. In a film where the actors seem to be competing for the worst acting of the year award, Currie takes away the prize.
To make sure that you realize how troubled and rebellious these kids are, the script even has them take a Ferris wheel just so they can spit on other riders. The manipulative story wants us to sympathize with the girls even when they commit crimes large and small, but their characters are never developed beyond cliches so it becomes almost impossible to care about them.
The director seems incapable of getting even the small things right. When the girls go on a shoplifting spree, they open their purses and their blouses and pour the loot in. Never do they try to hide their actions, and never does the clerk notice.
The show's frequent lack of any background noise makes viewing incredibly tedious. RIPE does have one redeeming feature. Eventually, it does end although not before its preordained and tear-jerking conclusion.
RIPE runs 1:33. It is not rated but might be NC-17 given its subject matter. There is sex, nudity, profanity, and drug usage. The movie is not appropriate for teenagers. I detested the film and recommend you not have to sit through it. I give it just 1/2 of a star.
**** = A must see film. *** = Excellent show. Look for it. ** = Average movie. Kind of enjoyable. * = Poor show. Don't waste your money. 0 = Totally and painfully unbearable picture.
REVIEW WRITTEN ON: May 24, 1997
Opinions expressed are mine and not meant to reflect my employer's.
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