Food of Love

Starring:Juliet Stevenson, Kevin Bishop, Allan Corduner, Paul Rhys, Craig Hill, Leslie Charles (III), Pamela Field (II), NaÃm Thomas, Mingo RÃ fols, Roger Coma, Pepa LÃ³pez, Mauricio Cruz (IV), Geraldine McEwan, Manu Fullola, Carlos CastaÃ±Ã³n, HernÃ¡n GonzÃ¡lez, Brenda Roque, Helenika Hellevig, Marianne Choquet, Sue Flack
Director: Ventura Pons
Studio: TLA Releasing
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

This is not a movie to see on an empty stomach. Writer-director Ang Lee's 1994 Oscar nominee tells a family story about a chef and his three daughters through the meals the chef prepares and serves his family. This touching, dryly funny story of a family coping with personal lives and the way those lives intersect with the family relationships captures a shift in generations in Taipei. The father, a famous chef who has lost his taste buds, still cooks, though he draws no pleasure from eating. His daughters, meanwhile, deal with both the disappointments and surprises of daily living and the way their adult lives compare to the expectations the widowed father had for them. A subtle, amusing--and mouth-watering--comedy of impeccable manners. --Marshall Fine

Description

From celebrated director Ang Lee (The Ice Storm, Sense and Sensibility) comes a movieso visually stunning that it spans the "beautiful balance of elementsmellow, harmonious and poignantly funny" (The Washington Post). This "charming study of love, family and tradition" (Leonard Maltin) "tickles both mind and body" (Movie Reviews UK). Trouble is cooking forwidower and master chef Chu (Sihung Lung) who's about to discover that no matter how dazzling and delicious his culinary creations might be, they're no match for the libidinous whims of his three beautiful but rebellious daughters. A master in the kitchen, Chu is at a loss when it comes to the ingredients of being a father. Every Sunday, he whips up a delicacy of dishes for his ungrateful daughters, who are so self-consumed that they don't see his attempt at showing them lovegastronomically.So, as relationships sour and communications break down, Chu concocts a sure-fire recipe that will bring his family back together: He creates his own love affair to rival his daughters' affections!

Customer Reviews:

Eat Drink Man Woman.......2007-05-29

One of my favorite movies and filmed on location in Tiawan. If you love cooking and find the oriental mind fascinating, you'll love this movie. This is the story of three daughter's relationships with their father and their relationship with food and tradition. Wonderful soundtrack also.

Of food, family, & love.......2007-04-07

The opening scene of this movie is one of my favorites: it begins with the elaborate preparation for a traditional Chinese dinner that can consist of several courses...the accompanying music goes along really well with the flow of food preparation and cooking! That being said, the movie itself has food at its heart, it tells the story of a family of four. The father, Senior Master Chef Chu lives in a fairly large house with his three unmarried daughters [wife is deceased]:the eldest is a repressed Christian convert, Jia Jen who is resentful of her more liberal middle sibling, the middle daughter, Jia Chien, is a rebellious and strong-willed airline executive that is having problems with her love life, & the youngest Jia Ning is a student. All three see their father for their weekly Sunday lunch, more out of obligation than anything else, and the rest of the story deals with how the three daughters find a measure of independence away from the father, and how Master Chef Chu himself finds a measure of happiness in his own life.
In a sense, although the film has a modern context, the values are quite traditional, such as the weekly family dinner which many Chinese families still observe, the notion of filial piety, the practice of unmarried daughters living with their parent/s [still observed in many Asian countries]...and of course, the notion of food bringing families together.
I love the presentation of food in this movie...the dishes are lovingly prepared with consummate skill, and are mouthwatering delicacies worthy of drooling over! It is a movie to watch not just for the great cooking scenes, but also for the deeper themes of family dynamics, and of honoring your elders, whilst still maintaining your own identity.

Great but subtle........2007-01-16

A beautiful movie, with fantastic food scenes. Will make you want to buy a wok. Loses some of the nuances in Eastern family communication. A little hard to understand the cut and dry behavior. But well worth watching, especially if you like "Tortilla Soup" the remake with a Hispanic flavor.

If you are a foodie, you will love this movie........2006-10-19

The food scenes in this movie are eye candy for us foodies. I love cooking and I have never seen food displayed or prepared in a movie as it is in this one.
The story line is charming in its concept of how food relates to our lives and our relationships. The fact that this is a subtitled movie did not bother me at all, because the scenes with the food were so tremendous that I couldn't stop staring.
If you love food you will thoroughly enjoy this movie.

A Great Representation of Modern Chinese Family Culture.......2006-09-05

If you're willing to read subtitles this is an excellent foreign film, set in Taiwan, about the importance of and tight connection between a person's individual identity and his family life in Chinese society and culture. The work, interpersonal, and spiritual lives of four main characters are explored and interwoven with the Sunday dinner table being the terminus at which they all meet and from which we switch characters and depart on the continuing exploration of that person's life. Each of the character's lives would be interesting enough for its own full-length movie; so together they keep you thinking and interested from opening to closing credits. In this masterful cultural portrait of the balanced interplay between life and death, work and love, family and self, food and deprivation, Ang Lee allows us to see and experience the intimate details of a major world culture, which is vastly different from our own in the western world. The popular theme of traditional Chinese culture being impacted by modern life is addressed in a more realistic, not overdone, manner than in many movies, and the multi-generational presentation of interwoven lives makes it more easily understandable and complete. This is a movie that will leave you with a warm smile of satisfaction and deeper understanding of what it is to be a person on this planet.

Average customer rating:

This tortilla soup didn't need too much time to simmer.....
Tortilla Soup
Chipotle valentine . . .
Love it for the food... not the same old L.A. story...
Makes you hungry for more...

Tortilla Soup
Starring: Jacqueline Obradors , Tamara Mello , Judy Herrera , Nikolai Kinski , and Elizabeth Peña
Director: María Ripoll
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Eat Drink Man Woman
Like Water for Chocolate
Big Night
Babette's Feast
Mostly Martha

ASIN: B00005TNEQ
Release Date: 2002-01-15

Amazon.com

The tantalizing genre of food films--stretching from Babette's Feast to Big Night and beyond--has a delicious new addition, Tortilla Soup. The food-preparation scenes will make your mouth water. Fortunately, the rest of the movie holds up as well. Hector Elizondo plays Martin, a widowed chef who is losing both his sense of taste and control over his three daughters: Leticia (the always superb Elizabeth Peña), a religious schoolteacher; Carmen (Jacqueline Obradors), a successful but unhappy businesswoman still carrying on an affair with her ex-boyfriend; and Maribel (Tamara Mello), a rebellious teen falling in love with a young Brazilian. When a pushy, nosy, but very sexy widow named Hortensia (Raquel Welch) comes along, the troublesome subcurrents in the family start to surface. Elizondo's understated gravitas anchors the story, while the three sisters have sex, eat amazing-looking food, and break plates in the kitchen. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

This tortilla soup didn't need too much time to simmer............2007-06-12

For those of you interested in seeing another notable food film, I reccomend TORTILLA SOUP. This is the Mexican-American update of EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN. The story is the same, only the language, names and food have changed. Yet, it still manages to workm though, purests will probably find plenty of room to criticize it for being a "knock off." The story follows Martin Naranjo (Hector Elizondo), a widower who was once a legendary chef at a restaurant, but has since lost his ability to taste. Martin lives with his three adult daughters, Letitia (Elizabeth Pena), Carmen (Jacqueline Obradors) and Maribel (Tamara Mello). As the young women start to break away from family and start lives of their own, Sunday dinners are the one ritual that keeps them connected with their father, through his luscious meals.

This film is well-acted, though, I could have done without Raquel Welch in an overly melo-dramatic role, here. She was just too shrill for my tastes, and not that entertaining. The food scenes, on the other hand, will really draw you in. Be sure to keep your finger on the dial to the best Mexican restaurant in your neighborhood, because you will be jonesing for some tlapana soup and chipotle when it's all through!

Tortilla Soup.......2007-03-09

I really liked this show. Would have liked it better if my house had not burned before I actually got to watch it.

Chipotle valentine . . ........2007-02-21

This is a high-spirited version of "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman" set in East LA, with enough footage in the kitchen to rank it among the better shows on the Food Channel (Santa Monica's Border Grill gets a credit). The cooking is all Mexican, and the family that gathers around the table to enjoy it, while squabbling all the while, is Mexican-American - a widowed father and his three grown daughters. Meanwhile, the presence or absence of romantic partners is a common topic of discussion and a prime motivator of most of the action in the film, so that cooking, eating and love in its many forms become all part of what draws and holds everyone together.

It's definitely a feel-good movie that sidesteps just about every inconvenient fact of life for Mexican-Americans living in Los Angeles. The music track is upbeat and joyous, and characters have a way of breaking into song, singing Spanglish versions of "Quizas, Perhaps, Quizas." Hector Elizondo is wonderful as the rock-steady father of this clan, and Elizabeth Peña as his born-again unmarried daughter is all barely contained passion seething beneath a pious exterior. In noteworthy supporting roles, Raquel Welch gets to raise temperatures as an overbearing oft-wed neighbor on the prowl for another mate, and Julio Oscar Mechoso turns in an endearing performance as an assistant chef and close friend of the family. Good fun. Also recommended: "Real Women Have Curves."

Love it for the food... not the same old L.A. story..........2007-02-08

This is a great movie if you love cooking or just good food. The kitchen scenes are fascinating! The plot is cute at best... the same tired story of successful second generation Mexican-Americans in Los Angeles.

Makes you hungry for more..........2007-01-12

If you liked "The Big Night", you'll love this movie. (I've read it's supposed to be based on Eat Drink Man Woman, but to me it's more like the The Big Night). Besides just being a great story, when Hector Elizondo's character cooks, you feel like you're smelling it and tasting it. It's a wonderful celebration of family, culture, food and love. Hector Elizondo is wonderful, as always. The colors are amazing.

Average customer rating:

Good acting; Disappointing Story
It Could Have Been So Good
Emotional drama and classical artistry
Just for fun
Please, I beg you, stop playing

Food of Love
Starring: Juliet Stevenson , Kevin Bishop , Allan Corduner , Paul Rhys , and Craig Hill
Director: Ventura Pons
Manufacturer: TLA Releasing
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Gay & Lesbian | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Gay & Lesbian | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Under One Roof
Regular Guys
The Trip
The 24th Day
Dante's Cove

ASIN: B00008YLU4
Release Date: 2003-06-10

Description

Acclaimed Spanish Director Ventura Pons' first English language film is a beautiful and faithful adaptation of David Leavitt'Ss novel "The Page Turner." Paul is a promising young pianist, who is hired to be a page turner for his idol, Richard Kennington. They meet again while Paul is on vacation with his mother in Barcelona. Thus begins a love affair that moves from Spain to New York, complicated by Paul's mother and Richard's agent/lover.

Customer Reviews:

Good acting; Disappointing Story.......2007-06-17

So much potential and so little fulfillment. This film has some great acting by Kevin Bishop (Paul) and his mother played by Juliet Stevenson. Their chemistry is evident. Not so though with Bishop and the object of his affection (Paul Rhys) and all the other older men he seems to get involved with. It would have been nice to explore Paul's character a little more to find out the whos, the wheres and the whys of him. Sure we know he has a thing for older men...he's looking for a father figure....but we know nothing of what leads up to the breakup of his parents. His mother comes off as an irritating shrew .... especially in a scene where she comes on to Richard Kennington, the man her son is fooling around with. But the acting is first rate. Too bad the story is one note and very disappointing. This movie could have been so much better.

It Could Have Been So Good.......2007-05-25

"Food of Love"

It Could Have Been So Good

Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride

I really dislike films that have great potential and they because of some unknown reason fall flat. Not that "Food of Love" fell flat but it could have been so much better.
"Food of Love" had the potential to be a beautiful coming-of-age story. All of the elements were there but it somehow lost its focus and became extremely muddled. I wanted so much to like this movie. It basically "lost it" in the way that it showed how not to care for an eighteen year old whose is full of infatuation for an older man.
Paul (Kevin Bishop) is a vulnerable and sheltered teen who has fallen in love with Richard (Paul Rhys). What happens to the two is the meat of the story. Richard gives the impression that he is unconcerned with the young man who is obviously smitten with him. Paul is hopelessly in love with Richard as evidenced by the number of phone calls and by the faxes he sent him. Paul as a student as Julliard then transfer his affections to another older man, a "sugar daddy" who is three times his age but pines over Richard. Paul's mother is at a loss as to how to deal with the situation and behaves hysterically.
We can only wonder if Paul who had the ability to become a brilliant pianist actually was so distraught over his unrequited love that he turned in only mediocre performances. What is so sad is that Paul allowed the men to use him sexually and believed that they cared for him.
As this sad move comes to a close it was totally uneven and completely unfulfilling. A great deal of emotion was shown at the end of the film--so much so that the film seemed to be just getting going instead of drawing to a close. Paul does manage to come to terms with his mother but only as a broken youth and the movie has no resolution.
The script had virtually no focus whatsoever and thus the movie had no direction. I am sure yet as to whether it is a soap opera or soft core porn. The acting is very, very amateurish and Kevin Bishop as Paul shows no talent aside from having a very pretty rear end.
What is missing most of all is an ending. Paul moves to New York and is disillusioned--THE END. The characters do not seem to know anything about themselves and all they learn in the film is that life is no good and that people can't be trusted. The movie does not show life--it hides from it.

Emotional drama and classical artistry.......2006-10-15

WOW! This is one time I wish I could add a few stars to the rating system. I absolutely love this film. "Food of Love" introduces newcomer Kevin Bishop who gives a riveting, flawless performance as the lead character. The very beautiful Bishop plays the part of Paul, a young aspiring musician trying to achieve his dream of becoming a concert pianist. As Paul gets the chance to meet his idol, pianist Richard Kennington (Paul Rhys), hero worship and attraction lead to infatuation. When he discovers the attraction is mutual, the two share a steamy affair in Barcelona, and Paul falls madly in love for the first time. He is on his way, but his search for real love has only begun. Juliet Stevenson portrays Pauls mother, recently dumped by his dad for another woman. She is a basket case until she sees her son struggling to find himself. Her concern for him helps her deal with her own problems, and the two confront life head-on to discover real love by facing the truth neither have opened their eyes to alone. Both Stevenson and Bishop are very much British actors, with VERY British accents. They portray an American mother and son with absolute clarity, losing the accent and sounding very American. Real professionalism! This had to be a very difficult task to perform. You will understand when you watch the extras on this DVD and see their interviews, where they are very much themselves. Only one time did I notice Bishop pronouncing a word with hint of a british accent. Can you find it? This young man has a bright future ahead of him as an actor if he so decides to continue his career. I look forward to seeing more from him. You certainly won't be offended by his looks, or his body. If you hate classical music, this is probably not the film for you, but if you can muddle through that, the film has a very strong plot. It will hold your interest all the way through if you enjoy films of this nature. "Food of Love" is based on the novel "The Page Turner" by author David Leavitt. Casting and directing are excellent. Acting is superb. As with any film there are a few spots that are less than perfect, but give the production a realism that doesn't in any way seem faked. Great photography, beautifully filmed and good sound quality. I recommend this movie very highly and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Just for fun.......2006-10-03

Hardly a "great" movie, but it is an easy one to watch and get involved with. There are many times when I just looked at my partner watching it with me and laughed because the situation or dialogue was just ridiculous, but knowing that it was a lower budget film we let it slide. At times there are scenes that just sort of pop up out of nowhere, but the main story is easy to understand and does provoke thoughts around love, lust, etc.

Please, I beg you, stop playing.......2006-09-14

A very mediocre adaptation of a David Leavitt novel, "Food of Love" never takes off as a film, despite beautiful location footage. Some of the blame is on the English actors straining to speak with American accents (we can tell), but that pales compared to the Spanish actors whose dialogue is dubbed in. It amazes me that we can simulate explosions in film, but nobody has successfully figured out how to dub in dialogue without it sounding stilted.

This film has moments of unintentional comedy (pay special attention to the "sexy" fluttering bathrobe Allan Corduner wears while entertaining a hustler; it looks as though he stole it off a Jedi Knight) and unmitigated horror (fluorescent lights and bad makeup turn poor Paul Rhys into a vampire in a record shop scene - yeesh!) And despite a shot of Lincoln Center here and the view from the Brooklyn Bridge there, it's obvious the actors never set foot in New York. I was disappointed in this film and by the end of it, I was bored.

Average customer rating:

The Road Home
Everything And More
very very sad but it's my best movie
Love is all you need
Underrated Masterpiece!

The Road Home
Starring: Ziyi Zhang , Honglei Sun , Hao Zheng , Yulian Zhao , and Bin Li
Director: Yimou Zhang
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Period Piece | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Not One Less
Raise the Red Lantern (MGM World Films)
The Story of Qiu Ju
To Live
Together

ASIN: B00005QFE5
Release Date: 2001-11-27

Amazon.com

At the start of the most recent film from Chinese director Zhang Yimou (Raise the Red Lantern, Ju Dou, Shanghai Triad), a young man returns to his native village after the death of his father, the village's schoolteacher, who died while trying to raise money for a new schoolhouse. His body is in a neighboring town; the young man's mother insists that it be brought back on foot, lest his spirit not find his way home. From this starting point, the young man recounts the tale of his parents' courtship, which involved a red banner, mushroom dumplings, a colorful barrette, and a broken bowl. The Road Home is beautifully filmed, particularly the luminous face of Zhang Ziyi (from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), whose performance is a heartrending portrait of hope and yearning. A simple but deeply emotional film. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

The Road Home.......2007-05-07

One of the best movies I have ever seen. Very moving. For english speaking viewers, you really must watch it in Chinese and read all subtitles to truly appreciate it. A movie about love and dedication, not an action movie. Beautiful outdoor scenes. You wonder why US film makers can't make movies like this. The movie is slow moving at times, but with a purpose, building true appreciation for the characters. Liked it so much I have purchased the dvd for family members as gifts.

Everything And More.......2007-04-17

I had high expectations, for this film, and it did not disappoint me. A very warm hearted story and one that will stay with you. I highly recommend this film for anyone who can appreciate a story about human emotions and devotion.

very very sad but it's my best movie.......2007-01-10

that is the best romanc movie i have ever seen

Love is all you need.......2006-12-13

The Road Home is a powerful film about love and the trials and tribulations one goes through getting there. Right from the start the audience is presented with an undertone of sadness. Although it is ok to fall apart, somebody has to stay strong and take care of business. Often in times of overwhelming sadness the bereaved are so out of touch with reality that everything would fall apart without someone sensible to step into crisis mode.
These scenes of sadness and funeral preparation are intermingled with a beautiful love story. In a small village in China, a young couple is falling in love. This is a unique experience for a backward society where ancient and outdated traditions are still practiced. Sometimes the interactions between Shao Di and Changyu are so subtle that it is hard to catch the hidden meaning behind the exchange. This film really plays up the importance of a glance or a light touch. When you look in someone's eyes, it is beautiful to see understanding gained without the exchange of a single word. I really admire how the directors choose to make this film about love instead of sex. America is a sex-saturated society where many relationships begin and end with a mere exchange of bodily fluids. It is fascinating to me that other cultures can make a sexless film that appeals to more than just children.
Before this class, I had almost no experience with foreign films. Until now, I did not realize there were any films without cussing, violence, and sex being made now a days. I have been so indoctrinated with the Hollywood formula films that I forgot what a true piece of artistry looks like. I did not realize a movie could be both entertaining and educational. Kudos to the Road Home for being so tasteful and entertaining. This is definitely hands down my most favorite film of this class. I am so grateful I was made to watch it. By the end, I found myself almost in tears.
Although just a story the Road Home gives, you hope that true love really does exist. Why would someone risk endangering the wrath of the government for a woman if she was not his true love? It makes you feel good inside when you see a couple fighting against all odds to come back to each other. In western society, we often take dating and falling in love for granted. In our culture, people fall in and out of love every single day. This movie teaches you a great lesson about not taking love for granted. As someone who has fallen in love for the first time it is reassuring to see a couple that had every obstacle in the world placed in front of him or her succeed? I always thought that Sean and I met to young and would not make it. Shoa Di and Changy were young and had every conceivable obstacle in their way. No one thought they would make it. As the critics would say The Road Home is the feel good movie of the year.
Red according to desktop publishing dot com, denotes purity, joy, and celebration. In Chinese culture, red symbolizes happiness and prosperity and is often used for good luck. In the movie if you look close enough you might have seen how the young Shoi Di was wearing red every time she ran into her crush. If you knew anything about the color red, you would know that the red on her jacket is supposed to be an outward symbol of her happiness. She often thinks of marrying the teacher and celebrating the occasion. The red banner in the schoolhouse is used for good luck. Many of the modern day scenes are shown in black and white. According to dictionary dot labor law talk, dot com black and white is used in contrast with color in movies because the scenes or characters done in black and white are either more outdated or dull than the characters and scenes shot in full-color. I think that this assessment is true because the village is a little run down compared to the past. Mostly the only people living there now are old people and a few kids. Most of the citizens have moved on to a more populated area that is more modern and interesting. This town is rather dull.
In the end, you feel attached to the town. It is as if you grew up there yourself.

Words 752

Underrated Masterpiece!.......2006-12-02

I thought this was a beautiful film. With little to do with talking, the legendary director Yimou Zhang (Raise The Red Lantern, To Live, The Story Of Qiu Ju and Hero) uses scenery for emotions in this film, which are so rich. I thought the story was beyond beautiful how the girl would wait until the guy she was in love with, would pick her bowl of food that she made special for him, I loved that she would follow him and try somehow to get his attention. This film is a true love story that you never really see anymore with excellent acting from a radiant Zhang Ziyi, now known as in America Ziyi Zhang. I totally recommend this film for people who love a true romance film that will make you cry.

Average customer rating:

hey eddie? howzabout making a movie about washed-up black comics who dig transvestite hookers?
Hysterical
Could be the funniest movie you ever see
THE NUTTY PROFESSOR: EDDIE RULES
Review: The Nutty Professor

The Nutty Professor
Starring: Eddie Murphy , Jada Pinkett Smith , James Coburn , Larry Miller , and Dave Chappelle
Director: Tom Shadyac
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | African American Cinema | Genres | DVD | Video

General | African American Cinema | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Nutty Professor II - The Klumps (Collector's Edition)
Dr. Dolittle
Dr. Dolittle 2
Big Momma's House (Special Edition)
Coming to America [HD DVD]

ASIN: 0783225539
Release Date: 1998-01-20

Amazon.com essential video

Lucky for Eddie Murphy he got ahold of the rights to this 1963 Jerry Lewis classic before Jim Carrey did. Murphy had a comeback of sorts with his Jeckyll-and-Hyde-derived fable of awkward chemistry professor Sherman Klump (Murphy), who discovers a potion that transforms him into the suave, cocky lady-killer Buddy Love (also Murphy). The big difference between the two versions is that Murphy's Sherman is not only a nerdy intellectual but is also grossly obese, which provides the opportunity for some hilarious digital transformation effects, as well as some gentle satire of our culture's attitudes toward fat people. As he did in the hit Coming to America, Murphy plays multiple roles, and the scenes at the Klump family dinner table, in which he plays everybody, are brilliantly funny. (Murphy won the National Society of Film Critics' award for best actor of 1996 for these performances.) Lewis based his Buddy Love on the 1960s ideal of cool exemplified by Sinatra and the Rat Pack; Murphy stumbles a bit by playing up the oily phoniness of his latter-day Love a little too soon, but for the most part The Nutty Professor represents a welcome return to form for Eddie Murphy. --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

hey eddie? howzabout making a movie about washed-up black comics who dig transvestite hookers?.......2006-10-06

an amazingly bad movie. eddie murphy (who was funny in the 80s) manages the near-impossible: he makes jerry lewis seem sophisticated. now dont get me wrong; i love stupid comedy -- when its funny. murphy never convinces an iota here in the role of the HUGE professor klump. there is scads of humor to be mined in the struggles of fat people to fit into the normal world (take my word, i know about THAT) -- just recall oliver hardy's girth getting him stuck in a doorway during his attempt to escape bogeyland -- but murphy is merely contemptuous and nasty. well, contemptuous and nasty in a comedy i can accept, but it better be funny. this movie has a high spot on my list of the 10 worst i have ever seen.

Hysterical.......2006-07-09

Totally awesome movie with jokes and sight gags galore. Eddie Murphy is one talented man playing all those roles of the Cletus family plus Buddy Love. A little crude yet but alot of laughing......gas!

Definitely pick this one up and pass on the sequel as that one overdoses on the fart jokes. This one uses a multi-joke formula all the way to success.

Could be the funniest movie you ever see.......2006-06-30

I stopped from viewing this movie for a long time becouse I was told that it was nowhere near as good as the original. Well let me set this straight. Jerry Lewis does a fantastic job in the original and his rendition of Buddy Love was somewhat more dramatic then Eddie Murphy but Eddie has to be the funniest actor alive. Almost from the time the movie started right up 'till near the end I was in tears from laughing so hard. Eddie Murphy is not only funny but he can act as well. I love all of his movies that I've seen so far. And I will take what people tell me about remakes with a very large grain of salt from now on.

THE NUTTY PROFESSOR: EDDIE RULES.......2006-06-02

THE NUTTY PROFESSOR STARRING LEGENDARY STAND-UP COMEDIAN/ACTOR EDDIE MURPHY. HE SHOCKED YOU IN HIS 1982 STAND-UP LIVE CONCERT DELERIOUS. HE SURPRISED YOU IN HIS 1982 MOVIE 48 HOURS WITH NICK NOLTE. THEN HE TOOK IT TO THE SPEED LIMIT WITH EVERYBODIES FAVORTIE COMEDY COP AXL FOLEY BEVERLY HILLS COP. AND FINALY, HE BLEW UP TO 400 BOUND OF LOVE PLAYS SHERMAN KLUMP BUDDY LOVE AND HIS FAMILY IN... THE NUTTY PROFESSOR. A GREAT COMEDY GEM THIS ONE. GO BUY THIS DVD. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE FAMILY GETTIN TOGETHER HAVING A GOOD MEAL.

Review: The Nutty Professor.......2005-11-19

Eddie Murphy did a great job in The Nutty Professor with his role as Professor Sherman Klump/Buddy Love and also playing the entire Klump family. While watching scenes from the family dinners it is obvious what a great job Murphy did in this film. Each of the family members has their own personality and quarks that make the otherwise pointless dinners very enjoyable and fun to watch. The special effects and make-up used in this film are also amazing and they portrayed very real looking qualities.
Sherman Klump, a very bright professor who is also dealing with an obesity issue, finds himself falling for a colleague, Miss Carla Perdy. Klump is convinced that he doesn't have a chance with Carla because of his appearance. He believes that he needs to change himself in order to get Carla to appreciate him so he decides to try a formula, which he has been testing on hamsters, on himself. The formula is a DNA restructuring chemical and when it is ingested by Klump he drops 300 pounds immediately. This skinny, obnoxious and loud version of Professor Klump comes to be known as Buddy Love. Buddy is very critical of people, especially obese people, and he is determined to take over Klump's body and his life.
This movies main objective is to show that you should be happy with yourself. The jokes in this film were also carefully thought through so they wouldn't offend most viewers, especially overweight viewers. I found this movie to be more enjoyable than the original, starring Jerry Lewis, which has very few similarities with this version. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys a little comic relief.

Average customer rating:

Tom Jones
Good.
Read the novel instead
Great Memories
Fell Asleep

Tom Jones
Starring: Albert Finney , Susannah York , Hugh Griffith , Edith Evans , and Joan Greenwood
Director: Tony Richardson
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

A Man for All Seasons (Special Edition)
Marty
Cimarron
All the King's Men
The Lost Weekend

ASIN: B00005AUKE
Release Date: 2001-06-19

Amazon.com essential video

Winner of four Academy Awards including best picture, director, screenplay, and music, this 1963 adaptation of Henry Fielding's classic novel is a rousing, bawdy comedy about a young man's ribald adventures in 18th-century England. Albert Finney is splendidly hilarious in the title role of a charming womanizer who was discovered as an abandoned infant in the bed of Squire Allworthy, a wealthy landowner who named the child Tom Jones and raised him as his own. As a young man, Tom yearns for the comely daughter (Susannah York) of a neighboring squire, but his amorous adventures (including an extended food orgy that becomes the film's funniest scene) lead him to London and to a duel with a jealous husband. He's sentenced to hang, but fate intervenes. A hit around the world, the film was expertly written by noted playwright John Osborne, and director Tony Richardson uses a variety of old-style movie techniques to heighten the lusty, good-natured fun. Don't miss this one! --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Tom Jones.......2007-07-02

Winner of the Best Picture Oscar, Tony Richardson's rousing film has all vital elements in proper alignment: a brilliant screenplay by playwright John Osborne, swift pacing fueled by John Addison's zippy harpsichord score, and colorful performances from a powerhouse cast including Griffith, Joan Greenwood, Diane Cilento, Edith Evans, and a young David Warner as the priggish Mr. Blifil. York is the epitome of fair English beauty, and Finney carries off the central role with gusto. Sumptuous color photography is another bonus. Don't miss the famous Finney/Cilento eating scene.

Good........2007-04-10

Yes, the book is better, but this is still great stuff. I think it even got a few laughs out of my boyfriend who doesn't much care for older movies or literary classics. My favorite part is the eating scene where he and the prostitute are tearing off chunks of meat in a way that fluctuates between disgusting and lusty.

Read the novel instead.......2006-11-13

4 Oscars...1963 must have been a very bad year, and the Academy people never read Fielding. Or never read, period. The novel is brilliant and funny, the movie - not much so. They managed to condence a 900 page book into 2 hours and still make it boring. 27-year-old Finney looking 35 plays Tom Jones? Come on! As for DVD quality, think of home videos of the same period.

Great Memories.......2006-11-05

I saw this movie at first release. My brother Gary Downie did the choreography for the dance scene. So it brought back "great memories".
I love the music, it just fits perfectly.
I recommend you watch this.

Fell Asleep.......2006-09-25

Don't see how this movie could have won any award at all. Wasn't really funny, or romantic or true to the period it supposedly was set in. Fell asleep during most of the last hour and was glad when it was finally over.

Don't waste your time. Looking forward to watching the other version of this novel.

Average customer rating:

The Nutty Professor [HD DVD]
Starring: Tony Carlin , Dave Chappelle , Chao Li Chi , Larry Miller , and Eddie Murphy
Director: Tom Shadyac
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video

Comedy | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video

Science Fiction & Fantasy | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Bruce Almighty [HD DVD]
Liar Liar [HD DVD]
The Frighteners: Peter Jackson's Director's Cut [HD DVD]
Dragonheart [HD DVD]
The Game

ASIN: B000NA2TNS
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Description

Eddie Murphy gives the "performances" of his career playing no less than seven roles in this uproarious Jekyll-and-Hyde comedy from Imagine Entertainment. Murphy stars as Dr. Sherman Klump, a kind, "calorically challenged" genetics professor who longs to shed his 400-pound frame in order to win the heart of beautiful Jada Pinkett. So, with one swig of his experimental fat-reducing serum, Sherman becomes "Buddy Love", a fast-talking, pumped-up, plumped-down Don Juan. Can Sherman stop his buff alter ego before it's too late, or will Buddy have the last laugh? Boasting incredible special effects, a super soundtrack, and co-starring James Coburn, Larry Miller, Dave Chappelle and John Ales, this hilarious hit is worth its weight in fun!

Average customer rating:

jazzman
Crazed and self-destructive.
Stunning, Mesmerizing, Outstanding
The Scent of Heartbreak
Unwatchable

The Lovers on the Bridge
Starring: Juliette Binoche , Denis Lavant , Klaus-Michael Grüber , Edith Scob , and Georges Aperghis
Director: Leos Carax
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Horseman on the Roof
Children of the Century
Rendez-Vous
Jet Lag
The Widow of Saint-Pierre

ASIN: B0000DZ3DW
Release Date: 2004-01-13

Amazon.com

How can a movie be so ludicrous and so ecstatic at the same time? The Lovers on the Bridge stars Juliette Binoche as a street person (there, in a nutshell, is the ludicrous part) who was formerly an artist, but began to go blind and whose life fell apart as a result. She hooks up with a homeless street performer (Denis Lavant) who lives on a bridge in the middle of Paris that has been cordoned off for repairs. He falls madly in love with her; she can't bear the thought of being close to anyone. Both are more than a little irrational. But this banal scenario is merely the pretext for a series of lush and stunning images--including midnight water-skiing, fireworks displays, wandering through falling snow, burning posters in subway tunnels--and richly committed performances from the actors. It's not quite as overwhelming on video as it is on a movie screen, but there's such a gushing of emotional images that it's hard to resist the angst and yearning passion. Though the film dives into some cliches, it manages to avoid others; when Binoche's wealthy family starts looking for her, a frightened Lavant tries to keep her hidden away, and you really don't know whether their relationship can possibly survive. An unusual and sweeping film--and an example of the power of visual images to create a state of rapture. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Martin Scorsese presents Academy Award(R)-winning star Juliette Binoche (Best Supporting Actress 1997, THE ENGLISH PATIENT, CHOCOLAT) in a uniquely uplifting story of two misfits who risk everything for love! A homeless artist who is losing her sight, Michele (Binoche) finds herself drawn into a passionate relationship with a troubled street performer named Alex. Then, despite all obstacles, they together find love and shelter on the famed Pont-Neuf bridge in Paris. But, in time, their unlikely love will be tested as Michele's secret past catches up with her! With memorable performances from an outstanding cast, you'll be swept away by the stirring romance of this wonderfully inspired motion picture!

Customer Reviews:

jazzman.......2006-09-27

Oh, it's unforgettable all right. Without a doubt, the weirdest movie I
have ever seen. Repulsive and nauseating as well. I actually threw up
after enduring this pretentious piece of crap from (SHOCK!) France. One
disgusting, weird scene after another, after another. And the film is FULL
of lies. The French have come up with their share of cinematic turkeys
before, but this thing sets a whole new standard. How about homeless,
drunk idiots water skiing with fireworks in the background? How many times
have you EVER seen that in real life? One of the reviews on the
DVD jacket calls this "one of the decade's most thrilling films" (Vogue
Magazine). I don't think these film critics get out much, if this is their
idea of "thrilling". There is a scene of the 2 lead characters running
naked on a beach at night. If you look closely, there's more to it than
just that. I just shook my head in amazement. Weeeeeirrrrd. I thought
many times of just ejecting the DVD out of the player. Just too much to
stomach or even believe. A colossal piece of crap from France.

Crazed and self-destructive........2006-09-01

"Lovers On The Bridge" is notorious, but not very popular. It caused a big scandal in France, not because of its content, but because of the caprices of its director Leos Carax. Much of the film takes place on the Pont-Neuf bridge in Paris, and Carax demanded to be allowed to film right on the bridge. So, the bridge was closed off just for him, and even then he couldn't finish filming. After he was kicked out, he built a life-size model of the bridge and part of its surroundings, somewhere in the countryside, and tried to finish filming there. Even then he went over budget three times, thus causing three separate producers to go bankrupt.

The film was a complete failure, commercially. Critics thought it was too long and too self-important. The public just didn't bother to see it. As a result, Carax's career was basically over by 1992. Since then he's only made one film, "Pola X" in 1999. (There's word that he's making another one right now, though.)

What is "Lovers On The Bridge" about? It stars Carax's favourite actor Denis Lavant as Alex, a bum who lives on the Pont-Neuf. Sometimes he puts on a fire-eating act to entertain passersby on the street. The rest of the time, he gets drunk. He's also addicted to pills of some kind.

One day, a woman shows up on the bridge. She doesn't talk about her past, but Alex finds out that she comes from a rich family. She was abandoned by her rich boyfriend, and she has a problem with her eyesight which will eventually make her blind. Because of these problems, she decides to run away from home and go slumming on the Pont-Neuf.

Naturally, Alex falls madly in love with her. They cavort on the bridge together and steal money from rich tourists. Then of course they're separated. Alex does a whole bunch of desperate and stupid things and loses his will to live. Maybe you can guess whether or not they're reunited in the end.

Carax's underlying worldview in this film is exactly the same as in his two earlier films, "Boy Meets Girl" and "Bad Blood." He believes in a thing called love, you see. But his idea of love has a lot of narcissism in it. His lovers are hopelessly self-absorbed. They can never have any kind of normal life together, simply because they would be unable to support each other. They can get drunk together, but they can't feel so much compassion or empathy. Alex, in particular, is a psychopath. He tries to prevent the woman from curing her eye problem, because he doesn't want her to leave the bridge.

And Carax also believes that the sensory impact of a film is more important than the logic of its narrative. So, this film contains many vivid, visually brilliant scenes that don't make much sense if you think about them. For example, Carax thinks that guns are romantic, so he puts a gun into the film and uses it in a long dream sequence. The sequence doesn't have much bearing on the plot, and actually it makes his heroine look cold and vicious, but it's exciting to watch.

The greatest scene of this sort is the one where the lovers celebrate Bastille Day by screaming and doing cartwheels on the bridge, to a deafening medley of classical, rock and rap music. The content of the scene has no meaning. But the effect is ecstatic. And in a way, it really captures a youthful feeling of falling in love.

If Carax's worldview doesn't appeal to you, then you'll probably agree with the critics who savaged the film. They have a point. But still, "Lovers On The Bridge" is Carax's best film.

First of all, he has a much stronger script than before. His two earlier films are full of long, artificial monologues, which are recited into space by the characters. But here, the dialogue is much more terse. Alex doesn't say much at all, and this is very appropriate to his character.

Second, Carax paid attention to the setting of his story. The plot might not be very believable. Of course that's the point. Carax wants to overwhelm the emotions by any means necessary. But nonetheless, the opening of the film just shows a few scenes taken at a homeless shelter in Paris. They are unrelated to the plot, and the main characters don't appear in them. But they make a very strong impression. Carax shows the bad conditions in which his characters live, without making anything up. Somehow, this realistic introduction makes the rest of the film much more convincing.

Third, the romance is just a little bit more subtle than in Carax's earlier films. In "Bad Blood," for instance, it was hard to see why Julie Delpy loved Denis Lavant so much, since his character there was basically the same as here. But here, Carax implies that the heroine isn't quite in love with Alex. Or rather, she is, but only up to a point. She loves him while she's slumming on the bridge, but she doesn't want to take him with her when she leaves. She shows no concern for him when he suffers the most from her absence. She does remember him later, but she only wants to see him on her own terms. In other words, she's like him. That's not very nice, and in fact the main characters of this film are not nice people, but it's believable at least. It's also hard to see why she went down to the bridge in the first place, if she's like that, but that's not really the point. Carax needs the bridge because it allows him to make his grand spectacles.

I honestly don't know if I'd recommend this film. It's alternately unpleasant and thrilling. But it is Carax's best film. There's nothing else that's quite like that.

Stunning, Mesmerizing, Outstanding .......2006-01-25

This review refers to "Lovers on the Bridge"("Les Amants du Pont-Neuf")VHS(Miramax)

Well, you already know from my title of this review that I have fallen head over heals in love with "Les Amants du Pont-Neuf".I viewed it last night and have not been able to get it out of my head. It is a film in which the characters, the story, and the setting touched me very deeply.

The film opens with a very hard but real look at homeless life in the streets of Paris. It is very tough to take and not for the sensitive. As we slowly move to the Pont-Neuf bridge, we meet two denizens that have found shelter while it is being refurbished and closed to the public, and learn the meaning of true love. Michelle, a young woman losing her sight, and Alex a street performer who can not sleep without the aid of drugs form a beautiufl bond. They share everything, and seem to make the best of their situation at every moment. When Michele's past throws a new twist to into their lives, their love goes through a long and heartwrenching test.

Written and Directed beautifully by Leos Carax, this film seems very real. Carax, doesnt dwell on the small stuff, nor does he feel the need to explain the events, but leaves the audience to just absorb the story and in some cases, come to their own conclusions. I enjoyed this style very much. Juliet Binoche is simply amazing. She is so versitile, and will have you falling in love with her 'Michelle' as she always does. Denis Lavant is outstanding as the man who will do anything to keep his love by his side.

This film runs a little over 2 hours, and I didn't want it to end, nor did I even realize the time had gone by so quickly. I was totaly immersed in this film.It won three awards from the European Film Awards.Best Actress for Julitte Binoche, Best Editing, Nelly Quettier, and for the exquisite filming by Jean-Yves Escoffier,Best Cinematographer. This edition of the VHS is in French and has subtitles in English (ASIN: B00003L9CA). It is a full frame picture(modified to fit your screen), and has excellent sound in Hi-Fi Stereo.

The film is a stunning, mesmerizing, and an outstanding study of "The Lovers On The Bridge". A must see for fans of 'La Binoche', French films or just fine filmmaking.....Laurie

The Scent of Heartbreak.......2005-03-20

Proof positive that the French function on an entirely different intellectual plane that their American counterparts. It's sometimes hard to believe that our two cultures inhabit the same planet. Imagine if your only island of sanity and security was an endangered bridge in the midst of one of the world's most exquisite cities. Imagine yourself without love or hope in the center of the most romantic of capitals. Imagine the moist chill as you awaken, hung over, under a sheet of plastic and litter, knowing your day holds nothing but the need to beg and steal to survive, devoid of any hope for salvation. And then imagine it all somehow turning towards a warmer sun... at least for the moment... after a crime you may or may not have committed. Think and feel what that moment would taste like. Binoche is captivating, riveting in a performance of courage and risk, an extraordinary actress by any measure. Paris has never seemed more beautiful, especially when devoid of human traffic in the hours where those from the other side of life wander its streets. An incredible film, and for anyone who has known heartbreak, a work that will imprint itself on your heart.

Unwatchable.......2004-09-24

I own lots of French DVDs and watch them all the time so I am by no means trapped in a Hollywood sensibility. To be fair, my review is based only on the first quarter or so of this film, which was as much as I could stand. If you -- like me -- have a limited capacity to get down and dirty with psychotic street people living like animals, then you and I are thinking alike. Obviously many people have watched it and heartily approve. To me, it is unwatchable.

Average customer rating:

what a great movie
THERE'S MORE HAPPENING IN THE DESERT THAN WE CAN SEE...
I'm not sure how I missed this movie
"Afraid of Not Having Any Daydreams"
A forgotten gem...

Gas Food Lodging
Starring: Brooke Adams , Ione Skye , Fairuza Balk , James Brolin , and Robert Knepper
Director: Allison Anders
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Grace of My Heart
Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy Life)
Caught
Things Behind the Sun
Dream For an Insomniac

ASIN: B00005JM8K
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Amazon.com

American independent director Allison Anders made her name with this keenly observed tale of a single mother and her two daughters stuck in the truck-stop town of Laramie, New Mexico, barely a fly speck on the never-ending desert horizon. Ione Skye and Fairuza Balk star as sisters Trudi and Shade, who couldn't be more different. Trudi rebels against her mother and her soul-numbing life through sex and develops a reputation among the boys for being easy. Shade is the "good girl" who escapes through the overripe Mexican melodramas in the town's largely vacant theater. Brooke Adams, a loving mother hardened by rejection and a demanding job as a truck-stop waitress, tries to hide her loneliness and disappointment and set Trudi on a better path, but as with so many relationships in this film, conflict brings out the worst in them. Anders, a single mother herself, drew on her own experiences to enrich her adaptation of Richard Peck's novel Don't Look and It Won't Hurt, and she brings a haggard understanding to the strained relations between mother and daughter and the bleak desolation to the lives of three women trapped by circumstance, economics, and landscape, but she also reaches deep into the characters to expose their yearnings and steel their resolve. No knight in shining armor for these women, but Anders allows them to make their way through the emotional landscape with pluck and determination. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

what a great movie.......2007-05-25

This is a fantastic film. For anyone who is a fan of Ione Skye or Fairuza Balk, it's definitely a must-own flick! Both ladies are in their prime here. I originally saw the movie only because of J Mascis' involvement musically (and a small cameo) but I've fallen in love with the movie as well as the young adult novel it was based on, 'Don't Look and it Won't Hurt' by Richard Peck.

THERE'S MORE HAPPENING IN THE DESERT THAN WE CAN SEE..........2006-11-08

Three woman share the long and slow days of Laramie, New Mexico. Nora, the mother of Trudi and Shade works hard everyday and tries to find a sense for her life and her daughters'. Trudi looks for a reason to survive in the desert of her hometown and her life and tries to find it in boys. Shade is looking for a movie-like love, and tries to find it in the screen and in her plans to reconstruct her family. The three of them will fight, will cry and will learn hard but important lessons in the heat of the desert. Excelent movie, very well directed, with a good photography and great actresses. Really a beautiful story with a little bit of hope for everyone.

I'm not sure how I missed this movie.......2006-04-06

So, I just watched Gas Food Lodging for the first time. Wow!

First of all, any movie that has narrative voice over always makes me smile. I don't know exactly why, they just do. I think because it gives far mor insight as to what's happening.

These three women living on the outskirts of a dying town smacked of "The last picture show". Life has dealt each a pretty hard hand and it's hard to tell if Mom Nora, older sister Trudi, or young Shady Lynne has it the worst. Nora's found love where she could and it's burnt her every time and that's been passed right on down to her two daughters.

They've no faith that it will ever change, yet they continue to try to find love anyway. Quietly surprising and very entertaining, I would say to run out and pick this up today.

"Afraid of Not Having Any Daydreams".......2004-10-29

This movie takes place in the 1990's in a dessert town of Laramie, New Mexico. Nora (Brook Adams), is a single mother raising her two daughters the best that she can. She is a waitress at a gas stop/restaurant. Her oldest daughter is Trudi (Ione Skye), who is know around the town as being easy, and ends up pregnant by a Dink, who is a English man, whose job is to look for rare rocks. She gives her mom a hard time, she stays out late at night, and is not going to school. The youngest daughter is Shade (Fairuza Balk), she is considered the "good girl" of the two. She loves to go see movies that star Elvia Rivero. Shade or Shad, wants to be like a "normal" family. She wants to have a father figure, so she looks for a man for her mother. Each one of these characters are looking for love, and this movie not only shows the hard ship of life of each one of them, but also shows their search for love.
On a scale of one to five, I give this movie a five. I really do like this movie. This drama keeps you entertained through the whole movie. I was hoping that for each of them that they would find their true love, and for them to live "happily ever after." The adaptation of Richard Peck's novel, Don't Look and It Won't Hurt is well written, and the actors and actress do a great job. If you like dramas about people looking for love, then you may want to check this out.

A forgotten gem..........2004-06-22

Before 'Thirteen' and 'American Beauty,' there was 'Gas Food Lodging.' I can remember when I first watched it some ten years ago. Not expecting much from this almost unknown indie flick, I was clued to the screen for the next hour and a half. While its story of an overworked single mother struggling to raise her two daughters was nothing new, something about it just shined. Like a diamond, it sparkled with a crisp innocence and yet cut with a hard edge. Growing up in a similarly barren environment like Laramie, New Mexico, it wasn't difficult to connect with this film.

Ten years later, this film still packs a punch. Despite its flaws which have become more obvious over time, Allison Anders' film still hits home with its gritty power.

Its strongest attraction is its very plausible portrayal of life in the middle of nowhere. Brooke Adams plays the single-mom waitress fighting to hold her family together, while her daughters search for a way out of their loneliness. Frustrated with her oldest daughter's rebellious ways, Adams' character wears the face of constant helplessness. For those of us who have undergone the same, their screaming parent-child tirades are painful to watch. Ione Skye's Trudi, the wayward 'bad girl' who hides her scars with boyfriend after boyfriend, is the highlight of the film. At times touchingly wounded and at others, screechingly impossible, Trudi embodies the chaos of growing up. Her withdrawn and innocent little sister, Shade (Fairuza Balk) fills up her father void by spending her afternoons watching Spanish tearjerkers at the near-empty town cinema. When she finally follows her heart and falls for somebody from the wrong side of town, you end up pulling for her.

Sparing nobody, all of Anders' characters carry deep wounds. No heroines nor heros here. Victims of a shattered home and a bleak future, all three women struggle to break free and find their little slice of happiness. While the 'men always leave' undercurrent of the film comes across heavy-handed at times, Anders refreshingly refuses simple answers. While most of the men in the film DO fall under the 'loser' category--weak and self-destructive, Anders is careful to be balanced. James Brolin is great as the washed-out ex who, despite his aw-shucks cowboy charm, does nothing to win back his girls. Fatherhood for him means giving a few bucks (his girlfriend's nonetheless!)to Shade. Yet, what saves 'Gas Food Lodging' from being a depressing man-bashing polemic is that all three women eventually find partners who, although far from being flawless, stand by their women.

Anders couldn't have picked a better backdrop for her film. The spartan beauty of the New Mexican desert mirrors the sharp edges and bleak prospects of her characters. Moreover, J. Mascis' (Dinosaur Jr.) soundtrack perfectly underscores the sorrow and loneliness of the film. The songs are great by themselves, but together with the desert sunsets and tumbleweed trailer parks, the end-result is magic.

Amazon.com

A man is frightened to death by a menacing military helicopter, piloted by two young Texan men who just happen to be the dead man's stepsons, Dorian and Angus (Luke Wilson and Jake Busey). To complicate matters, the dead man had had an affair with young Sally (Drew Barrymore), a clerk at the local Burger-Matic who didn't know the guy was married. Now she's pregnant and looking for a supportive guy to be her unborn child's potential father. Dorian fits the role quite nicely, but Angus thinks Sally knows about the helicopter incident, and their scheming mother (Catherine O'Hara) is trying to mastermind a cover-up, and....

So goes the cleverly amusing plot of this light, character-based romantic comedy, which proves Barrymore's charm and versatility once again, gives O'Hara one of her best roles, and moves right along at its own amiable pace. Small-town romance combines with darkly tinged comedy (scripted by X-Files staffer Vince Gilligan), and first-time director Dean Parisot guides it all with casual assurance. There's nothing going on here that's particularly inspired, but Barrymore and Wilson (an off-screen couple during production) make a delightful pair, and the cast makes the most of some hilarious down-home dialogue. All in all, a very pleasant diversion. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

But maybe a bit too much salt..........2007-02-13

Sally Jackson (Drew Barrymore) reprises her classic role as a the lovely young (pregnant) naïf next door. Working works in a burger joint, whose kindly manager lets her work the drive-through to conceal her delicate condition. Meanwhile, brothers Dorian and Angus Montier (Luke Wilson and Jake Bussey), local National Guard helicopters hotshots, have frightened a local man (with serious results) with their aerial antics. Problem is, Sally may have overheard he pilots. They need to find out what, if anything, she knows.

Just one look at the DVD cover will tell you that in spite of everything, romance is in the air (Ha! Ha!) between Drew and Luke, characters. The movie is likable and fun and generally means well. But the plot lines requires a level of suspension of disbelief that becomes distracting. I mean even the Guard can't take copters out for joy rides, never mind discharge box loads of ordinance.

But in spite of its excesses, "Home Fries" was enjoyable -- cinematic fast food that was nourishing if not nutritious.

A drama? A romantic comedy?.......2006-08-13

This was a black comedy that unfolded over the first 30 minutes of the film, revealing one surprise relationship after another, until you realize that all the major characters are related in surprising ways. It's kind of strange, because this movie wasn't terribly complicated, but I'm still not sure what to make of it.
Catherine O'Hara has her two military helicopter-pilot sons scare her cheating husband, whose cheating on her with Drew Barrymore. The husband is successfully scared (to death) and Drew Barrymore is an earwitness through her headset at a burger joint. I won't say "Home Fries" is a complete waste. I was somehow taken in enough to watch the entire movie. One shining light is Luke Wilson, who steals most of the scenes he has, and the crazy thing is that he's stealing them from actors like Jake Busey and Catherine O'Hara.
It was the overall movie premise and plot lines that were average at best. After the first 30 minutes of the movie you could see the direction the film would take.
Overall, this movie didn't know which way it wanted to go. A comedy? A drama? A romantic comedy? I'm still not sure.

Sweet, funny movie.......2005-10-08

I just love this movie. Drew Barrymore plays the charachter of Sally,who is really likeable and sweet.You can't help but fall in love with "Sally's" gentle, sensitive personality and the fact that she always trys to be the best person that she can be. Luke Wilson, who is one of the best looking men on the planet, portrays Dorian, an equally kind and lovable character who has to deal with a crazy mother & brother, while falling in love with Sally. "Home Fries" is a great movie about getting over the hurdles of life and fighting to be with the one you love.

Home Fries.......2005-02-10

Home Fries is a great movie about a young women, Sally, played by Drew Barrymore, who is just trying to find a father for her unborn baby. The real father died of a mysterious heart attack. The man she finds, Dorian, played by Luke Wilson, played a mayjor part in the real fathers death.
Drew Barrymore and Luke Wilson had great chemistry on camera. I recomend this movie to fans of either Drew, Luke, and comedic romance movies. It has a great plot, is funny, romantic, and keeps you wondering what will happen next.

Wild,Weird .......2004