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gkjohnson
Reviews
Girl (1998)
disappointment and let-down
Great book, movie sucked - a common theme for paper to film transitions, but this time I don't care. I *hated* this movie. Dumbed-down plot, dumbed-down emotions, cartoon characters. I've nothing against Dominique Swain - she was brilliant in Lolita (really, I mean that) - but I expected so much more from her in Girl. I think the sucking factor had to do with faulty direction - the film never really decided if it wanted to be coming-of-age story, tongue-in-cheek teen comedy, or Portland scenester bio. It never achieved any coherence, and whatever sincerity we had in Andrea seemed, at the end, forced and trite. I did like seeing (and his name escapes me) the actor who plays Francis from Malcolm in the Middle in a small role. Last and largest complaint: I wish the film had had a bigger budget so that it could've actually been filmed in Portland!
Rushmore (1998)
I am in love with Rushmore
Bottom line: subtle, unique, *brilliant*.
"Subtle" means that a lot of people won't get it. They'll critique its off-beat comedic timing. They'll whine about its pace or how it doesn't really come to a climax, or praise Bill Murray's other comedic efforts in films like Caddyshack. This is not their movie.