`BEAUTICIAN' NO `NANNY' MAKE-OVER.Byline: Bob Strauss Daily News Film Critic You've got to love Fran Drescher, and we don't mean that rhetorically. You've literally got to love TV's ``Nanny'' if you're even thinking of sitting through ``The Beautician and the Beast,'' which is basically Drescher's sitcom with some political satire Political satire is a subgenre of general satire that specializes in gaining entertainment from politics, politicians, and public affairs. It has also been used with subversive intent where political speech and dissent are forbidden by a regime, as a method of advancing political and a few fairy tale fairy tale Simple narrative typically of folk origin dealing with supernatural beings. Fairy tales may be written or told for the amusement of children or may have a more sophisticated narrative containing supernatural or obviously improbable events, scenes, and personages elements thrown in. It's really pretty charming, and has an odd kind of integrity that's not often seen in gimmick comedies these days. But if you find Drescher's nasal honk and pop-art style sense more grating than adorable, don't rush right out. Drescher plays Joy Miller, a cosmetologist cos·me·tol·o·gy n. The study or art of cosmetics and their use. [French cosmétologie : cosmétique, cosmetic; see cosmetic + -logie, -logy. from (where else?) Queens, who dreams of ... well, doing something more than teaching beauty culture in Queens. When her night-school classroom catches fire, Joy bravely saves the lab animals and becomes a local heroine. Confusing her with a real educator, hapless operative Grushinsky (Ian McNeice Ian McNeice (born October 2, 1950) is an internationally known English actor from Basingstoke in Hampshire. Career McNeice's acting training started in the Taunton School in Somerset. This was followed up with two years at the Salisbury Playhouse. ) hires Joy to tutor the heirs to the presidency of Slovetzia, a storybook sto·ry·book n. A book containing a collection of stories, usually for children. adj. Occurring in or resembling the style or content of a storybook: storybook characters; a storybook romance. Eastern European principality that has just emerged from communism and hasn't quite gotten the democracy thing right. Slovetzia's ruler, Boris ``The Beast'' Pochenko (Timothy Dalton), is an autocratic president-for-life sort, whose stern manner and bushy bush·y adj. bush·i·er, bush·i·est 1. Overgrown with bushes. 2. Thick and shaggy: a bushy head of hair. , Stalin-inspired mustache strike fear into the hearts of his children and his subjects alike. But not in Joy. Taking no guff from the bullying bear, the self-confident street smarty An earlier device marketed by Fischer International Systems Corporation, Naples, FL (www.fisc.com) that used a standard 3.5" floppy drive to read smart cards. The smart card was inserted into Smarty, which resembled a floppy disk. sets about trying to give the kids a realistic view of history between grooming tips while, with only slightly more difficulty, performing an image makeover on not-so-bad Boris. Seems he's really a lonely widower who would like to prepare his country for the 21st century, if only he could find the right first lady to help. Honk if you love Fran. She really is delightful through much of this well-behaved farce, especially when Joy's trying to make Boris act human. Dalton, who was the grimmest of movie James Bonds, strikes a nice comic stance, too, awkward yet not buffoonish as Pochenko's tender tendencies emerge. Indeed, the best thing about Todd Graff's screenplay is that it never makes fools out of anybody, not even McNeice's designated bumbler or the film's nominal villain, a hard-line prime minister played by Patrick Malahide. And for what is basically a nonmusical knockoff knock·off n. Informal An unauthorized copy or imitation, as of designer clothing: "the place to go for quality knockoffs" Women's Wear Daily. Noun 1. of ``The King and I,'' Graff and director Ken Kwapis, who helmed the first two seasons of ``The Larry Sanders Show,'' keep things politically conscious and socially engaged, if not laugh-riot funny. But then, for many of us, a pastel-clad Fran Drescher at full bray is all that's needed to raise a smile. THE FACTS The film: ``The Beautician and the Beast'' (PG; animals in jeopardy). The stars: Fran Drescher, Timothy Dalton. Behind the scenes: Directed by Ken Kwapis. Written by Todd Graff. Produced by Graff and Howard W. Koch Howard Winchel Koch (April 11, 1916 - February 16, 2001) was an American director and producer of motion pictures and television. Born in New York City, he attended Peddie School in Hightstown, New Jersey. Jr. Released by Paramount Pictures. Running time: One hour, 47 minutes. Playing: Citywide. Our rating: Three Stars. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Cosmetologist Joy Miller (Fran Drescher), hired to tutor the children of Boris ``The Beast'' Pochenko (Timothy Dalton), gives the autocratic ruler a make-over in ``The Beautician and the Beast.'' |
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