`LOVELY' REVELATIONS OF MAD LOVE.Byline: Bob Strauss Daily News Film Critic The spirit of John Cassavetes is alive and permeating ``She's So Lovely.'' Based on one of the great independent filmmaker's scripts and directed by his son Nick (``Unhook the Stars''), it's an actor's paradise, peopled by compulsive damaged goods DAMAGED GOODS. In the language of the customs, are goods subject to duties, which have received some injury either in the voyage home, or while bonded in warehouses. See Abatement, merc. law. drowning in their own feelings. If this sounds somewhat indulgent, you bet it is. But like such Cassavetes masterpieces as ``A Woman Under the Influence'' and ``Love Streams,'' it rewards our patience with exquisitely rendered revelations of mad love. Much better in its second half than at first, it's well worth putting up with, if only to see just how much the people on screen can take from each other. Sean Penn won the Cannes Film Festival's top acting award for his portrayal of Eddie, a charming Skid Row skid row a run-down area frequented by alcoholics. [Am. Culture: Misc.] See : Alcoholism Skid Row district of down-and-outs and bums. [Am. Usage: Brewer Dictionary, 1008] See : Failure lowlife who disappears for days at a time but still just loves the buttons off of his pregnant, alcoholic wife, Maureen (Robin Wright Penn). During one of Eddie's extended absences, she's led into a compromising position by a sleazy neighbor, resulting in bruises. Eddie reappears at a crucial juncture and decides the best course of action is to take his battered wife dancing in the rain. The morning after, though, his philosophical nutcase side takes over. Within hours, he's shot a health worker and done strange things with his pants. This earns Eddie 10 years in a mental institution. In the interim, woozy Maureen cleans up her act, marries sensible (if short-fused) Joey (John Travolta), moves to the suburbs and has three kids. When Eddie, who hasn't heard from her in a decade, is released, he immediately gets a stupid haircut and comes looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. Maureen. Joey - and, really, anybody with a lick of sense - can see this for the bad thing it is. So can Maureen, but that doesn't mean she can resist her unhinged ex's highly specific appeal. Except for Penn's adroit, impulsive psychological pirouettes, the first half of ``She's So Lovely'' has an unappetizing air of condescension con·de·scen·sion n. 1. The act of condescending or an instance of it. 2. Patronizingly superior behavior or attitude. [Late Latin cond to it. Colorful lowlifes make for hoary hoar·y adj. hoar·i·er, hoar·i·est 1. Gray or white with or as if with age. 2. Covered with grayish hair or pubescence: hoary leaves. 3. cliches that only a John Cassavetes could sometimes finesse into full humanity, and he is not with us anymore. Also not helping is the emphasis on Wright Penn's Maureen, who is not imagined by actress or director much beyond the lovable/pitiful drunk basics. Travolta, however, injects a needed sense of emotional urgency into the far more intriguing second act. Joey isn't the smartest guy in the world, but compared to these two rational idiots he's Einstein, and it tears him up that his good life is even threatened by their crazy choices. Travolta modulates the man's seething seethe intr.v. seethed, seeth·ing, seethes 1. To churn and foam as if boiling. 2. a. To be in a state of turmoil or ferment: fear and anger beautifully; he's being driven helplessly nuts, yet his last proud hope is to not go as nutty as his tormentors. Who, of course, just can't help themselves. I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. if the purity of Maureen and Eddie's love justifies their self-obliterating commitment to it, as the movie seems to want to suggest. But it does lend their outlandish behavior an almost holy innocence, which makes for moments of high comedy amidst the heart-tearing tragedy. When Eddie comes over for dinner, the tension between Travolta and Penn crackles crackles a small, sharp sound heard on auscultation. Caused by dry, bristly hair and insufficient pressure on the stethoscope head. Also characteristic of emphysema, especially when it is subcutaneous. , but it also makes you cackle; the crazed, desperate logic of their arguments is hilarious. And as they try to outflank one another over the bar in Joey's den, both actors take such extreme, attitudinal stances, it looks like they may attack each other with their dimples (this film might have been called ``Chin Off''). The resolution of ``She's So Lovely'' would be controversial if it had happened to better adjusted people. As it stands, what Maureen decides to do doesn't really matter all that much. The passion was in the wrestling to get there, and the sweet logic of the whole oddball enterprise was to get great actors to twist themselves in incredible knots. THE FACTS The film: ``She's So Lovely'' (R; language, violence, substance abuse). The stars: Sean Penn, Robin Wright Penn, John Penn, John, 1729–95, lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania Penn, John, 1729–95, lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, b. London. A grandson of William Penn, he was the last proprietary official of the colony. Travolta, Harry Dean Stanton Harry Dean Stanton (born July 14, 1926) is an American character actor. Stanton was born in West Irvine, Kentucky to Ersel and Sheridan Harry Stanton, who divorced when Stanton was in high school; they later re-married. He had two younger brothers, Archie and Ralph. . Behind the scenes: Directed by Nick Cassavetes Nicholas David Rowland Cassavetes (born May 21, 1959) is an American actor and director. Cassavetes was born in New York City, New York, the son of actress Gena Rowlands and Greek-American actor and director John Cassavetes. . Written by John Cassavetes. Produced by Rene Cleitman. Released by Miramax Films. Running time: One hour, 30 minutes. Playing: Citywide. Our rating: Three Stars. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: John Travolta is sensible (if short-fused) Joey in ``She's So Lovely.'' |
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