SWEENEY DARES TO GO FOR TRUTH.Byline: Bob Strauss Daily News Film Critic Julia Sweeney's acclaimed ac·claim v. ac·claimed, ac·claim·ing, ac·claims v.tr. 1. To praise enthusiastically and often publicly; applaud. See Synonyms at praise. 2. , one-woman stage show ``God Said, `Ha!' '' has now been preserved on film. It's a good show, but barely a movie. For those unfamiliar with the piece, the former ``Saturday Night Live'' comic built a monologue monologue, an extended speech by one person only. Strindberg's one-act play The Stronger, spoken entirely by one person, is an extreme example of monologue. out of one very bad year in her life. Freshly and amicably am·i·ca·ble adj. Characterized by or exhibiting friendliness or goodwill; friendly. [Middle English, from Late Latin am divorced and retired from the TV program, she'd moved to L.A., found a perfect little house that she furnished fur·nish tr.v. fur·nished, fur·nish·ing, fur·nish·es 1. To equip with what is needed, especially to provide furniture for. 2. just so, and was all set to indulge in·dulge v. in·dulged, in·dulg·ing, in·dulg·es v.tr. 1. To yield to the desires and whims of, especially to an excessive degree; humor. 2. a. a life of cozy See COSE. independence when her brother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She took him in. Her parents from Washington state wanted to help out. They moved in. Sweeney found herself reduced to sneaking cigarettes in the car and making out with her boyfriend in the hall, hoping not to get caught but kind of turned on by the prospect. Hilarious descriptions of this premature second childhood are balanced by loving and harrowing recollections of her brother's inspiring, inevitably losing struggle. And then comes the day when Julia gets her own call from the oncologist Oncologist A physician specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer Mentioned in: Retinoblastoma oncologist ... Sweeney, who's otherwise best known for creating such ``SNL'' characters as the sexually ambiguous Pat, is an engaging raconteur rac·on·teur n. One who tells stories and anecdotes with skill and wit. [French, from raconter, to relate, from Old French : re-, re- + aconter, with a nice way of imitating people while still remaining Julia. She doesn't do characters here; rather, she makes it clear that she's giving you her take on somebody. It's a nice way to prevent sharp or even angry observations from degenerating into cheap disrespect. Of course, the person we learn the most about is Julia. And even though what she reveals is unavoidably selective, the piece could not work as well as it does without a great degree of self-honesty; indeed, there would be no other reason for it to exist. The film was shot on a soundstage designed to look like the stage of a small theater, dressed to resemble Sweeney's living room. There are a few pieces of furniture, a lamp. Four cameras were employed, we hear a bit of music, the lighting changes now and then. Sweeney wears a brown pantsuit that matches her hair, walks around some, sits a bit, stands and delivers. She's worth listening to and good to watch. But you won't miss a thing if you wait to rent the video. THE FACTS The film: ``God Said, `Ha!' '' (PG-13; language). The stars: Julia Sweeney. Behind the scenes: Written and directed by Julia Sweeney, based on her stage monologue. Produced by Rana Joy Glickman. Released by Miramax Films. Running time: One hour, 27 minutes. Playing: Nuart, West L.A. Our rating: Three stars. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: ``Saturday Night Live'' alumna Julia Sweeney turns to real life in ``God Said, `Ha!' '' her stage play that's now a feature film. |
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