.....with my dear wife, at her sweet request, and found a very pleasant cinematic surprise, much, much better than what I had feared it might be.
The Link
In my opinion, this flick was genuinely funny, quite timely (given current economic issues), impressively literate script-wise (offering both high and low brow humor) and very believably portrayed by fine comedic and dramatic acting given in good service of a full, though unlikely, storyline as it deftly explored and interconnected every aspect of itself in a sufficient amount to achieve a fully realized movie.
With less able screenwriting, acting or movie making and less cogent overall direction, perhaps two of our best and most bankable thespians, Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts, could easily have been wasted in something as disappointingly mediocre as "Wild Hogs" or "The Proposal" or "The Tourist" or "The Island" or "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" or "Ishtar" or.....
Those are all movies boasting big stars which were much, much less than they coulda, shoulda, woulda been, given all the movie making talent involved.
So I'll admit, I had some doubtful doubts about seeing both Forrest Gump and Pretty Woman "cast away" together in a dramedy.
However, I should've had more faith in Hanks, who perfectly produced, directed and/or portrayed the musical exuberance of the sixties in "That Thing You Do!" and the horrible realities of war in "Saving Private Ryan" and Julia, too, who's been a big screen standout for me ever since my seeing "Satisfaction" and "Mystic Pizza" in the late '80s, "Notting Hill" in the '90s or "Charlie Wilson's War" more recently.
"Larry Crowne" is a movie that I hope the right moviegoers will discover and see, before the critics and naysayers dismiss its current theater release.
Of course, there's always home video rental, should you miss it on the big screen.
I believe many 20 somethings and 80 and older somethings alike would enjoy this film, if they'd give it a chance.
I saw and heard viewers from all those age groups in my audience, obviously enjoying our screening.
Many of those viewers my age and older struck me as folks who hadn't been to the movies all that often since whenever it was that CGI, plus shock and awe story lines with extra loud digital surround sound, somewhat detoured the modern cinematic experience away from strong scripts featuring salient screenwriting and the simple treat of seeing big stars perform thoughtfully and well on the silver screen.
If so, IMO, this time they picked the right movie.
I also fondly remember how my favorite trio of teenagers once freely admitted that a serious, adult movie, specifically: "Driving Miss Daisy," was really a good flick, after we'd pretty much tricked them into going to see it with us at the multiplex.
Made me proud.
"Larry Crowne" had me flashing on the memory of Jack Nicholson in his football helmet as an "Easy Rider" and about the generational differences and educational conflict between Mr. Hand and Jeff Spicoli in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High."
And favorably comparing this flick to other good seriocomedy, relationship movies such as "Roxanne," "The Breakup" and "You've Got Mail."
Mr. Sulu from "Star Trek" and Pam Grier of "Jackie Brown" fame each elevated their supporting roles with excellence.
In addition, I noticed how this film covered some of the same ground that "Up in the Air" flew so high above, here in a more down to earth fashion, and also how this movie certainly had more than enough of the masculine point of view to steadfastly prevent it from being considered a mere chick flick.....and vice versa.
No nudity, no bad language and no sexual acts.
So, this movie succeeded for me quite nicely without any of those three things I've just listed above, things which I often enjoy or tolerate in a movie.
Good soundtrack, fun parting shots in front of a green screen while the closing credits rolled and, dare I say it, perhaps even a tongue in cheeky, finger snapping homage to the Sharks and the Jets of "West Side Side Story."
Go with your significant other, take your HS or college aged kids or invite your parents, if you wish.
Because, if you suspect you'd appreciate and enjoy a film about what I've described and alluded to in this humble post, my wife and I highly recommend "Larry Crowne."
And, if not, then you've been duly forewarned.
Your thoughts?
The Link
In my opinion, this flick was genuinely funny, quite timely (given current economic issues), impressively literate script-wise (offering both high and low brow humor) and very believably portrayed by fine comedic and dramatic acting given in good service of a full, though unlikely, storyline as it deftly explored and interconnected every aspect of itself in a sufficient amount to achieve a fully realized movie.
With less able screenwriting, acting or movie making and less cogent overall direction, perhaps two of our best and most bankable thespians, Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts, could easily have been wasted in something as disappointingly mediocre as "Wild Hogs" or "The Proposal" or "The Tourist" or "The Island" or "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" or "Ishtar" or.....
Those are all movies boasting big stars which were much, much less than they coulda, shoulda, woulda been, given all the movie making talent involved.
So I'll admit, I had some doubtful doubts about seeing both Forrest Gump and Pretty Woman "cast away" together in a dramedy.
However, I should've had more faith in Hanks, who perfectly produced, directed and/or portrayed the musical exuberance of the sixties in "That Thing You Do!" and the horrible realities of war in "Saving Private Ryan" and Julia, too, who's been a big screen standout for me ever since my seeing "Satisfaction" and "Mystic Pizza" in the late '80s, "Notting Hill" in the '90s or "Charlie Wilson's War" more recently.
"Larry Crowne" is a movie that I hope the right moviegoers will discover and see, before the critics and naysayers dismiss its current theater release.
Of course, there's always home video rental, should you miss it on the big screen.
I believe many 20 somethings and 80 and older somethings alike would enjoy this film, if they'd give it a chance.
I saw and heard viewers from all those age groups in my audience, obviously enjoying our screening.
Many of those viewers my age and older struck me as folks who hadn't been to the movies all that often since whenever it was that CGI, plus shock and awe story lines with extra loud digital surround sound, somewhat detoured the modern cinematic experience away from strong scripts featuring salient screenwriting and the simple treat of seeing big stars perform thoughtfully and well on the silver screen.
If so, IMO, this time they picked the right movie.
I also fondly remember how my favorite trio of teenagers once freely admitted that a serious, adult movie, specifically: "Driving Miss Daisy," was really a good flick, after we'd pretty much tricked them into going to see it with us at the multiplex.
Made me proud.
"Larry Crowne" had me flashing on the memory of Jack Nicholson in his football helmet as an "Easy Rider" and about the generational differences and educational conflict between Mr. Hand and Jeff Spicoli in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High."
And favorably comparing this flick to other good seriocomedy, relationship movies such as "Roxanne," "The Breakup" and "You've Got Mail."
Mr. Sulu from "Star Trek" and Pam Grier of "Jackie Brown" fame each elevated their supporting roles with excellence.
In addition, I noticed how this film covered some of the same ground that "Up in the Air" flew so high above, here in a more down to earth fashion, and also how this movie certainly had more than enough of the masculine point of view to steadfastly prevent it from being considered a mere chick flick.....and vice versa.
No nudity, no bad language and no sexual acts.
So, this movie succeeded for me quite nicely without any of those three things I've just listed above, things which I often enjoy or tolerate in a movie.
Good soundtrack, fun parting shots in front of a green screen while the closing credits rolled and, dare I say it, perhaps even a tongue in cheeky, finger snapping homage to the Sharks and the Jets of "West Side Side Story."
Go with your significant other, take your HS or college aged kids or invite your parents, if you wish.
Because, if you suspect you'd appreciate and enjoy a film about what I've described and alluded to in this humble post, my wife and I highly recommend "Larry Crowne."
And, if not, then you've been duly forewarned.
Your thoughts?
