Interesting though thematically bludgeoned "family" film detailing the singular obsession Emily (Kyra Sedgwick) has for producing and raising her very own child. While layering a good amount of light-hearted humor into the affair, the movie is undoubtedly subversive in the process of relaying so many well meaning points. The unique material will most likely find an audience with females, and mothers in particular, having much less of a hold on the opposite sex. Although this material is presented in a somewhat compelling manner through the textured workings exuded from Segwick, the novel that this was adapted from clearly lost something in transition, from the competent though unimpressive pacing that stretches some time periods out too long- yet feels way abridged in others, to a just plain unfortunate air of mediocrity found throughout the production values. Not helping things much is Loverboy himself, played by an adorable, but immature Dominic Scott Kay, who crushes some of the realism with his performance. Even as original and interesting as Segwick's character seemed, I became less interested as the character became caricature, displayed through the eventual predictability of her unpredictability. While it was every intention of the film to associate this character with those attributes, what should have been her son's perception of her, ended up being mine as well, which somehow negated all of Krya's quieter, and effecting moments. Bacon himself deserves a job well done for an admirable debut behind the lens (except for not getting more damn re-shoots of that kid!), offering decent direction and a funny little role to boot. The script's insistence at repeating itself does grate a little but fortunately the themes do hold water in this one, although primarily for women and in a non-direct, after-effect sort of way, due to the sensitive though underdeveloped screenplay.
Review of Loverboy
