When I saw this movie 10 years ago on video, I was captivated by the story and the acting, but turned off by Frankie's blathering. When I watched it again last night, I had the same reaction.
The acting-especially the adorable Mackenzie Astin (who was such a cute kid on Facts of Life, nice to see he grew up so well)-more than make up for the sometimes awful lines that the luminous Ione Skye has to mutter. She's such a good actress that I actually cringed at some of her dialogue. It's the earnestness in which she says it that made me not laugh out loud though. Instead of coming off as a pompous, pretentious poser, Skye portrays Frankie as a hopeless romantic. She's a lonely dreamer who finds her soul mate at just about the time she's given up on the notion that he is out there. So when she meets David (Astin), her world is rocked. Love at first sight happens for both, but there is one glitch-he has a live in girlfriend. Of course, David is so sensitive and sweet that one has to wonder what he's doing with a cold, pragmatic law student named Molly Monday. Of course, he just has to give in to his desire to be with Frankie, even if it means relocating yet again to another city.
The fact that David spends loads of time with Frankie and leads her cousin (Michael Landes in what should have been a break out role)and friends to think that he has a thing for her despite hiding his relationship means nothing to her though. Instead of seeing him as someone who can't be trusted, Frankie is determined to break up his relationship and claim him for herself. She doesn't want to hear her friend Allison (played brilliantly by Jennifer Aniston) tell her that there are other fish in the sea. She only wants the David Shrader fish. Who could blame her? Astin plays this role with grace and sensitivity, even when David acts like a weasel. It's hard to dislike his character-he's captivating and brilliant. No one is perfect, and neither is this movie. Silly dialogue aside, it's close to it. I give it an 8 out of 10.
The acting-especially the adorable Mackenzie Astin (who was such a cute kid on Facts of Life, nice to see he grew up so well)-more than make up for the sometimes awful lines that the luminous Ione Skye has to mutter. She's such a good actress that I actually cringed at some of her dialogue. It's the earnestness in which she says it that made me not laugh out loud though. Instead of coming off as a pompous, pretentious poser, Skye portrays Frankie as a hopeless romantic. She's a lonely dreamer who finds her soul mate at just about the time she's given up on the notion that he is out there. So when she meets David (Astin), her world is rocked. Love at first sight happens for both, but there is one glitch-he has a live in girlfriend. Of course, David is so sensitive and sweet that one has to wonder what he's doing with a cold, pragmatic law student named Molly Monday. Of course, he just has to give in to his desire to be with Frankie, even if it means relocating yet again to another city.
The fact that David spends loads of time with Frankie and leads her cousin (Michael Landes in what should have been a break out role)and friends to think that he has a thing for her despite hiding his relationship means nothing to her though. Instead of seeing him as someone who can't be trusted, Frankie is determined to break up his relationship and claim him for herself. She doesn't want to hear her friend Allison (played brilliantly by Jennifer Aniston) tell her that there are other fish in the sea. She only wants the David Shrader fish. Who could blame her? Astin plays this role with grace and sensitivity, even when David acts like a weasel. It's hard to dislike his character-he's captivating and brilliant. No one is perfect, and neither is this movie. Silly dialogue aside, it's close to it. I give it an 8 out of 10.