| Running Time: 89 mins
Rated: R (14A)
Sometimes it’s really great to take a break from special effects laden blockbusters, and sit back and enjoy a little bit of light romantic comedy. Here’s your chance.
Naked in New York tells the tale of two young, star crossed lovers who meet in college, fall in love, move in together and discover that, well, life happens.
The lovers are played winningly by Eric Stoltz and Mary Louise Parker (not to be confused with Sarah Jessica Parker - this is a completely different actress), who pull off complex characters with life, spirit and believability.
To continue, college ends - they both struggle to find work. He’s a playwright fighting through a bit of writer’s block and his best friend’s pressure to move to New York and the big time, and she’s a photographer who really wants to have a career in art, but...
Of course, when you have a story that is driven by characters, it’s ultimate success or failure is not in the hands of the actors (although they play a huge role); it falls to the screenwriter(s) to come up with a good story with some laughs, some pathos, some tragedy, some irony, and even some character development thrown in for good measure. Thankfully, Dan Algrant and John Warren have put together a dry, witty little script here that works.
But... without actors to bring those words and ideas to life, and Naked in New York is jammed packed with performers working hard, having fun, and doing an all around good job. Two, in particular help raise this modest flick into a slightly higher strata are Tony Curtis and Kathleen Turner. Curtis plays an off-broadway producer, while Turner nearly chews the scenery in a very fun take on one of those soap opera divas who “wants to get back to serious theatre.” She and Curtis are a hoot.
That’s not all! Ralph Macchio puts in a star turn as Stoltz’s best friend. This kid is starting to get pretty good once you get past The Karate Kid. Then there’s Jill Clayburgh going through hell as Stoltz’s mom, and Timothy Dalton as ‘the good looking rich gallery owner,’ who becomes Stoltz’s perceived rival for the love of Parker.
If you watch closely, you’ll also catch Whoopi Goldberg (Isaid watch closely), Eric Bogosian and Quentin Crisp.
This is a wonderful movie to curl up in front of the fireplace with your sweetie. It’s light and basically happy and fun and won’t rot your teeth or put you into insulin shock. While having the above properties, the flick tends a little to the dry side and takes some good pokes at several aspects of modern life.
I can heartily recommend this flick for couples (or anyone else) who wants a good, light but satisfying way to spend an hour and a half. |
