Beautiful Girls

[Centerfield]

Caught this one on TV the other day. Every time I see it, I end up watching at least part of it. At least among people I know, Beautiful Girls usually elicits a strong reaction, whether it be positive or negative. Personally, I really like the movie. I know the acting isn’t great, and it becomes more apparent when you re-watch it, and guys I know from New England tell me that the cast is about as non-New England as you can get. I don’t know...maybe it was because I saw this movie for the first time right before I got married...but whatever, it works for me.

Couple of cool things from the movie:

1. Like I mentioned, because of my situation, I could relate to Timothy Hutton’s character, but I could also see a lot of my friends in his friends. And now, as time goes by, I see some of me in those other characters too. I love the scene where Michael Rappaport has the brown (“champagne�

[Edgy MD]

Four out of ten. If I voted again, I might have gone three.

May have felt differently ff I hadn't watched it with my she-partner, but stupid self-serving guys acting stupid and self-serving embarasses me.

I think Ms. Portman has turned in some performances since then. You want an early peaking career, look at her co-star. Timothy Hutton won an Oscar as a teenager (didn't he?)and has been a poor man's Mickey Rourke (which is poor indeed) ever since.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

I watch this on cable on occasion. Not a great film, but watchable.

[Vic Sage]

excellent, underrated little movie.

a character study of small-town guys frozen (literally and metaphorically) in their high school days, unable or unwilling to move on, and the women that try and pull them out of their stagnant lives.

funny, poignant, with strong female characters to balance the male-bonding vulgarity.

Hutton grounds the film with his centered performance. His relationship with Portman is moving and funny, without being creepy.

And Hutton is certainly no Mickey Rourke, or any other 1-trick pony. His career went well beyond his Oscar at 18 for ORDINARY PEOPLE. In my view, he was one of the better American actors of the 1980s, giving solid lead performances in TAPS, DANIEL, and FALCON & THE SNOWMAN (one of the best movies of that era). Alan Rudolph's MADE IN HEAVEN, though commercially unsuccessful, is a very interesting little romantic fantasy, and TIME OF DESTINY, another indie film, was powerful and operatic in style. Hutton finished the decade with Q & A, one of sydney lumet's toughest cop dramas.

Hutton didn't do any other interesting films until BEAUTIFUL GIRLS (96), except for the over-the-top Romero flick DARK HALF, so it was a comeback of sorts. His last notable performance was in SUNSHINE STATE (02), a John Sayles indie drama.

[Guest AG/DC]

Vic Sage wrote: In my view, he was one of the better American actors of the 1980s,

If, by better, you mean among the top 50%, then sure.

Vic Sage wrote: FALCON & THE SNOWMAN (one of the best movies of that era)

What era are we talking? The era of creepy Sean Penn wigs and Bowie songs?

Well, yeah, I know it's ben 20 months, but still.