FemaleFirst.co.uk: DVD: Beautiful Girls [DVD] [1996]

Beautiful Girls [DVD] [1996]
enlarge	Director: Ted Demme Actors: Matt Dillon, Timothy Hutton, Noah Emmerich, Annabeth Gish, Lauren Holly Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm Category: DVD List Price: ~~£14.99~~ Buy New: £2.49 as of 24/11/2009 02:29 GMT details You Save: £12.50 (83%) New (19) Used (6) from £2.48 Seller: susan50664 Rating: 11 reviews Sales Rank: 7901 Format: PAL Language: English (Original Language) Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over Region: 2 Discs: 1 Number Of Discs: 1 Running Time: 108 Minutes Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2 Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6 EAN: 5017188884082 ASIN: B00005U1XI Theatrical Release Date: February 9, 1996 Release Date: January 7, 2002 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days


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Editorial Reviews: Amazon.co.uk Review This town drama from Ted Demme centres on former classmates coming together for their 10-year reunion. Scott Rosenberg's (IThings to Do in Denver When You're Dead/I) script thoughtfully passes over the usual grumblings of young adults who can't believe they still live in the same snowbound town. They accept--even welcome--their blue-collar jobs, whether ploughing snow or cutting hair. Willie (Timothy Hutton), the lone wanderer, returns to his listless house in a state of flux, the piano-bar circuit wearing thin as is his relationship with Tracy, a well-off attorney (Annabeth Gish). He isn't the only one with problems. Tommy (Matt Dillon) occasionally sleeps with his now-married high school sweetheart Darian (Lauren Holly) while the earnest Sharon (Mira Sorvino) is left to wait. Paul (another thick-headed role for Michael Rapaport) refuses to commit to Jan (Martha Plimpton) until it's too late. Paul is enamoured with the idea of the supermodel (the title's "beautiful girls") that, he believes, can make life perfect. It's a very satisfying comedy, with some forced poignancy (Willie's description of Tracy as a "seven and a half" comes off as a death sentence). Rosie O'Donnell's dissertation on why IPlayboy/I and IPenthouse/I have ruined male expectations is much like Meg Ryan's orgasm scene in IWhen Harry Met Sally/I: it's hilarious, even memorable, but never wholly believable.p The two wild cards thrown into IBeautiful Girls/I give the film its kick. Uma Thurman enters as the local barman's (Pruitt Taylor Vince) radiant cousin. From the big city, she can flirt with the awestruck guys and still keep her head. Willie's true emotional tug is from Marty, his precocious 13-year-old neighbour. If you didn't see Natalie Portman's sophisticated work in ILeon/I, her performance here will come as a revelation. You deeply believe that Willie and Marty are connected despite their age difference. Their courtship will never come to be, but the way the two talk (and talk some more) about their lives is the most insightful part of Rosenberg's script. Everyone's so comfortable in his or her roles that you may truly feel sad when the film ends. --IDoug Thomas, Amazon.com/I

Customer Reviews: Showing reviews 1-5 of 11 1 2 3 Next » beautiful girls......beautifully evocative August 22, 2002 Lesley B (UK) 9 out of 9 found this review helpful I happily stumbled across 'Beautiful Girls' one evening on terrestrial TV and was at first captivated by the great cast. Timothy Hutton, Michael Rappaport, Matt Dillon, Uma Thurman, Annabeth Gish and Martha Plimpton are all actors that have popped up in films that are not necessarily well known, but stretch back over my film watching history. It seemed fitting that they were playing in a film that mirrored the current stage of my life, albeit in a different place and lifestyle. pThat is where Beautiful Girls hits the mark; it evokes universal feelings for time and place the way that Ang Lee's 'the ice storm' did for the bored married, or 'the Breakfast Club' did for the teen.pIts not a showy movie, but lulls you with well realised set pieces and dilemmas. Rosie O'Donnell's diatribe is fantastic, but it is Natalie Portman's astute turn as Marty that makes the film for me. You truly believe that Willie would fall for this smart 13 old - who wouldn't? She exudes intelligence and vitality and communicates with a man who 'was in 12th(?) grade when she was a zygote' on his level, reducing him to a nervous suitor at points with her wit. The Pooh and Christopher Robin reference is a poignant tool which the actors use to its full potential in this setting.pAll in all, the film is a quiet pleasure, sketching the difficult, indifferent 20-something descisions of life - do you cling to your youth or move on to the next stage of life willingly? Ted Demme and cast do an admirable job. A brilliant, underated portrait of a smalltown reunion September 17, 2000 Jason Parkes (Worcester, UK) 6 out of 6 found this review helpful Ted Demme's film is extremely warm, despite its snowbound landscape- more suited to Egoyan's 'The Sweet Herafter'. This film did squat at the box office, despite the fact that it has a wonderful script by Scott Rosenberg (Things to do in Denver when you're Dead, High Fidelity, Er, Con Air...)and a wonderful ensemble cast. Tim Hutton puts in the best performance of his career, Natalie Portman is beguiling in a reverse-Lolita role and Uma Thurman is simply angelic. Think 'Swingers' with a dash of Capra or 'My so-called Life'. Other plus points include The Afghan Whigs as the local bar band, an extremely amusing Neil Diamond singalong and a wonderfully slobbish Michael Rappaport- with his disturbing philosphy on women (they're all sisters Wil. Leave it alone!). If you liked 'Grosse Point Blank' or 'Swingers' this is as good. 'Beautiful Girls' may have been overlooked because its just too human- maybe a little old fashioned and it hasn't got cool pastiches of Scorsese or Tarantino- which may mean critical reassessment in the future when we're bored of all those 'I'm worried I might be homosexual, so here's some stylised-violence'films (think Guy Ritchie or parts of 'Grosse Point Blank'). The perfect film for the upcoming winter and an example of Hollywood at its most thoughtful. Really! Heartwarming drama May 23, 2004 3 out of 3 found this review helpful A heartwarming drama on the problems you face as you hit your late twenties in a smalltown American town. Top-notch performances from the ensemble cast, touching and funny at the same time. Watch out for the relationship between Timothy Hutton and Natalie Portman it's heartbreaking. Perfect May 2, 2007 R. Bardell 2 out of 2 found this review helpful Having spent the best part of forty years watching hundreds of films on screen, tv and dvd, I`ve come to the slightly surprising conclusion that Beautiful Girls is quite possibly the one I enjoyed the most. It's a film about thwarted ambitions and trying to get the most out of life in small town America and, within this modest remit, it's just about perfect. The dialogue is smart and involving without being patronising or clichéd, and it is matched by some faultless ensemble acting from the cast The direction is so good you don't notice it, and I can't think of any higher praise than that. The only thing I can fault is the banal title, which was probably meant ironically but grates nonetheless. It's one of those priceless films that leaves you with a good feeling inside no matter how many times you watch it. It's a wonderful life! May 29, 2007 I. Varey (Stafford, UK) 1 out of 1 found this review helpful Whilst most of the reviews have said it all I still felt moved to add my 2 cents worth. Starting slowly and gently I was immediately comfortable with this movie but wondering if it was going to go anywhere. Perhaps it might lull you into a false sense of security and then explode into violence. There is humour and wit aplenty but for me it wasn't a comedy, more a tale of love and friendship and a healthy dose of real life. The characters are all immediately recognisable, be they American, British, or from any part of the world. The word comfortable returns again and gradually I was drawn into their small town world and felt like I lived there and wanted to know these people. The stars for me are Timothy Hutton, a real fave of mine and Natalie Portman. Their tenderly drawn blossoming friendship across the picket fence becomes a beautiful glowing "courtship" of sorts that could have led somewhere "in five years time." Natalie, a self described "old soul" is very wise beyond her years, captivating Hutton's days back in his old hometown. His friends have their own relationship difficulties with twists and turns, pain and angst. There is much flirting in the movie with the arrival of Uma Thurman seriously cranking up the heat. How it all turns out is for you to discover and I cannot recommend this movie highly enough. Six stars out of five, immensely and richly enjoyable and rewarding. Showing reviews 1-5 of 11 1 2 3 Next »

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