SIN Entertainment

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'Primal Fear'

'Flirting With Disaster'

Rated R

Rated R

In an early scene, one of Vail's mance, astonishing in its subtle,
clients, Pinero (Steven Bauer), a distinctive character transfor-
o fill the void left by televi- complex underworld figure, is mations. From out of nowhere,
sion's upscale legal drama asked to turn state's witness, and Gere decides to defend him pro
"LA Law" and sate the pub- is offered $1.5 million provided bono. This high-profile murder
lic's interest in legal matters he will leave Chicago. Pinero was defense will surely keep him in
created by the O.J. Simpson tri- instrumental in stopping a $60- the headlines. He will be opposed
al, Hollywood has rushed to million land-development deal by Prosecuting Attorney Janet
churn out a slew of films dealing (think Poletown or Tiger Stadi- Venable (Laura Linney). She is
with our justice-challenged legal um) partnered be-
PHOTO B Y RON PHILLIPS a woman who has
system — Dead Man Walking, tween the
much to prove in the
The Juror, Eye for an Eye, Before archdiocese and the
courtroom against'
and After and now, based on the city. Pinero rejects
her former lover and
best-selling novel by William the offer; he refuses
mentor.
Diehl, Primal Fear.
to leave his family,
Primal Fear pos-
For Diehl's superman defense his friends and his
tulates a sensational
attorney Martin Vail (Richard roots. Sometimes,
murder trial with
Gere), it's not truth — or justice thugs can have
striking similarities
— it's the American way — win- principles.
to recent events, in-
ning. A former state prosecutor,
Shortly there-
cluding: a bloody
Vail has left public service for a after, a grisly mur-
knife as murder
lucrative career representing un- der is committed.
weapon, a slow-mo-
derdogs, thugs and crooks.
The beloved arch-
tion chase sequence,
Vail is dashing and debonair, bishop of Chicago is
a sleek high-profile
whether in tuxedos at a Catholic stabbed to death in
unscrupulous attor-
church benefit or chasing a felon a graphically re-
ney, and a suspect
through the city's slums. At reg- volting scene. Altar Richard Gere plays a brilliant who shows all signs
arrogant defense
ular junctures in the film, a re- boy Aaron Stam- and
of being guilty. With
attorney who takes on a pro
porter doing a feature on Vail pler, covered with bono case of a young man
the murder weapon,
interviews him when he's most blood, flees the accused of murdering one of DNA evidence, a mo-
vulnerable. During these sessions, scene of the crime Chicago's most prominent
tive (scandalous in-
with the reporter as witness, Vail but is swiftly caught dignitaries.
criminating video
bares his soul and reveals his true after an exciting
tapes) and the red-
nature as a predatory shark,
chase through the train handed culprit apprehended, can
and underscores the dark
yards.
our justice system convict? If only
morass of the legal system.
In his first feature- it were that easy.
MOVIES
o
l t
1/2
Vail's code is, "You don't
film role, Ed Norton, as
ask, you don't care ... you do
the naive, stuttering altar
the job."
boy, gives a revelatory perfor-
—Dick Rockwell

I

damper on things.
non-Army related affairs; Pfc.
When longtime Bilko neme- Mickey Zimmerman (Mitchell
sis Major Thorn (Phil Hartman) Whitfield), who is practically
shows up at Fort Baxter, how- catatonic; and Sgt. Raquel Bar-
ever, the party is over. Thorn bella (Pamela Segall), among
has a score to settle with Bilko, others.
and he'll stop at nothing to
Also at stake is Bilko's rela-
prove that the sergeant
tionship with his fiancee,
has been stealing Army
Rita Robbins (Glenne
'MOVIES
funds to finance his
Headley), whom he has
intricate gambling syn-
left standing at the al-
dicate. If Bilko is busted, the tar several times. Distraught
base will be shut down, anoth- and desperate, she is an easy
er casualty of '90s defense cut- target for Thorn's malicious se-
> backs.
duction.
So, Bilko and his band of ec-
Speaking of seduction, don't
centric followers must prove be seduced by the big names
their integrity and worth, a in this lame effort. While Mar-
daunting task for a bunch of tin does make a noticeable at-
misfits. There's Dino Paparel- tempt to breathe life into an old
li (Max Casella), a croupier with role, true resuscitation never
a talent for cross-dressing; Pvt.
takes place, and gut-busting
Duane Doberman (Eric Ed- humor is noticeably lacking.
> wards), a very large man who Phil Hartman, as the antago-
refuses to shower; Sgt. Ren- nist, is not able to utilize his tal-
shaw (John Marshall Jones),
ents, and although Dan
Bilko's right-hand man in all Aykroyd effectively comes

across as stupid, his perfor-
mance is another indication
that his career has gone into
cardiac arrest.
In fact, the only really funny
moments take place at the ex-
pense of Edwards and his ex-
tremely large mass; we are
reduced to laughing at fat jokes,
if at all. Also appearing (in un-
amusing roles) are Chris Rock
and Catherine Silvers (Phil Sil-
vers' daughter), as Thorn's com-
puter-wiz cronies.
So, if you have an urge to
laugh at the Army (and who
will blame you?), stick to
"M*A*S*H" re-runs. The end of
the Cold War enhanced the
world in many ways, but it
didn't do much for military corn-
edy.

0

1/2

— Dan, Zimmerman

mom and dad, the Schlictings. The
Schlictings (Alan Alda and Lily
screenwriter/director Tomlin) are everyone's wanna-be
David 0. Russell set out to parents — new-age, bohemian
David
make Flirting with Disas- artists who manufactured LSD
ter, he wanted as diverse a (they still do) in their basement
cross-section of America as possi- and went to jail for, among other
ble. So, at the heart of his '90s things, supporting Jerry Garcia
screwball comedy, Russell creat-
and the Grateful Dead's causes.
ed a lot of ninny, dysfunctional But they've semi-reformed and
characters, placed them in a va- now live in a non-smoking house
riety of quirky settings and gave with their leather-clad grunge-
them a whole lot of mishegas to head son (Glenn Fitzgerald).
work out.
Along this intricate journey, the
The core character, on a per- ensemble of stellar performers flirt
petual search for something more, with disaster — exploring sexual
something better, is Mel Coplin curiosities, testing relationships,
(Ben Stiller), a 30-something, re- putting controlled personalities
served, Jewish entomologist
into unpredictable situa-
with the libido of an ant.
tions and undertaking
MOVIES
Mel is married to Nancy
the ultimate identity
(Patricia Arquette) —
search — what ifs, what
grounded, assertive and a breast- vows and the grass-is-always-
feeding queen. Their 4-month-old greener syndrome.
son remains nameless, until Mel
Russell has an uncanny knack
can find his biological parents, for creating simultaneous, unre-
much to the dismay of
his brassy New York
adoptive parents
(Mary Tyler Moore, in
a very un-Mary Tyler
Moore role, and George
Segal). "Why do we
have to do this 'Roots'
thing? Aren't we good
enough parents?"
shrieks Tyler Moore.
Mel, Nancy, Baby X
and former dancer-
now-adoption-agency-
caseworker Tina Kalb Patricia Arquette plays Ben Stiller's maternal wife as
(Tea Leoni) set out on they set out on a cross-country trek to find his
a cross-country quest biological parents.
for Mel's biological par-
ents. Supposed parent No. 1 (Celia lated dialogue and scenarios, and
Weston) is a Southern Republi- then wrapping up all the weird
can who collects crystal minia- pieces in a humorous, neat way.
tures in droves, has twin blonde Eric Edwards and Christopher
beach volleyballers and claims Tellefsen provide slick edits and
Mel was conceived in a liquor photography — so be sure to get
warehouse in Baton Rouge, La. there early for the opening seg-
— at least the son she gave up for ment and stay late for the closing
credits.
adoption was.
Next stop — Dungall, Mich.,
Getting this cast of seasoned
a fictional town Russell invent- veterans to bring Russell's script
ed and shot on location outside of to life was a big boon and credit to
Kalamazoo and Battle Creek be- Russell. Getting Russell to create
cause "Kalamazoo is a fun name such a bizarre, fun film is a boon
to say ... and I've been a huge ce- to the audience.
real eater all my life ... (Battle
Creek) smells like Special K" The
traveling clan meets supposed bi-
—Julie Yolles
ological parent No. 2, Fritz
Boudreau (David Patrick Kelly),
the epitome of a blue-collar truck-
er.
En route to meet his real real
Outstanding
1
k-
parents, Mel and company are 0(kA)
joined by two gay, diametrically
Very Good
T-
1
comical ATio (alcohol, tobacco and ®
firearms) agents (Richard Jenk-
Good
)
ins and Josh Brolin).
Finally, in the desert of New
Fair
Mexico, Mel meets his biological

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