SIN Entertainment

Maybe Not'

opts to temporarily take refuge in known German actors in a foreign
a gay acquaintance's flat. Norbert setting, their alternative lifestyles
(Joachim Krol) has an ulterior mo- seem more believable then Robin
tive — he'd like to seduce Axel, Williams' and Nathan Lane's Hol-
and apparently so would Norbert's lywood-ized take on homosexual
whole circle of gay friends, espe- relationships. And rather than
cially Waltraud (Rufus Beck), a play up the "family values" issue,
hysterically unattractive trans- this broad comedy plays fast and
vestite.
loose with all relation-
Referred to as "Nor-
ships, regardless of gen-
MOVIES
beres hetero," Axel makes
der orientation.
the best of things. He par-
There are an amazing
ties with his new set of friends at variety of clever bits throughout
an after-hours cabaret populated this film — unexpected character
by drag queens. Either firmly as- pairings, mistaken sexual identi-
sured of his sexual orientation or ties, great physical comedy and,
simply blatantly naive, Axel ap- just to mix it up, a shrewd para-
pears oblivious to his bidirection- keet that just may be narcoleptic.
al appeal. "He's straight," they
When Axers girlfriend Doro dis-
gossip. "How tragic." This inno- covers she is pregnant, she takes
cence plays well against Norbert's him back in. On the rebound, Nor-
subtle leering.
bert opens his apartment to Horst
Maybe, Maybe Not is funnier (Armin Rohde), a butcher who
and more inventive than the re- likes to lounge about in black
cent Mike Nichols' hit The Bird- leather outfits. Norbert, a vege-
cage, adapted from the French tarian who hates the sight of
film La Cage aux Folks. With un- blood, has surely compromised his

'Harriet the Spy'

unrequited (but fantasy) rela-
tionship with Axel.
At the wedding, Doro is upset
when Axers gay friends arrive un-
expectedly. She suspects Axel may
be bisexual. In reality, he is just
nonjudgmental and still a bit
promiscuous.
A bit put off by his new child's
impending birth, Axel arranges a
liaison in Norbert's apartment
with a former lover, the exotic
Elke (Antonia Lang). Doro goes,
unexpectedly, into labor. What fol-
lows is more like a French draw-
ing-room farce, hysterically
choreographed with a surprising-
ly heartwarming fi-
nale.
Life is a cabaret
old friend, come to
the cabaret — or at
least, go to Maybe,
Maybe Not.

Rated PG

how individuals tend to upset
the rest of society.
ouise Fitzhugh's Harriet the
Filmed in exaggerated colors,
Spy was an award-winning the characters and backgrounds
children's book first pub- have an almost surreal quality,
lished in 1964. The story in- at times existing without a
spired millions of young readers, sense of place or time. Presum-
and I'm told that the film adap- ably, this was intended to em-
tation is faithful.
phasize the timelessness of the
The movie, like the book, fol- story. Unfortunately, this effect
lows sixth-grader Harriet is countered by several lapses
Welsch (Michelle Trachtenberg) into MTV-like fast edits, caus-
as she engages in harmless es- ing parts of the movie to feel like
pionage, with her friends, fam- cheap music videos. This device
ily and neighbors the
is distracting and an-
subject of her scrutiny.
noying and actually
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Her nanny and mentor,
makes the film seem

L

—Dick Rockwell

'Multiplicity'

Rated PG-13

a person really can be at two places head and figures that
at once. Reluctant at first, Doug if one done makes for
ow many times have you submits to cloning, realizing that light work, two is a
mused to yourself, "If I could he can live the ideal life by send- charm. Things get
only be in two places at once ing his double to work in his stead complicated when
... If I could only get more ac- while he enjoys the riches of a fam- the clones, on their
complished ... If I could only have ily life.
own, decide
more fun ... ." We all ponder like
With his wife at work
that three is company, too.
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this on occasion, but, alas, the lim- all day, Doug is able to
What follows is a series of
\t, itations of the real world pre-
mishaps, as the clones be-
vent us from realizing such
gin running amok, breaking all the
fantasies.
rules, including golden rule No. 1:
Luckily, the world of cine-
"Not one of us sleeps with my wife
ma exists to show us what
except me."
happens when we get what
Multiplicity is a film of mo-
we hope for and, in Columbia
mentum. It starts off slowly and
Pictures' new release, Multi-
gently builds into a likable, light-
plicity, we see that being in
weight comedy/fantasy about pri-
more than one place at a time
orities and time — a cross
has its disadvantages, too.
between Pamntizood and Ground-
Michael Keaton stars as
hog Day.
Doug, a construction-worker-
Keaton, in his best performance
kind-of-guy married to Laura
since Beetlejuice, reminds us that
(Andie MacDowell). They
Jim Carrey isn't the only actor
have a typical American fam-
around adept at goofball comedy.
ily, and he has the typical
MacDowell does her usual per-
movie husband pressures
sonality split — she can only play
sweet or angry, but her character
/— coming from all angles. His
boss needs more production,
isn't that important anyway.
his family needs more money,
This is not a profound film by
and his wife needs more sup-
any means, but, amid some chuck-
port on the homefront. She
les, I did wonder, "If I could send
also wants to go back to work.
one of me to review t movies
Michael
Keaton
stars
as
Clones
2,
3
and
4.
Doug, at wit's end, chances
and another to do the yard work
upon a research scientist at
" Oh, never mind, just see the
one of his construction jobs and pull off the ploy by hiding the done movie when you can spare the
,-_--). learns that this scientist can make at night in a dingy apartment time.
4:0k.
miracles — he's perfected the above the detached garage. Soon,
cloning process so successfully that Keaton does a little math in his
— Richard Halprin

H

Golly (Rosie O'Donnell),
dated.
Michelle
encourages her to write
The story is also
Trachtenberg is
down every observation, Harriet, amateur rather mean-spirited
sleuth and
which she does, includ-
and goes for long
ing a bit of editorializing aspiring novelist. stretches without being
on the behavior of her
fun or funny — a no-no
confidantes and class-
when it comes to kid
mates.
flicks. Ultimately, Harriet the
While it's perfectly OK to Spy carries little entertainment
think mean thoughts about value for adult viewers but will
those around you, it's not such keep the little spies in your
a good thing when someone gets house occupied for a few hours,
a hold of your journal and and that, alone, is worth some-
broadcasts your private feelings thing.
to the entire playground.
That's exactly what happens
1/2
to Harriet and, quickly, her
world is turned upside down.
— Richard Halprin
Friends become enemies, con-
spiring to cause her as much
misery as possible by alterna-
tively shunning and tormenting
her. Being solidly grounded with
a sense of self, Harriet main-
tains her resolve and, after
Outstanding
equal measures of retaliation
and apology, all is forgiven.
Very Good
In the small scope, Harriet the ®c c
Spy is a simple children's story
Good
ck)
meant to entertain. But, more
broadly, it is an examination of
Fair
the nature of individuality and

Bagel Barometer
® ck) c , t