SIN Entertainment

'Feeling Minnesota'

PHOTO BY FIROOZ ZAHEDI

Rated R

\-)

bout 10 minutes into Feel-
ing Minnesota, you get
the feeling that Director
Scott Baigelman has sat
through Quentin Tarantino's
Pulp Fiction a few times. Min-
utes later, you can't help but
wonder if he has also seen the
Coen Brothers' Fargo. From its
contrived opening sequence to
its final artificial plot twist, Feel-
ing Minnesota aspires to match
these films in wit and intensi-
ty, but fails on both accounts.
Mostly, Feeling Minnesota feels
phony.
The rambling, jumbled story
centers on two hoodlum broth-
ers, sleepy Jjaks (Keanu
Reeves) and edgy Sam (Vincent
D'Onofrio). The siblings have
been separated for years, by per-
sonal choice and by prison sen-
tences, but Jjaks has decided to
come home for his brother's
wedding.
Cameron Diaz plays Freddie,
the tough, impetuous woman
who has been forced into mar-
rying Sam. She prefers the es-
tranged brother to the arranged Despite a lifetime of betrayal, Freddie (Cameron Diaz) learns to depend on Jjaks
brother and, after an im- (Keanu Reeves) and have a special relationship.
promptu tryst with Jjaks dur-
When the story finally takes
ing the wedding reception, vance a storyline that seems to
some
clever plot twists in the last
get
increasingly
mired
in
its
lofty
convinces him to run off to Vegas
aspirations. Desperately, the 20 minutes, it is almost too late
with her. Sam, more
film wants to be dark and to matter. Clearly, Baigelman
smitten than smart,
MOVIES
comical, but the script lacks has chosen some accomplished
pursues the lovers
the
requisite zing. Both Taran- filmmakers to study, he just
on the lam, leading to
several violent encounters be- tino and the Coens know that needs to do a little more home-
tween the siblings that resemble movie bad guys require memo- work next time.
outtakes from the Three Stooges. rable dialogue. Baigelman either
While the violence is used for doesn't understand this or he just
— Richard Halprin
a comic effect, it does little to ad- isn't similarly skilled.

ternational Luciano Pavaro'cti Vo-
cal Competition 15 years agO.
"There are a lot of untapped
Jews out there who would like to
uncover more of their background
but `hate lacked commitment,"
says Cantor Mizrahi about the
increasing number of Jews who
are snatching up recordings of
classic prayers and liturgy.
Cantor Mizrahi committed to
the Judaica series knowing that
the albums would attract listen-
ers for varied reasons. "Certain-
ly, Nimoy [as narrator] will
attract a certain crowd, which
was a real marketing coup, and
the cantors' names will attract
others," he said.
But it is inside the heart where
the music plays its greatest role.
"If we touch 100 Jews — or 20
Jews — with these records, it's
all worthwhile. We just want to
touch a chord in everyone's
heart," says the cantor. Li

WHAT WE THINK

Feeling Minnesota

. . .. . . ... . . . ..
Basquait.
Rich Man's Wife . . ..... . . . ...
..... .
Grace of My Heart .

Foxfire
She's the One . . .
Spitfire Grill
A Very Brady Sequel .

Tin Cup
Emma .
Trainspotting
A Time To Kill

Lone Star

After her husband is brutally murdered, Josie (Halle Berry) becomes the focus of a
police investigation and a blackmail victim.

'The Rich Man's Wife'

requisite damsel in distress mo-
ments along with a musical
ou have the right to remain score that underlines every sus-
silent. You have the right penseful interlude. Halle Berry
to have an attorney pre- does some Harlequin-like genre
sent. Anything you say may work here and delivers the at-
tractive feminine star
be held against you in a
power needed to propel
court of law."
M ou IES
If you can recite the
this bodice ripper along.
Cinematographer Haskel
Miranda rights, you
could write the rest of this film. Wexler has lit the film with
The Rich Man's Wife is a cliché menace — whether capturing
festival that might as well have the icy stare of sociopathic Cole
been a movie of the week about Wilson (Peter Greene) or a dark
a woman in jeopardy. You'll re- night on a deserted road.
ally be able to empathize with
But it's Clea Jones as a police
Josie Potenza (Halle Berry) if informant who steals the pic-
your husband, a wealthy work- ture. She's deliriously wacky as
obsessed businessman, proposed the deranged ex-wife of Josie's
to you, a beautiful but impover- secret lover.
ished store clerk, on your first
If you like this sort of sus-
date. Only so much time to de- pense-thriller, you'll have more
vote to an emotional life, you fun discussing The Rich Man's
know.
Wife the next day at the office —
The entire film is told in flash- that is, if you can find anyone
back style from murder suspect else who has seen it. The ending
Josie's point of view, so we know of the picture will mess with
she's stacking the deck in her fa- your mind.
vor. After all, she must be inno-
1.12
cent, since she stood to gain
nothing from her husband's
— Dick Rockwell
murder — she signed a prenup-
tial agreement.
By the way, her husband
Tony's (Christopher McDonald)
death is excessively violent. But
Outstanding
Tony wasn't a particularly good
or affectionate husband anyway;
Very Good
his snarled lips, sunken dark
eyes, alcoholism and, of course,
Good
his infidelities were indicators
that he was disposable..
Fair
This potboiler supplies all the

Rated R

y

Bagel Barometer
ck.) .®