ARTS Tuesday, November 29, 1988 The Michigan Daily Page 7 Buffy : Folks will like her BY LISA MAGNINO M Y parents were at the University of Wisconsin in the late '60s, but they didn't participate in any of the protests or marches, or in the music scene. They don't even have any classic Wisconsin-type albums (i.e., Dylan, Seeger, Peter, Paul, and Mary) to pass on to their darling daughter. The- one musician I do remember them talking (and raving) about was Buffy Sainte Marie. She played in front of the Wisconsin Union to a large crowd in support of one of the many causes being espoused on campus - and probably one of her causes as well. Sainte Marie is an ardent, compel- ling spokesperson, and my parents still speak of the way she captivated the unruly crowd. She has focused her energy on many social issues, but1 especially on the plight of Native Americans. But first and foremost, Sainte Marie is a musician. She's probably1 best--known as the writer of "Up Where We Belong," the love themei from An Officer and a Gentleman, but1 In Last Rites , Tom Berenger plays a priest that pr( proves that Father doesn't always know best. Last Rites wronged Priest's conception causes problems Buffy Sainte Marie is the songwriter behind 'Up Where WeA Belong,' the love theme from that 'military' movie, but she really is socially conscious. Honest. BY BRENT EDWARDS Your lover is gunned down by the Mafia while making love to you. You somehow escape, but you saw the killer, so the mob is now trying to kill you, too. Meanwhile, the police think that you are the murderer and you can't surrender because you're in this country illegally. So, who ya' gonna call? The star of the movie, that's who, and in Last Rites the "hero" is Tom Berenger in the persona of a Catholic priest. Berenger (Platoon, Betrayed) is Father Pace, a priest who decides to help Angela, played by Daphne Zuniga (The Sure Thing) , after he hears her confession about what has happened. Pace has a tough back- ground -- street fighting in New York, connections with the mob - so he can possibly do more than just pray and cast holy water to help her. When he is doing his usual priestly duties, however, he seems distant and awkward, even without conviction, and thus it is difficult to believe Berenger as a priest. And he is outwardly cool, although other characters talk of his kindness and compassion. It is the viewer's lack of faith in Berenger's role that creates many problems for this film. As Pace hides Angela from the mob, he becomes strongly attracted to her and finds his desires clashing with his vows of the cloth. Because of the problems believing Berenger's role, however, the struggle between his faith and his desire for Angela loses much of its intensity. The col- lision between his connection with the people trying to kill Daphne and his own determination to save her is also diminished by his compas- sionless demeanor. The script clearly calls for these conficts to be at the forefront of the story, and so Berenger's performance is very ill- conceived. The director, Donald Bellisario See Rites, Page 8 this hit only touched the surface of her talents. Her songs are even more enthralling than her speeches, and when she sings, the audience is carried along to her "Piney Wood Hills" and beyond. Take it from me - if my parents remember her from a 20-odd years ago performance, she must be good. And if that's not enough of an endorse- ment, I like her too - really. BUFFY SAINTE MARIE performs at the Ark tonight at 7:30 and 10 p.m. Tickets are $15. Minority Student Services is sponsoring a reception with Sainte Marie this afternoon at the Wolverine Room of the Union from 3-4:30 p.m. T .......... ............... ................. The Ark Presents THE CHENILLE SISTERS in Concert "Son of the Really Big Show" in The Michigan Theatre Saturday, December 17, 8:00 PM Advance Tickets at the Michigan Union Ticket Office and all Ticketmaster Outlets or Phone 763-TKTS with VISA or Mastercard U i ~Your Schedule is O ur Schedule! Mornings, Evenings, Weekends... Tuesday afternoons... or Saturdays only?... RU Whether you attend class days, nights or both, Meijer offers flexible work hours to fit your schedule before, after school or weekends. And when your class load changes, so can your work load. Meijer helps students get the most out of their jobs and their education. Call today and learn what Meijer can do for you: ask for Tom Hey, laugh a little! LAUGJ4i R S&and Tp COmedy pr ese nts... ERIC TUNNEY with student comedians... Lawrence Roeenburg and Jeff Goad And Your Host Peter Berman Wednesday In the U-Club , Let's talk. We'll answer any of your questions and if you like, take down preliminary information right over the phone. It's that easy to get you on your way to a new job today. MEIJER... AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER "- - -' f I " Hospital - Medical , r " Paid Training * Paid Holidays * Paid Vacations . . ;,l m