The Michigan Daily - Weekend etc. - March 4, 1993- Page 3 Something smells about this 'Fish' by Megan Abbott When John Sayles makes one of his "political" movies, they usually resonate with extraordinary power. His portrait of a coal miner's strike, "Matewan," or his operatic study of urban decay, Passion Fish Written and directed by John Sayles; with Mary McDonnell, Alfre Woodard and David Strathairn. "City of Hope," both challenged audiences and demanded answers. But for both films, Sayles was criticized for heavy-handed ideology - in other words, for having an opinion, or a point to make. However, Sayles' films are deeply important in that they create aspace for the political in an industry that likes to forget that politics matter. When Sayles steps off the soap box, the results are middling. Often, politics play a small part, as in "Eight Men Out" (about the Black Sox scandal) or his ground-breaking ensemble picture, "The Return of the Secaucus 7," Sayles finds an intriguing blend of entertainment and import. Unfortunately, Sayles' one major non-indie film, the 1983 "Baby, It's You," was mercilessly hacked by the studio. Not that Sayles can't play by the rules. His screenwriter-for- hire works, such as "The Howling," reflect his ability to sell himself to fund his own projects. This is why it is deeply unfortunate that Sayles' latest work, his closest-to-mainstream effort in years, neglects his instinctual feel for politically-fueled work or even his sense of individual or idiosyncratic style, in favor of near-melodrama. "Passion Fish" is the story of May-Alice (Mary McDonnell), a soap opera star who is rendered paraplegic by a car accident. Unable to adjust, she returns to her Louisiana family home to drown in wine and bad TV. What "Passion Fish" turns on is the entrance of Chantelle (Alfre Woodard), a live-in nurse with a Past. The two don't become soul mates immediately (they never do in these sorts of movies), but it isn't difficult to see where things are going. However, Sayles is an artful filmmaker, and he masks the predictability of the story behind a mesmerizing atmosphere of Bayou legend and superstition. It's only when the film ends that you realize you've seen it all before - a unique experience for a Sayles project. The Oscar-nominated performance of Mary McDonnell makes up for much of the film's lack of originality. She never loses her tart sarcasm, and there's something in her voice, as it swings from flat rhythms to Louisiana sweet-drawl, that is truly en- chanting. But the crime is that Alfre Woodard failed to pick up any Academy recognition for her quiet strength as Chantelle. The more we peer into Chantelle's life, the more we see the profound and lingering pain of her spirit. It is to Woodward's eternal credit that we never doubt her character's troubled state, nor her ability to survive. Supporting performances by Sayles' regular David Strathairn ("Eight Men Out," "Sneakers") and Vondie Curtis-Hall provide excellentwallpaper- ing for what is essentially a women's show. And the fact that this is a true exploration of two women is not unimportant and not unrefreshing. But stories of overcoming great physical trauma often fall into predictable patterns and Sayles can't seem to over- come them. The scenes of McDonnell and the wine, and the run-ins between the two women as Chantelle tries to shake May-Alice from her cycle of self-pity, work only as retreads. Sayles can do so much better. There are moments of true transcendence. One deliciously funny scene involves May-Alice's soap opera cohorts coming to visit. Sheila Kelly of "L. A. Law" provides a dizzying rendition of a woman who's seen one too many Tennessee Williams' plays. Unfortunately, one can't help but see "Passion Fish" not only as a noble failure, but also as a missed opportunity. A sensitively-renderedmovieaboutwomen strug- gling with their lives, and enduring, is a rarity. It deserves a more evolved plot to match the perfor- mances and the honeyed atmosphere. Sayles is at his best when he has a point to prove. This is a story with much room for a stance or two, on father/daughter relationships, on women with each other. It just seems Sayles left his politics at home, when a honed ideology could have fueled his movie beyond the predictable. PASSION FISH is playing at Showcase. : II aI Mary McDonnell and Alfre Woodard dream of being in a better movie. Searching for a 'Dogfight' by Alison Levy Movie budgets reach high into the millions, and sometimes, the result is an expensive piece of trash thatplaysat the dollar theater for a week and then goes straight to video, where they crowd the shelves and asphyxiate the finer films. One exception to this rule is Nancy Savoca's "Dogfight." While it enjoyed neither a wide nor a long release, it is definitely an entertaining find. The film centers around Private Eddie Birdsall (RiverPhoenix), ayoung Marine in San Francisco on his last leave before heading off to Vietnam. For fun,Eddie's friends (who call them- selves the four B's) and the rest of the Marines stage a contest. They rent a place for a party and the object is to bring the ugliest girl you can possibly find. The Marine with the most unat- tractive date wins. Their endeavors start comically, but Eddie has no luck until he runs into Rose (Lili Taylor), a young woman working ather mother's restau- rant. Plain, but sweet, Rose eagerly accepts Eddie's invitation for the first date she's ever had. The story could simply be just another boring turn on your garden-variety ugly swan story, but outstanding performances by Tay- lor ("Say Anything") and Phoenix ("Sneakers"), plus Savoca's understated direction, make thisavideo gem worthy of digging out from under all the gar- bage. Taylor'sRose is unbelievable. When she is first introduced, her pudgy body, soft crackly voice and obvious lack of experience at talking with men makes her seem laughable and vulnerable, but it is her eagerness and goodness that make her so endearing. The scene in which she squeezes in and out of fifty different dresses to get ready for the When [Rose] is first introduced, her pudgy body, soft crackly voice and obvious lack of experience at talking with men makes her seem laughable and vulnerable, but it is her eagerness and goodness that make her so endearing. dogfight is positively heartbreaking. Even while Eddie obviously wants to fool around with her, she is semi-blind to it all and suggests they play musical bingo, thus shouting her innocence. She is almost unbearably nice and tries so hard. Upon learning about the cruel contest, she does not undergo the ex- pected swan metamorphosis. Instead, her backbone shows through. Rose may not have confidence in herself as a femme fatale, but as a person, she com- mands respect and dignity for herself as well as others. The final touch is her small butpowerful sarcastic streak. Tay- lor is absolutely amazing at making Rose come alive, while displaying the multi-facets of her character. In turn, Phoenix does a marvelous job of walking the tightrope between revealing his character's depth and still keeping him the stereotypical Marine his friends think he is. A little exposi- tional background in his family life goes a long way in making him some- what likable. But it's the little things he does, like trying to keep Rose away from the party, or taking her to a nice restaurant for dinner when he can't af- ford to eat himself, or listening to her sing that present him as caring and sincere. The direction, handled by Savoca ("True Love"), is very simple and unob- trusive. She lets the story unfold and direct the camera itself, instead of using innovative shots and camera movement. While the plot is allowed to unfold in long shots, the overall pace of the film moves along nicely, leaving the audi- ence hungry for more. River Phoenix has only improved since his early days as a starlet. I' 11! AT o I 1 READ THE DAILY CLASSIFIEDS Summer Housing in New York City hIaa ' f -4 d i g N Will you be working, doing an internship, or enjoying a summer in New York? You can live in the heart of Greenwich Village as an NYU Associate or take a course in our exciting summer sessions if you wish. 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