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May 2002

Justice is Served

Three that deal with right and wrong and one that got the panning it deserved.

I AM SAM***
(rated PG-13, 133 mins.)
Single father and avid Beatles fan Sam (Sean Penn) is a mentally challenged man who spends his days pouring lattes at Starbucks and raising his baby girl, Lucy Diamond (Dakota Fanning). The child-like waiter has a lot of support: an eclectic group of makeshift uncles, who, like Sam, are also handicapped, and his delightful neighbor (Diane Wiest), who lends a hand now and then with diaper changes. But, bliss turns to misery when, at the age of seven, Lucy begins holding back her own development for fear of passing up her dad by learning more. When the school puts Lucy into state custody, Sam vows to fight the legal system. But, he can’t afford the best attorney for the job, Rita Harrison (Michelle Pfeiffer), a high-powered, self-absorbed professional. The movie, with all the drama of Kramer vs. Kramer, examines selfless love and what it means to be a good parent. The contrast between Penn’s powerful performance as the unaffected Sam and Pfeiffer’s portrayal of an exhausting hell-on-wheels attorney makes for a mismatched couple that, while quirky and goofy, manages to grow on you. There is much to appreciate in this film, which confronts viewers with an issue that most would prefer to ignore.

3000 MILES TO GRACELAND*
(rated R, 121 mins.)
This is the long-winded and excessively violent story of a group of thugs—played by Kurt Russell, Christian Slater, and David Arquette—who dress in Elvis-style glitter and spandex and attempt a huge casino heist in Las Vegas. Leading the pack is Thomas J. Murphy (Kevin Costner), who believes he is an illegitimate child of the King and has a major chip on his shoulder. The foursome pick up and discard girlfriends—some of the quartet’s romantic philosophies include: “what’s the best thing about dating a homeless girl? You can drop her off anywhere.” The men, however, meet their match in Cybil (Courteney Cox), the mother of a young wallet-lifting son Jesse James (David Kaye). The kid is the only redeeming feature of this miserable, confusing flick. In fact, many viewers, their ears still ringing from the film’s loud soundtrack, say they left the theater still not knowing what all the chaos was about.

IN THE BEDROOM****
(rated R, 138 mins.)
In the Bedroom is a carefully constructed drama set in a small fish packing community in Camden, Maine, home to generations of fishermen. It is the story of one family’s son, Frank Fowler (Nick Stahl), a young man torn between education, the high seas and the girl he loves. His father, Matt (Tom Wilkinson), is the town physician and his mother, Ruth Fowler (Sissy Spacek), a music teacher, who doesn’t approve of her son dating the town’s lovely divorcee Natalie Strout (Marisa Tomei). Her ex-husband (William Mapother) isn’t handling the affair well either. In a dramatic surprise twist, the film’s characters’ lives unravel. In the Bedroom is a masterpiece—featuring a harmonious weaving of characters, plot and cinematography with the perfect marriage of actor to role, and an ending that will make you cheer for justice. Wilkinson and Spacek should have received the Oscars, not just nominations, for their superb performances.

THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO****
(rated PG-13, 131 mins.)
The year is 1814. Napoleon gives Edmond Dantes (James Caviezel) a letter to deliver that will eventually frame him in connection with Edmond’s best friend, Fernand Montego (Guy Pearce). When Fernand turns on Edmond, in part as a way of seeking revenge involving a romantic interest, Mercedes (Dagmara Dominczyk), Edmond spends 14 years in prison. There, he meets his mentor, the gregarious Faria (Richard Harris). Over the years, Faria tutors Edmond, transforming him from a simpleton into a world expert on the art of war. Once freed, however, Edmond doesn’t forget his enemies. Disguised as the Count of Monte Cristo, his sense of good triumphing over evil takes a back seat to his lust for revenge. Caviezel’s excellent lead performance will make him a household name. Pearce is a true movie star. Third act twists, an upbeat tempo and an ever-changing plot give the motion picture adaptation of the great Alexandre Dumas novel a run for its money.