Jetty Maguire (1996) Re-visit

 

How I almost completely forgot that I saw this movie at the State Theater this summer is beyond me. It was actually a very pleasant screening and my memories of the movie were validated by how much I enjoyed it and admired the writing. There are times when Tom Cruise comes in for heavy criticism, but this movie was an example of one of the few times that people seem pretty confident that he had done a good job and deserved some recognition for it.

The story of a sports agent who grows a conscience and tries to find a way to make his life work within the confines of those guidelines is a surprising one. Cutthroat operations around him and the competition he gets from his former colleagues it's easy to despair and feel that people are only out for a buck and will stab each other in the back regardless of what they say. Of course it should have raised a red flag, when the number one draft pick prospect agrees to be represented by Jerry but his father refuses to offer a written statement of such an agreement. Fortunately it's not our agent character who breaks his word, and it's an example of one of the things that forces Jerry to confront his own unwillingness to commit fully.

Renee Zellweger practically steals the movie as the assistant who has a heart of gold and is willing to give it to Jerry both personally and professionally. The fact that Jerry is unable at first to recognize that he has in fact fallen in love is one of the most frustrating things in the story. The thing that makes it so satisfying at the end is that Jerry's realization comes before he has made the crucial decision to end his marriage. He really did commit to the relationship because of his love of the little boy and the feeling that it gave him, but the more he struggled to succeed with his lone client, the more he begins to recognize how a commitment such as he is made professionally really is comparable to the one that he has in his personal life. When people give romantic comedies a bad name, I think all you have to do is throw this movie down on the table and challenge their presumptions. 

The reconciliation scene is often mocked because of the two great lines that make it work so well. * you complete me" is one of the best expressions of love that I've heard in a screenplay.. The only reason people can continue to joke about it, is because it is a true statement of love which stands up to any mocking they might try. The follow-up from Dorothy's character is also parodied, " you had me at hello", is the release of a pressure valve in Dorothy and Jerry's relationship that makes us feel great. It's another one of those lines that Cameron Crowe deserved all the credit for and earned the award he did not get. (He had to wait until “Almost Famous”).

Cuba Gooding Jr. steals whatever movie Renee Zellweger didn't get, with his egotistical self-centered receiver, who also learns that commitment goes two ways. He always had it at the personal level, but not so much at the professional level. After all, the key line that everybody remembers from the movie, is" show me the money", and it takes a moment on the field connecting with the crowd to make him realize that he needs a commitment to the audience as well as his family. This movie may seem light on the outside but then on the inside it's pretty deep. I'm not sure you can ever go wrong recommending “Jerry Maguire" to anybody..

Almost Famous (2000) Revisit

 

It has been a long time since I last watched "Almost Famous" and it was probably the year 2000 when I last saw it on screen in a movie theater. Both of those deficiencies were recently corrected when I attended a screening at the Paramount Theater as part of their fan support program as the theater gets ready for a year long restoration process. This was a great choice for movie fans because the film will remind us of the reasons we go to the movies in the first place. We want to be entertained and stimulated, and "Almost Famous" does those things for it's entire running time.

We are presented a number of moral quandaries that we will ask ourselves. How far are you willing to go to "make it"? When is it appropriate to lie, and when is it better to tell the truth? Can you be rich or famous and maintain integrity? What is the meaning of friendship? Can music save your mortal soul? The film is filled with characters who face this issues throughout the story. Russell Hammond, played by Billy Crudup, is a touchstone for most of those issues. As the lead guitarist and chief songwriter of the band "Stillwater", he comes across as if he is trying to maintain integrity as a musician, but he falls prey to all the trappings of rock excess including rationalizing cheating on his partner. His sincerity is undermined by his actions.

The hero of the story is William Miller, 1 15 year old kid who writes like a veteran journalist, but is being swallowed up by the music machine as he struggles to get to the heart of the band.   Rock and Roll is full of dangerous offramps and he is operating with the most important navigational tool available , the band aid (not groupie) Penny Lane. That these two characters are able to charm us is not only due to the writing of director Cameron Crowe, but to the casting of two young actors who were completely up to the task. Patrick Fugit has the naive expression and longing eyes that make his charter feel convincing as a young writer. He is assisted by the legendary Phillip Seymour Hoffman, playing the legendary real life Lester Bangs, a gonzo journalist of the era.

The not so secret weapon of the whole enterprise  is the luminescent Kate Hudson as Penny Lane. Just about every scene she appears in, she dominates the  moment by her look and graceful movements. If ever there were a star making part for an actress this century, it is this one. She was a joy to watch and listen to, and the audience at the screening seemed to respond to her character warmly, and the last shot of her leaves us with a positive stage on which to exit the theater, happy in knowing that life can go on, regardless of disappointments.

I will just add that the screening gave us a chance to chat with some of our friends on the staff of the Paramount Film crew. Erin and Kevin were as happy to see us as we were to see them. The Summer Classic Film Series will be moving to the State Theater Next door while the restoration project is in progress. It is a smaller venue so some nights this coming summer may get a little crowded, but we all hope for the best for both theaters as the long term project plays out.