★★★★
Paul Kirkwood (Michael Rapaport) sums up the movie's theme in one scene. His bedroom wall is covered with pinups of the most beautiful models upon which he has ever gazed. They represent the kind of person he would like to meet. He created for himself a set of ideals so grand that no one in his own hometown could qualify for his companionship. This mentality isn't limited to Paul. His buddies, in one way or another, have trouble relating to their closest female friends. They believe that somewhere out there, the right woman is waiting for them, and everything about her will be perfect. They fail to see the potential relationships just waiting for them right there in that snowy hamlet.
Just watch Beautiful Girls closely and you'll see how the film relates this theme to the audience in ways that are obvious and subtle. Of course, Paul discusses with his friend Willie (Timothy Hutton) what those pinups represent. ("This particular aura can be found in the gait of a beautiful girl. In her smile, in her soul, the way she makes every rotten little thing about life seem like it's going to be okay.") He doesn't believe that this person exists in his hometown. He thinks she's far away somewhere, and that she'll show up one day out of the clear blue sky. His girlfriend Jan (Martha Plimpton) broke up with him because he wouldn't commit. He kept her on the side while he waited for the perfect girl to fall on his lap. He didn't realize she was already there.
The movie is low-key in other ways at conveying this theme. The title is Beautiful Girls, but the female performances don't dominate the film at all. Actresses Martha Plimpton, Mira Sorvino and Annabeth Gish have important roles, but their screen time is limited. They've already been swept aside by their boyfriends, who are unsure whether they want to continue relationships with them, so the movie limits the actresses' scenes in an effort to illustrate the men's uncertainties. Willie, for example, develops a crush on 13-year-old Marty (Natalie Portman). Willie is in town for his high school class reunion, and he stays with his father and brother during his stay. Marty is their neighbor. She has this fresh outlook on life, a sweetly innocent yet wise-beyond-her-years disposition that puts a smile on Willie's face. He toys with the idea of waiting for her to turn 18, despite the fact that he's engaged (his fiancée doesn't show up until the last third of the film). I didn't keep track, but Portman, one of the "ideal" girls of the film, probably has more dialogue than the other actresses.
The class reunion brings together a group of guys, most of whom never left the area. Paul has his own snowplow business. So does Tommy Rowland (Matt Dillon), who is having problems with his girlfriend Sharon (Mira Sorvino) because he can't get over his high school crush Darian (Lauren Holly). She's married to someone else, but Tommy isn't ready to move on. Only Michael Morris (Noah Emmerich) has settled down and is perfectly happy where he is. The other guys continue to have trouble relating to the opposite sex. They question whether they're happy with their current situations, and look towards some girl they can only have in their dreams. For Paul, that person is Andera (Uma Thurman). She's the cousin of one of his friends. She's gorgeous, but Paul wants to use her in more ways than one. He sees obtaining her as a step in the right direction, but he really wants to make Jan jealous, so he takes Andera on a date to a place that Jan normally frequents.
Beautiful Girls is a story about a group of men and their attitudes towards their dream girl, but it's also a smart comedy filled with witty dialogue and deeply personal conversations. The characters are more or less grounded in reality, though some of them, like the hapless Paul, are a little eccentric. Director Ted Demme organizes the picture like a revolving door through which the large cast walks in and out constantly. Characters gather in varying numbers to discuss where they are in life and where they think they should go. The males are concerned about future companionship, while the females are waiting for the men to make up their minds. The one person in the film who tries to pull the guys down from the clouds is Gina Barrisano (Rosie O'Donnell). She has a long-winded dialogue scene about what makes up a real woman and tries her best to bat away any false notions held by Willie and his friends.
The sweetest parts of the film involve the scenes between Willie and Marty. Willie usually sees her playing in the snow. He stops to say hi, and she opens up to him in a way that he finds refreshing. She's so willing to participate in a playful exchange of words that he goes along with it partially for amusement, and partially because she's just good company. Marty admits her crush for him in so many words (she picks him to be her boyfriend). Willie doesn't really accept her affections, but instead remains impartial until the feelings pass.
Beautiful Girls has a wicked sense of humor, but it's engaging for more than its comedy. This is an affectionate portrait of close-knit pals who have known each other for a long time—some since grade school—and understand each other's quirks. They have the same dilemma, and how each guy comes to terms with what's real and what's ideal is one of the highlights of the film. Ten years after high school graduation, they're finally starting to mature.
© 2004 Silver Screen Reviews
Just watch Beautiful Girls closely and you'll see how the film relates this theme to the audience in ways that are obvious and subtle. Of course, Paul discusses with his friend Willie (Timothy Hutton) what those pinups represent. ("This particular aura can be found in the gait of a beautiful girl. In her smile, in her soul, the way she makes every rotten little thing about life seem like it's going to be okay.") He doesn't believe that this person exists in his hometown. He thinks she's far away somewhere, and that she'll show up one day out of the clear blue sky. His girlfriend Jan (Martha Plimpton) broke up with him because he wouldn't commit. He kept her on the side while he waited for the perfect girl to fall on his lap. He didn't realize she was already there.
The movie is low-key in other ways at conveying this theme. The title is Beautiful Girls, but the female performances don't dominate the film at all. Actresses Martha Plimpton, Mira Sorvino and Annabeth Gish have important roles, but their screen time is limited. They've already been swept aside by their boyfriends, who are unsure whether they want to continue relationships with them, so the movie limits the actresses' scenes in an effort to illustrate the men's uncertainties. Willie, for example, develops a crush on 13-year-old Marty (Natalie Portman). Willie is in town for his high school class reunion, and he stays with his father and brother during his stay. Marty is their neighbor. She has this fresh outlook on life, a sweetly innocent yet wise-beyond-her-years disposition that puts a smile on Willie's face. He toys with the idea of waiting for her to turn 18, despite the fact that he's engaged (his fiancée doesn't show up until the last third of the film). I didn't keep track, but Portman, one of the "ideal" girls of the film, probably has more dialogue than the other actresses.
The class reunion brings together a group of guys, most of whom never left the area. Paul has his own snowplow business. So does Tommy Rowland (Matt Dillon), who is having problems with his girlfriend Sharon (Mira Sorvino) because he can't get over his high school crush Darian (Lauren Holly). She's married to someone else, but Tommy isn't ready to move on. Only Michael Morris (Noah Emmerich) has settled down and is perfectly happy where he is. The other guys continue to have trouble relating to the opposite sex. They question whether they're happy with their current situations, and look towards some girl they can only have in their dreams. For Paul, that person is Andera (Uma Thurman). She's the cousin of one of his friends. She's gorgeous, but Paul wants to use her in more ways than one. He sees obtaining her as a step in the right direction, but he really wants to make Jan jealous, so he takes Andera on a date to a place that Jan normally frequents.
Beautiful Girls is a story about a group of men and their attitudes towards their dream girl, but it's also a smart comedy filled with witty dialogue and deeply personal conversations. The characters are more or less grounded in reality, though some of them, like the hapless Paul, are a little eccentric. Director Ted Demme organizes the picture like a revolving door through which the large cast walks in and out constantly. Characters gather in varying numbers to discuss where they are in life and where they think they should go. The males are concerned about future companionship, while the females are waiting for the men to make up their minds. The one person in the film who tries to pull the guys down from the clouds is Gina Barrisano (Rosie O'Donnell). She has a long-winded dialogue scene about what makes up a real woman and tries her best to bat away any false notions held by Willie and his friends.
The sweetest parts of the film involve the scenes between Willie and Marty. Willie usually sees her playing in the snow. He stops to say hi, and she opens up to him in a way that he finds refreshing. She's so willing to participate in a playful exchange of words that he goes along with it partially for amusement, and partially because she's just good company. Marty admits her crush for him in so many words (she picks him to be her boyfriend). Willie doesn't really accept her affections, but instead remains impartial until the feelings pass.
Beautiful Girls has a wicked sense of humor, but it's engaging for more than its comedy. This is an affectionate portrait of close-knit pals who have known each other for a long time—some since grade school—and understand each other's quirks. They have the same dilemma, and how each guy comes to terms with what's real and what's ideal is one of the highlights of the film. Ten years after high school graduation, they're finally starting to mature.
© 2004 Silver Screen Reviews
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