Coming across a movie on the shelf that boasts a cast of fine actors but has a title that seems to have appeared out of nowhere takes a bit of faith to rent/buy it. Such is the case for THE SIMIAN LINE, a film by TV director Linda Yellen (who also co-wrote story with Michael Leeds and brought in Gisela Bernice to pen the screenplay) that is just enough off center to keep a movie edgy but very entertaining.
Katherine (Lynn Redgrave) is a real estate person in New Jersey and is part of a May/December affair with stained glass artist Rick (Harry Connick Jr.). She leases the house adjoining hers to a Manhattan couple Paul (Jamey Sheridan) and Sandra (Cindy Crawford) who are waiting for a financial break. Other tenants include Marta (Monica Keena) and Billy (hunky Dylan Bruno) both of whom are waiting for their break into Rock band status. At a welcoming party Rick invites Arnita (Tyne Daly), a frumpy but kind fortune teller/spiritual communicator who upon entering Katherine and Rick's home sees two ghosts Edward (William Hurt) and Mae (Samantha Mathis) who are 'hanging around invisible to all, but with ongoing comments about love lost and the past. Arnita predicts that by New Year's Eve one of the couples will be separated, and with a bad taste in everyone's mouth the party folks oust her, but not until Arnita leaves her business cards.
The remainder of the story deals with each couple's anxiety about being the one that will break up: Katherine fears the younger Rick is falling for Sandra, Paul fears Sandra is losing interest in his failing business problems, and Marta is called to claim her little boy Jimmy (Jeremy Zelig) whose father is a man she met during a previous breakup with Billy. And they all seek advice from Arnita. How these dilemmas resolve and which of the couples parts company is the puzzle of the story and it is resolved well - if a bit saccharine.
The cast is uniformly excellent (Eric Stoltz has a small but key part) and Linda Yellen knows how to gain the best from her talented cast. Yes, it is a bit of a feel good movie - but what is wrong with dessert now and then? Worth attention. Grady Harp
Katherine (Lynn Redgrave) is a real estate person in New Jersey and is part of a May/December affair with stained glass artist Rick (Harry Connick Jr.). She leases the house adjoining hers to a Manhattan couple Paul (Jamey Sheridan) and Sandra (Cindy Crawford) who are waiting for a financial break. Other tenants include Marta (Monica Keena) and Billy (hunky Dylan Bruno) both of whom are waiting for their break into Rock band status. At a welcoming party Rick invites Arnita (Tyne Daly), a frumpy but kind fortune teller/spiritual communicator who upon entering Katherine and Rick's home sees two ghosts Edward (William Hurt) and Mae (Samantha Mathis) who are 'hanging around invisible to all, but with ongoing comments about love lost and the past. Arnita predicts that by New Year's Eve one of the couples will be separated, and with a bad taste in everyone's mouth the party folks oust her, but not until Arnita leaves her business cards.
The remainder of the story deals with each couple's anxiety about being the one that will break up: Katherine fears the younger Rick is falling for Sandra, Paul fears Sandra is losing interest in his failing business problems, and Marta is called to claim her little boy Jimmy (Jeremy Zelig) whose father is a man she met during a previous breakup with Billy. And they all seek advice from Arnita. How these dilemmas resolve and which of the couples parts company is the puzzle of the story and it is resolved well - if a bit saccharine.
The cast is uniformly excellent (Eric Stoltz has a small but key part) and Linda Yellen knows how to gain the best from her talented cast. Yes, it is a bit of a feel good movie - but what is wrong with dessert now and then? Worth attention. Grady Harp