Sugar Town (1999) User Reviews

The music biz

[lastliberal · 7/10 · 8 June 2007]

Yes, I am a sucker for Rosanna Arquette. She actually did very well in this film as a former horror film actress married to the lead singer of a rock band that is trying to make a comeback.

Rockers include John Taylor from Duran Duran, Michael Des Barres from Detective, John Doe from X, and Martin Kemp from Spandau Ballet.

Also features Ally Sheedy (High Art, Man's Best Friend) and Beverly D'Angelo (American History X, Vegas Vacation).

Vincent Berry (Free Willy 3: The Rescue, "Manhattan AZ," Baby) was really cute as a son, who was a product of a rock concert get together, and dropped at the door by mom. Turns out he is a big fan of horror movies and that helps with bonding with the lovely Rosanna. Cool.

Think its good!

[marazion1010 · 7/10 · 6 November 2006]

Everyone was saying to me not to get this on DVD cos its rubbish! But when I first watched it, I really enjoyed it. OK, it may seem a bit cut off at the end but the storyline was really good. It rounded up showbiz life in LA well and gave an insight to how celebrities live. The acting I thought was good too - especially watching John Taylor, who I thought had only one use and that was on a bass guitar. He really surprised me especially at the end as he watched his wife get on well with his "son". Martin Kemp was good also - so Duranies and Spandau fans are equal!! For a movie that took about a week to make, its really good and I advise you to watch it, see what you think. Its a film that cannot be judged unless you have seen it all the way through.

A very hip middle-of-the-everything comedy.

[=G= · 6/10 · 8 April 2001]

"Sugar Town" is a dialogue-intensive plotless visceral comedy non-story about a bunch of stereotypical caricatures of Los Angeles musical loser-type has-been wannabees, the sundry personalities they hang with or bump up against, and their vicissitudes. What this film lacks in story and budget, it makes up for with a very hip, very clever script. Don't expect much music or much of anything else except a lot of moderately humorous banter.

Short on plot, but long on appeal.

[Victor Field · 22 February 2003]

"Sugar Town," Allison Anders and Kurt Voss's comedy-drama about life on the fringes of the music world, doesn't have an actual story per se - it's more of a collection of vignettes that don't make a unified whole, but if it's a mess, it's a likeable one.

Following an ambitious young singer (Jade Gordon), a production designer (Ally Sheedy) who makes friends with her, a session guitarist with a pregnant wife who gets a shot at a tour with a Latin singer, a group made up of former British rock stars (amusingly, all played by actual former British rock stars) whose big deal is dependent on Beverly D'Angelo's lust for one of them ("If she had a teenage daughter... but you know how Nick is about having sex with adult women"), and Rosanna Arquette coping with a) getting offered a role as Christina Ricci's mother and b) finding her ex-rock star husband may or may not have fathered a son on tour.

The movie's casual tone leaves a few of these lines unresolved, and if it's a bother that the movie's most unsympathetic character never gets hers, the movie's abrupt ending seems more of a natural progression than a mistake on the part of the writers. References to Fiona Apple and Blur already make it seem a bit dated, but there are plenty of fun moments throughout (such as Michael Des Barres' attempt to pick up Bijou Phillips in a bar and the sight of Arquette bonding with her stepson). Not overly significant, but worth seeing. And it's nice to see Rosanna Arquette in a good movie for once - when her character comments that she hasn't been getting decent scripts, us fans know what she means.

Sleep Therapy for sure

[sissypower · 6/10 · 3 October 1999]

For what? For who? I was dazing until Beverly D'Angelo appeared on screen as a hooker/call girl/gazillionaire widow seeding a Brit Rocker's comeback album in exchange for hooey & a bit o' the ugly stick.

So goes this take on the El Lay biz fringe . . .

Was that a movie I just saw?

Yikes!!!

[revko · 1/10 · 19 June 2007]

Caught this Movie on the TV early one morning. The synopsis sounded promising being a Los Anglino with some history in the music biz and having some first hand experience with "Has Beens" colliding with "Soon To Be Has Beens" and their actress girlfriends and wives.

This movie sucked on so many levels.

Bad writing, bad lighting, bad sound editing, bad make-up, bad.. bad... bad...

One scene where two fawning fans appear unannounced at a rockers door was just plain awful.

And (**spoiler, maybe**) when Ally Sheedy's character is talked into wearing a painters smock on a first date (she's a designer for God's sake!) by a just befriended "housekeeper" ( she can afford a housekeeper and is THIS stupid!!!?) The more I think about it there was a real dislike for women in general throughout this whole flick.

I will say that for one of these "Lookee, musicians acting like musicians!!!" vanity projects it wasn't as bad as Paul Simon's "One Trick Pony". But that ain't saying much.

Surprisingly good character-driven film about waning rock and movie stars.

[snarky500 · 8/10 · 24 July 2002]

Check it out. It's really sweet and funny and well-written. Good performances by all, but especially Jade Gordon, John Taylor (yes, from Duran Duran!), and Rosanna Arquette. They make you write four lines before they'll accept my comments so I'm just going to say I enjoyed it.

what was the point?

[shabu-2 · 3/10 · 21 September 1999]

none of the stories were very interesting, none of them drew me in or made me care about anyone in them. it was very implausible and unrealistic. very choppy. and nothing was resolved at all. very predictable. i loved 'grace of my heart' but this one was very disappointing. john taylor looks great though, god bless him...

An amusing little film set in a not-so-amusing industry.

[TinaUMF · 8/10 · 28 February 1999]

As usual, another Allison Anders film has come into my radar screen, and, as usual, I enjoyed it. Allison has a wonderful way of taking real life and showing it with non-judgmental truth. She takes the old adage of theatre "holding a mirror to life" and puts in on film.

Sugar Town, as with all of her works, creates rich characters in a short time. Despite having so many characters get a significant chunk of the plot, the characters are based on recognizable truisms. You know who these people are quickly enough without it feeling stereotyped or one-dimensional. It gives you the sense that you know them quickly, quickly enough to get into the twisted maze of interconnected lives she weaves for her characters.

The actors cast in this script, while admittedly playing parts written with them in mind, slip into their skins with ease. Noteworthy moments for me include the first time I've looked at Beverly D'Angelo and NOT wondered where Chevy Chase was hiding their vacation plans. Michael Des Barres was deliciously bad, nevermind the typecasting. John Taylor's acting debut surprised me. As a fan of his for a number of years, I'd seen his early "acting" attempts in Duran Duran videos and the odd British sci-fi show "Timeslip". They weren't exactly Oscar material. Here, he proves that he can carry a script as well as a tune, and not get upstaged by a cute kid in the process.

The world will not change because of this movie, nor was I moved to any form of emotional revelation. What I did get was a good laugh and a bit more affirmation that I'm quite glad I let the teenage dream die and never tried to move into the music industry.

It's good, it's funny, it's cute, it's cool.

[kelly-51 · 8/10 · 1 March 1999]

I loved it. It's a good movie. Very Allison Anders-y (if you've seen any of her other films, you know she has a distinct style). Little stories told in parallel, sometimes intersecting, sometimes not. There is no Grand Plot, no apocalyptic scene...just characters, people, doing their thing. Kept my interest completely (yes, even in scenes that didn't include John Taylor *wink*) from start to finish, and I refuse to divulge any critical details, because the movie's better if you go into it not knowing too much.

WILL, however, say a few things:

* JT is _really_ good in it! Who knew he'd be such a good actor? Yes, he's playing himself, basically, but still. He does a _great_ job. *Proud Johnfan Moment* :)

* Michael Des Barres is, as usual, delightful and hilarious.

* Martin Kemp employs a kickass Cockney accent (but then, he IS on EastEnders nowadays, and is also quite good.

(who knew these musicians could act?!!)

* The woman who played Tita in the movie "Like Water For Chocolate" is in Sugar Town.

* Allison used real Duranies to play fans in the movie, bless her. One, Alyse, even uses her real name when 'Clive' (played by John) signs an autograph for her.

* some of the dialogue is unintentionally hysterical, because it SO parallels the real lives of the actors-- e.g. Clive remarks to his bandmates that they were all in "seminal bands [of the 80s]", and it is also mentioned later in the film that "in the early 80s, our singer landed no fewer than 42 magazine covers in _one year_...", prompting giggles from me and surely any other fan of 80s pop bands.

What's it ABOUT??? I'm not telling. Surprise is good.

The best line in the movie is Clive's:

"Because on that tour I made a point...of only getting blow jobs."

(he's denying that he had sex with a fan)

(I howled)

K. -- kellygirl

Naturalistic, funny, charming, bittersweet winner!

[willyj51 · 11 November 2004]

Allison Anders' best movie is a terrific ensemble piece, and what an ensemble! Seemingly playing themselves are ex-Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet members John Taylor and Martin Kemp, X frontman John Doe, Michael Des Barres (whose self-parody here deserves some kind of award), plus great turns from Rosanna Arquette, Beverly D'Angelo, Ally Sheedy, someone named Lucinda Jenney (I love her whoever she is) and a number of other actors who barely seem to be acting, they are so natural and the dialogue so true to life. This is one of those rare movies of perfectly observed little details, with not a false note struck; plus it gives a droll and utterly believable glimpse inside the LA music and production worlds. You care about each character, even the detestable ones (like central figure Gwen) and there are about 20 characters to follow. Reminds a bit of an early Alan Rudolph piece but breezier and less self-conscious. I give SUGAR TOWN 8 stars, or 3 1/2 on Len Maltin's scale. I live for movies this good.

Hard to describe this one. Yes it is.

[helpless_dancer · 8/10 · 3 June 2002]

Engrossing film dealing with several people either in the music business, a hangar on, or a relative. The story bounced in and out of their lives most times in a dramatic way but with an occasional surprise laugh. Hard to briefly describe the action because of all the jumping about and the multiple little dramas going on, but I can say it was well written with some great dialogue.

A pleasant surprise

[jjordan · 11 April 2000]

I must admit that I'd never heard of this movie before I came across it at Blockbuster. I decided to pick it up for the cast, not being a particularly big Anders fan. I was rewarded with a low-key, funny and enjoyable 90 minutes. Perhaps it was the short filming period (and I suspect a fair amount of ad libbing by the cast), but the thing I liked best about this movie was that everyone seemed so relaxed and natural. In many cases, I'm sure the performers were less acting and more riffing on their own lives and those of people they've encountered over the years. With the exception of the two "blond ambition" wannabes, everyone in the movie exhibited at least some redeaming characteristics. While I won't say I was particularly drawn to any of the characters, neither was I repulsed by any of them. They all seemed more or less products of their past lives, with the inevitably warped perspective living the "star" lifestyle brings. All in all, a fun way to spend an hour and a half.

Loved it -- loads of fun and some deep moments, too

[coolbluegreen · 21 January 2006]

This movie was so much fun. It boasted an incredible cast -- Roseanna Arquette, Michael Des Barres, Beverly D'Angelo, John Doe, Lumi Cavazos, Ally Sheedy, John Taylor of Duran Duran, etc. It gave an inside peek into the lives of mostly has-been rock stars who are still struggling to create and, in some cases, survive. Various stories are interwoven throughout the film and the sweetest and most believable was that of John Doe's character and his family. I found the last scene between him and his wife incredibly touching. Michael Des Barres was scintillating and hilarious, as usual. His scenes with Bjou Philips and Beverly D'Angelo were priceless. Lumi Cavazos was sexy as hell and Richmond Arquette about broke my heart. Great film. Great sets, too -- I wondered if the homes actually belonged to the actors. Ally Sheedy's just looked so lived in and real. I did wonder why she would hire the gal Roseanna Arquette's character recommended -- but I'll say no more. See the movie and have fun!

A moral tale

[thomases · 3 February 2003]

(This may contain spoilers.) I would take exception --to some extent at least-- to what appears to be the general consensus that this movie is "loosely constructed." What struck me about it was people doing "good" and "bad" things in relation to each other and, I guess I would have to add, "family values"--for me this was what structured the movie.The various story lines developed the theme, deliberately, humorously, and ingeniously "playing off" each other. Example: Rosanna Arquette on the phone with her single, lonely and desperate friend Ali Sheedy while her husband is obnoxiously snoring. Show biz success is shown to be inversely related to human kindness and decency--Jade Gordon, who appears to be on the verge of superstardom at the end, is borderline sociopathic(but maybe that's normal behavior in Sugar Town.) John Doe, a session guitarist, is at the other end of the spectrum, resisting temptation and leaving in mid-tour to stay true to his pregnant wife, Lucinda Jenny. He also turns down an offer to play with Gordon and the other band members near the end, stating that one of them had offered heroine to his brother, a recovering addict. Also the moral choices and minimal "backsliding" of Doe and his brother are paralleled. Childless Arquette, after establishing a caring relationship with her husband's alleged son, comes to terms with her "older actress" status and is now able to accept the movie roll offered her as Christina Ricci's mom. Des Barres, told he must sleep with D'Angelo to get financial backing for the record, makes a moral choice in initially declining: "I don't want to 'make it' that bad." (Although it later becomes the one link-up in the movie that works--they're kindred souls.) There are obviously other themes here, notably coming to terms with middle age in general as well as in the entertainment business specifically. But the warm, human and, it seems to me, moral tone of the film is what ties it all together. People might complain that morality in a movie can be heavy handed. I would argue that in this case the humor serves as a counterpoint, bringing you in close for the message. Obviously the movie is in the genre of "Shortcuts" or "Magnolia" but also seems intent on showing us how we should live and relate to each other, maybe with some irony but not to the point of satire. For me this creates a kind of sharper focus, a warmer, human element. I'm not sure if anyone else is picking up on this.

Not great but well written and interesting enough to engage for the duration of the film

[bob the moo · 7 November 2006]

Los Angeles may be full of rock and film stars but it is also full of those that used to be stars and those that want to be stars. On the edge of the LA scene is one band of former rock stars looking to rekindle the success they had together in the 1980's. Around them are an equal number of wannabes looking for the dream break whether it be getting a good part in a good film or making a record with a producer with at least one Grammy to his name.

Those unsure of whether or not they will like this film or not need only watch any 5 or 10 minute window of it and they will get the idea. This is because the film doesn't really seek to have a definite narrative in the sense of "this happened, that happened then this happened" but rather is about a particular scene and the characters within it. As such it does what it does well consistently across the film and, although some viewers won't like it, it is reliable if you do. For me I quite enjoyed it mainly because I found the characters quite engaging – perhaps not all that likable but interesting at least. It helps that Anders and Voss have written convincing characters and given them dialogue that rarely falls flat. It isn't anything amazing though and viewers shouldn't expect to be gripped or experience anything too strong in regards emotions.

The cast respond pretty well to the film being based on characters rather than actions and they mostly turn in good performances. The likes of Kemp, Des Barres and Taylor are understandably convincing and perhaps a little brave for opening themselves up to the risks within the story. Sheedy is not really in the main story but is still good as she delivers a frustrated and nervy character, manipulated by the ruthless side of others. Arquette is impressive in a role that again she was brave to take simply because of the comparisons that could have been drawn out by the directors. I found Doe to be a bit flat and Klein to be an bit difficult to like but generally everyone responded well.

Not a great film by any means but it is quite engaging and enjoyable. Some viewers will be frustrated by the lack of narrative flow and will perhaps not like the characters but generally it does work. I doubt it will stick with me and I wouldn't have wanted to spend too much longer in this world but for 90 minutes it was interesting and amusing.

Reasonably entertaining "expose" of the L.A. music biz, but light and ultimately pretty forgettable.

[Infofreak · 21 September 2003]

Despite thinking both 'Gas Food Lodging' and 'Grace Of My Heart' had their moments, I have no strong feelings about Allison Anders one way or the other. I didn't watch 'Sugar Town' because of Anders, and certainly not because of her co-director Kurt Voss! (- shudder - I've actually seen 'Below Utopia') I only watched it because of its odd cast of former rock stars (ex-members of Duran Duran, Redd Kross, X and Spandau Ballet) and Rosanna Arquette (who I like) and Ally Sheedy (who I don't). The cast was so offbeat I was intrigued. The movie, despite my initial suspicions, wasn't a complete stinker, but neither was it an unheralded gem. The comparisons to 'Magnolia' on the back sleeve were really pushing it, I must say! Yes, the two share a similar multi-character story line, which owes a lot to Robert Altman anyway, but 'Sugar Town' is nowhere near as powerful as 'Magnolia'. It's a very light movie with little insight into human behavior. It's basically a comedy after all, concerning various people on the periphery of the L.A. music biz, some has beens and some wanna be's. There are a few amusing sequences, especially from Arquette and Michael Des Barres, but this isn't anything life changing. I can still vividly remember sequences from 'Grace Of My Heart' after five years, but I sincerely doubt I'll recall much of 'Sugar Town' after five MONTHS. It's a reasonably entertaining movie, but a pretty forgettable one.

Canyon haze

[nunculus · 20 September 1999]

An octet or so of eighties rock has-beens--candidates for "Whatever Happened to...?" if not a full-fledged VH-1 bio--drive back and forth to each other's houses in the rustic, remote yet luxuriant environs of Coldwater Canyon. The writer-directors, Allison Anders and Kurt Voss, get exactly what these people's lives feel like: the lazy afternoons spent in comfort, by people who have forgotten how they got to be this comfortable and what they're supposed to do next. Not to mention, the disparity between cockney rock gods and their bourgeois lifestyles is always good for a laugh. But the filmmakers get at something more off-the-bullseye than the typical, Spinal Tap-ish take on this material: for example, the wistfulness, totally unstressed, of a once-known early-eighties actress who wakes up to discover that she's being offered the role of Christina Ricci's mom.

None of Allison Anders' other movies have added up to much in my book, and one of them--her segment of FOUR ROOMS--was a low-watermark fiasco. But, maybe with the help of Voss, she seems to have found her groove here: the movie suggests an affable, offhand, funnily perceptive riff on an Altman mosaic. The subtext of the movie is a fortyish L.A. woman's terror of the hungrier and tastier Eve Harringtons below them; each of the subplots has a comically avaricious man-eater. Among the more mature dames, Rosanna Arquette has matured into a lush, pleasing actress as she ripens into her indie phase; Ally Sheedy is a revelation as a frazzled-unto-muteness serial dater; and Beverly D'Angelo is a bolt from the blue as a rich, embittered, crablike widow. As her opposite number, an aging arena god with a fear of women over twenty, Michael Des Barres is sheerly amazing--a low-comedy Terence Stamp.

quirky flick

[wjk3 · 25 November 2004]

Caught this on HBO thanksgiving morning 2004 and was intrigued by it from the name so I watched it and it is one of the weirdest movies I have seen lately.

It is like they took a whole movie and cut out the middle of it and made it into this movie, cause it starts off and you have no idea what is going on and then by the end of the movie, you are like where's the rest of it?

Just when things get going it goes off.

Still trying to figure out whom the actress is that plays Ally Sheedy's thieving housekeeper.

She looks familiar but can't find a photo of her to correlate with her name.

Delightfully naughty fun

[CucFan · 5 March 1999]

Approaching this from the perspective of a fan of actor/singer Michael Des Barres, not to mention having been a Duran Duran fan for 9 years now, you could say I looked forward to this a little too much. It did not disappoint (with only a few minor quibbles, which I will discuss below).

No, it was entirely too satisfying...a bucket of popcorn with seriously evil amounts of heavenly butter. Combining a hip, witty edge with the jaded world of the rock 'n roll business, tons of in-jokes, delightfully shocking happenings, and down-to-earth connecting, it's like a backstage pass to the small soap-opera-like world the characters operate in.

The plot moves along quickly between groups of people, tied together by sex and business, and even the most surprising turn of events leaves the viewer thinking "of COURSE that's what would happen." Dialogue crackles with intensity, allowing the viewer to forget they're watching a movie and not eavesdropping on personal lives.

John Taylor, in his first lead role, was entirely believable in this almost-but-not-quite autobiographical role. Michael Des Barres was wickedly funny and sexy as Nick, totally perfect in every way, drug-free and decadent all at once. Beyond Michael and John, I must mention the warm-hearted portrayal by Rosanna Arquette, whose character I liked much more than I thought I would, the fanatically insane character played by Ally Sheedy, and the wonderfully intense performance by Vincent Berry as "Nerve."

Other plotlines tangled with these to tell one story, with heart-wrenching moments of temptation, humor, and that brilliant Los Angeles sunshine.

Okay, here come the quibbles: When Steve Jones turned down the part of "Jonesy," it diminished the impact of the role and the dynamic of the three men together as it could have been. Perhaps the character should have been renamed. Steve, Michael and John have been in bands together several times over the years (and how perfect it would be in real life to have a band with all three in it at once!) This is not to take away from Martin Kemp, who turned in an astonishing job in a role I would never have believed a man with his musical background could carry.

The other quibble is that it would have been cool to have a scene of the band performing, and not that drudgy icky song we're supposed to believe is theirs (no way, not after hearing what Michael, John & Steve were really capable of when they worked together - Power Station (J & M), Chequered Past & the Susspects (M & S) and Neurotic Outsiders (J & S). It would have been the ultimate. But perhaps I'm biased. :)

Anyway, all I can say is - can't wait to see it on the big screen as many times as I can!

A scrambled yin to "Magnolia's" overwrought yang.

[mercury-28 · 28 March 2000]

I like whatever Allison Anders does just because she does it, but I really think that "Sugar Town" is as good as P.T. Anderson (not to be confused with P.T. Barnum) and his "Magnolia". Of course, if you like biblical plagues of amphibians in the mix and not just interesting dialog and characterizations, then pass on this. I liked it. I didn't sleep a wink!