The 3-4 movies a year that gain the "Hallmark Hall of Fame" sponsorship never fail to deliver, and Flamingo Rising was one of the better efforts lately. This is a feel-good show that recaptures a look and feel and style while beautifully intertwining humor, pathos, the family unit and the American work ethic. From the Korean orphans to the Fourth of July accident to the stunning conclusion, the creators offered one memorable scene after another. And, somewhat rare for a TV movie, Flamingo Rising had terrific visuals. Brian Benben is the driving force, and is excellent as the drive-in theater owner who achieves his dreams in nearly every way -- for a time. Stephen Larkin as his son gives a sympathetic but firm performance. William Hurt, kept too far in the background some of the time, is excellent in a low-key role. But the star of the show is Elizabeth McGovern, the conscience and rock of the family who becomes everyone's friend and confidant. Hollywood very very seldom gives us something that veers so far from its apparent destination. And it almost never reflects life's highs and lows as perfectly as was done in this movie.
Reviews
9 Reviews
The Flamingo Rising
(2001 TV Movie)
This intertwines humor, pathos, the family unit and the American work ethic.
21 February 2001
American Beauty
(1999)
It's not impossible to do quality without visiting the seamy side
27 November 2000
American Beauty is a perfect example of why the movie industry might as well post "Adults over 40 not admitted" signs in front of every theater in the land. Combine every kind of deviant behavior this side of Silence of the Lambs with good acting and quality lighting and photographic effects and you have a recipe for best picture. I guess. One of the younger set said this: "There weren't any good movies last year." I guess not. Yes, this is a thoughtful presentation and Kevin Spacey, in particular, does a terrific job of delivering the script and the director's wishes. But this is life? This is beauty? It's not impossible to do quality without visiting the seamy side. Give me an hour and I can give you a list of 100 movies made in the last decade that offer a quality look, compelling dialogue and thought-provoking circumstances -- without glorifying anti-social behavior or getting into the world of guns and drugs. Most of the time, the politicians and do-gooders who want to clean up Hollywood turn my stomach. But if the industry and the movie-going public feel American Beauty is top of the line, maybe it's time to listen to the clean up Hollywood bunch.
Color Me Perfect
(1996 TV Movie)
Lee . . . makes a transformation that is both believable and uplifting.
1 November 2000
I'm not a big Michele Lee fan. I prefer original plots . . . That said, I was surprisingly impressed by Color Me Perfect. If you've seen Cliff Robertson's Academy Award-winning Charly or last year's TV movie, Flowers for Algernon, you already know the plot of Color Me Perfect. Lee has the lead as a retarded adult who makes a transformation that is both belivable and uplifting. I was afraid the scene would jump from the bubbly, simple Lee to an Einsteinish Lee, but the change was smooth, gradual and logical. The conclusion varies some from Charly and Flowers for Algernon -- the viewer gets to figure how it came out. I couldn't help but be struck by the physical similarities of Robertson and the actor, Robin Thomas, who plays the primary doctor in Color Me Perfect. The drawback is a pouty, egotistical Susan Blakely. Lee fails to deliver in spots but had many more winning moments. Overall, a positive effort worth seeing.
Running Mates
(2000 TV Movie)
"Running Mates" has its likeable moments . . . the scenes come fast and the editing kept the story moving.
17 August 2000
TNT had been promoing this one since the winter primary season, so I expected something like a blockbuster. Fool me once . . . Actually, "Running Mates" has its likeable moments and it did close with an uplifting plot turn, though it was one you could see coming. The scenes came fast, which I thought worked, and the editing kept the story moving.
The disappointments were in the utter phony silliness of certain aspects of what was a crackling good presentation much of the time. For example, the character of the Texas VP hopeful; that style wouldn't have worked in a good movie or TV show 40 years ago. The four women all having something in common with Tom Selleck's Gov. Pryce was a forced issue and hard to believe -- and also unnecessary. The vice-presidential decision coming on the night of Selleck's acceptance speech was likewise fiction and likewise not necessary; just a cheap hook to keep viewers tuned in all the way to the final credits.
There were a lot of good vignettes, the real TV personalities gave the movie a newscast feel, and Selleck and Bob Gunton as the reluctant VP candidate were the best of a good cast. Overall, a slick production that was certainly watchable. But it seems to me if you're doing this kind of thing during a political convention and tying in so many real events, you'd want to make the entire movie as real as possible. The production/directorial decisions that deviated from that are hard to fathom.
The disappointments were in the utter phony silliness of certain aspects of what was a crackling good presentation much of the time. For example, the character of the Texas VP hopeful; that style wouldn't have worked in a good movie or TV show 40 years ago. The four women all having something in common with Tom Selleck's Gov. Pryce was a forced issue and hard to believe -- and also unnecessary. The vice-presidential decision coming on the night of Selleck's acceptance speech was likewise fiction and likewise not necessary; just a cheap hook to keep viewers tuned in all the way to the final credits.
There were a lot of good vignettes, the real TV personalities gave the movie a newscast feel, and Selleck and Bob Gunton as the reluctant VP candidate were the best of a good cast. Overall, a slick production that was certainly watchable. But it seems to me if you're doing this kind of thing during a political convention and tying in so many real events, you'd want to make the entire movie as real as possible. The production/directorial decisions that deviated from that are hard to fathom.
Nuremberg
(2000)
I have to credit the scope, accuracy and impact
16 August 2000
When I saw Alec Baldwin was behind this project, I have to confess I had some doubts as to what to expect. Having seen and reflected on "Nuremberg", I have to credit the scope, accuracy and impact of the presentation. The first hour -- leading up the trial -- was fast-paced, gripping and certain to draw the viewer into the full four hours. The trial, it seemed to me, bogged down the endeavor, but maybe this is just the reality of trials.
Two points detracted from the overall effectiveness of the show: The producers' decision to put a romantic element into the script, and Baldwin's acting performance. To me, he came off as pristine, above the fray, holier-than-thou and so subdued in spots as to get lost. This style worked OK in some scenes, but in others key dialogue and the impact of the lead character were overshadowed by the support players.
Most of the support was superior; Brian Cox as Goehring ought to get an Emmy and Matt Craven as the psychologist was just a half-step behind. I found the characterizations of the Nazi criminals much more realistic than the depictions of parallel characters in 1961's "Judgment at Nuremberg". Overall, this was an effective and important show. The direction and casting were superior, the script was on target and the look and feel worked. A more abrupt ending might have helped such a jolting piece of history.
Two points detracted from the overall effectiveness of the show: The producers' decision to put a romantic element into the script, and Baldwin's acting performance. To me, he came off as pristine, above the fray, holier-than-thou and so subdued in spots as to get lost. This style worked OK in some scenes, but in others key dialogue and the impact of the lead character were overshadowed by the support players.
Most of the support was superior; Brian Cox as Goehring ought to get an Emmy and Matt Craven as the psychologist was just a half-step behind. I found the characterizations of the Nazi criminals much more realistic than the depictions of parallel characters in 1961's "Judgment at Nuremberg". Overall, this was an effective and important show. The direction and casting were superior, the script was on target and the look and feel worked. A more abrupt ending might have helped such a jolting piece of history.
Crazy from the Heart
(1991 TV Movie)
Fun, different, thoughtful -- a refreshing break
29 June 2000
I saw Crazy from the Heart when it came out, so this was rerun time nine years later. And the movie was better the second time around!! Christine Lahti cannot make a bad film; I think she's one of the most underrated actresses of our time (though she does have an Academy Award nomination). What makes "Crazy" sing is the performance by Ruben Blades (and doing love scenes with the director's wife had to be a daunting task) and the unique, small-town setting and approach. This story gently touched on the racism so common in our society, but it did so in an educational and positive way instead of the in-your-face style that gets so old. This movie took you to Tidelands, took you back to high school, took you into middle age, made you think and feel, presented real people in a very real story and made it fun. If the industry put more of this in the theater, more us of plus-40s would go more than once a year.
Growing Up Brady
(2000 TV Movie)
Delightful and surprisingly good
22 June 2000
Anyone old enough to remember the series has heard the stories. We know about "the date" and we know of Robert Reed's "secret" and of Barry's first love. To be effective, Growing Up Brady had to stick to what we know but not make it a weak, years-later rerun. And the creators succeeded. The first half-hour was terrific -- good lines, quick cuts, the use of Brady Bunch-like look and sound, a lot of innocent comedy and good fun but packed with nostalgia. The cut-ups by the boys on the sound stage, the one-on-ones between cast members. I concur with those who praise Michael Tucker and Daniel Hugh Kelly: A-1 acting jobs and in very tough roles. The kids were more wooden and Florence Henderson's role seemed to be for photographic but not plot purposes; we got no feel for her as a person. This movie could have been a real bomb job, either a weak bio or a rip of the show or the personalties; somehow, both were avoided. The creative forces here did their homework and turned out a winner, though I would add that the Greg-Marcia romance got a bit old.
Search for Grace
(1994 TV Movie)
A letdown after a good start
22 June 2000
Search for Grace starts out as a unique thriller with effective flow from present to flashback, just enough gentleness and calm in the main plot balanced by some uncomfortable moments in the flashback. The acting is generally good but once Ken Wahl's character turns from nice-guy to vice-guy, the plot becomes typical: chase scene, couple of fights, increasing violence, the predictable conclusion. Too bad; there were a lot of nice set-up elements with the references to the 1920s and the Lindbergh flight and Lisa Hartman Black's easy going lifestyle.
Forever Young
(1992)
A gentle, thoughtful, family-style offering
2 December 1999
Forever Young goes in a lot of familiar directions -- time travel, a cuddly child and a single mom, a mix of drama, comedy, sci-fi, mystery and romance. But mostly, it manages to be entertaining without offending anyone or forcing the issue.
The early portion of the show -- set in 1939 -- offers a soft, dreamy, realistic look at what that time was like. The characters seem to have been drawn from the audience, from the masses, instead of being picture-perfect in look and dress. The acting is low-key, relaxing and believable. And, while the plot covers a lot of ground, it ties together well and has enough mystery that the viewer won't be able to guess the outcome and is sure to be satisfied with both the journey and the destination.
Forever Young reminded me of Always, starring Holly Hunter and Richard Dreyfuss. Both shows are loaded with characters that are easy to like because of who they are and how they respond. Mel Gibson in Forever Young is particularly effective when dealing with the son of Jamie Lee Curtis; you know she's already committed and he cannot hang around, but you find yourself wishing the boy could have Mel for his new dad.
Not offering more shows like this is why theaters have so few under-12 and over-35 movie goers.
The early portion of the show -- set in 1939 -- offers a soft, dreamy, realistic look at what that time was like. The characters seem to have been drawn from the audience, from the masses, instead of being picture-perfect in look and dress. The acting is low-key, relaxing and believable. And, while the plot covers a lot of ground, it ties together well and has enough mystery that the viewer won't be able to guess the outcome and is sure to be satisfied with both the journey and the destination.
Forever Young reminded me of Always, starring Holly Hunter and Richard Dreyfuss. Both shows are loaded with characters that are easy to like because of who they are and how they respond. Mel Gibson in Forever Young is particularly effective when dealing with the son of Jamie Lee Curtis; you know she's already committed and he cannot hang around, but you find yourself wishing the boy could have Mel for his new dad.
Not offering more shows like this is why theaters have so few under-12 and over-35 movie goers.
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