scrutiny Review of Scotch and Milk

Scotch and Milk (1998)

A group of would be jazzsters contemplate life.

[4 January 2002]

I remember reading the somewhat positive review of this film

about a year and a half ago in Variety and seeing Adam Goldberg's

name attached to it, who I hold a place in my critical heart for his

appearance in Richard Linklater's Dazed & Confused, I wanted to

see this film badly.

I wish I could dampen my enthusiasm a few notches in retrospect.

Scotch & Milk ultimately will remind many of the much better

Swingers, a film I still think was a better screenplay than film, but

even though Milk is more expressionistic and arty, this doesn't

mean its a better film in the long run.

I really do think this film was made for the sole fact to see if the

camera worked. The film rambles from one improvisational set

piece to another, further strengthens the argument against

smoking and drinking, and really doesn't say much that Swingers

or even more to the point, Barbet Schroeder's Barfly, didn't say

better.

I caught this film recently on the Sundance channel and I do agree

with the American Cinematography writer's laudable comments

regarding Milk's look but even some trash manages to look pretty

that doesn't mean it's better. I hope Goldberg has a better film in

him in the years to come.