Subject: REVIEW: MATINEE

From: [email-masked] (berardinelli,james)
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1993 21:05:07 GMT

[Followups directed to rec.arts.movies.]

				     MATINEE
		       A film review by James Berardinelli
			Copyright 1993 James Berardinelli

Running Length:  1:38
Rated:  PG (Mature themes)

Starring:  John Goodman, Kathy Moriarty, Simon Fenton,
	   Kellie Martin, Omri Katz, Lisa Jakub
Director:  Joe Dante
Producer:  Michael Finnell
Screenplay:  Charlie Haas
Music:  Jerry Goldsmith
Released by Universal Pictures

     Lawrence Woolsey (John Goodman) is an old-time showman trying to
put the magic back into grade-B horror movies.  His latest film, MANT!,
made in "Rumble-Rama" will either make him or break him, but Woolsey
won't let his precarious future ruin his enjoyment of the present.  He's
sure of himself and his audience.  The premier of MANT! forms the
backdrop for a number of smaller human dramas--such as first dates and
first kisses--and one larger, more historical event.

     Joe Dante's latest film is one-third comedy, one-third nostalgia,
and one-third sentiment.  Set during the tense period of the Cuban
Missile Crisis, MATINEE tells the story of a week in the lives of
several teenagers and small-time horror film maker Lawrence Woolsey.
For each of them, these tension-filled days mean something different.

     It's likely that those who have a conscious memory of October 1962
will appreciate MATINEE far more than those who don't.  Although Dante's
film does a good job of conveying the flavor of the time, actual
memories add an irreplaceable enhancement.  Remembering how you reacted
to the Crisis will enable you to empathize that much more with the
characters of this picture.  Much of the nostalgia will be lost on the
younger viewers.  Only those who lived through those troubled days can
fully appreciate some of what MATINEE is trying to do.

     Fortunately, the success and enjoyability of the film do not rest
entirely in this arena.  MATINEE also presents a witty spoof of the
numerous low-budget monster movies that became a common staple for
theaters during the fifties and sixties.  As silly and campy as MANT
looks, it bears a remarkable resemblance to many of the films that can
now be seen at two o'clock in the morning on a local UHF channel.

     Aside from the portion of the story that involves Goodman, almost
everything else centers around four teenagers, ably played by a quartet
of actors.  There's Gene (Simon Fenton), the "Navy brat" who moves from
city to city without ever getting a chance to put down roots.  Stan
(Omri Katz), Gene's lone friend, is hopelessly smitten with Sherry
(Kellie Martin), a girl who is interested in exploring her own
sexuality.  Finally, Lisa Jakub plays the uncertain daughter of a pair
of free-thinking beatniks.

     MATINEE manages to blend its diverse elements together.  Sometimes
the seams aren't as transparent as they should be, but the movie still
manages to be more agreeable than not.  The humor is mostly low-key, and
works as it's intended to.  There are not many belly laughs to be had,
but there are quite a few chuckles.

     Of undeniable importance is the rapport the audience develops with
the characters.  They may not be the most three-dimensional of screen
personalities, but what we see of them seems real, despite the
occasionally bizarre circumstances they find themselves in.  This is,
after all, a movie about movies, and Dante never ceases to remind us of
this with an endless stream of in-jokes.

     John Goodman is tailor-made for his role.  As uncomfortable as he
seemed as THE BABE, he's right at home here, chewing on his part with as
much gusto as he munches on his cigar.  He's a pleasure to watch--the
bigger-than-life showman who does what he does simply because he enjoys
it.

     There's nothing deep or profound in MATINEE and its occasional
comments about the evils of nuclear war fall a little flat in light of
current events.  It's not clear whether the movie is trying to make a
point or simply emphasizing its historical context.  Any message that
MATINEE has doesn't come across clearly or with any force.  This is an
example of pure, unadulterated entertainment.

     The film is far from perfect, but most of the flaws are minor and
will do little (if anything) to impede the enjoyment of the movie.  Wit,
satire, nostalgia, and a few likable characters form a solid mix.  If
there are a few moments when the movie loses its focus, well, as
Lawrence Woolsey would put it, "That's show biz."

                          Rating:  7.8 (B, **1/2)

- James Berardinelli ([email-masked])