Friday, April 18, 2008

SMART PEOPLE

“SMART PEOPLE” (Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Thomas Haden Church & Ellen Page)

I could see how some people might find this film somewhat ‘dreary’ – The characters are all flawed (despite their obvious intelligence) and they do tend to plod thru their lives and at times you wonder – why am I watching these miserable, un-likeable people? But the main reason I enjoyed it is that because of their flaws, they are more realistic than a lot of characters you find in movies these days. It is un-orthodox in that the characters don’t seem to have a clue as to what they want out of life. I’m kind of in that boat myself right now, so I could relate.
Dennis Quaid plays professor Lawrence Wehterhold, a widower who has clearly given up on ever being happy again (and just for good measure, he wants everyone around him to be as miserable as he is)
The fact that Sarah Jessica Parker’s character, Dr. Janet Hartigan doesn’t put up with Prof. Wetherhold’s pompous, egotistical behavior during their first date, but then decides to give him a second chance – is just like the kind of silly things women do, isn’t it? Then, when she has sex with him on date #2, she immediately regrets it and makes up an excuse to get him out of her bed. These are the things men and women do to one another, even to the ones they like... and then later feel guilty.
Ellen Page plays Wetherhold’s daughter Vanessa with the exact same delivery as she used in ‘Juno’. Although this makes me question her acting range, I found her character here to be more believable because Vanessa strives to get good grades and so her intellectual quips are more befitting than that of disinterested student Juno.
Once again Page’s character has an un-nerving relationship with an older man – this time with her ‘Uncle’ Chuck (Thomas Haden Church) Chuck is the most ‘normal’ character among the group, being the only non-intellectual; he is, however, a classic deadbeat.
I didn’t like the tacked-on ‘happy’ ending, but most of that is taken up with ‘cheery’ photos shown with the closing credits. But I liked “Smart People” simply because the characters were constantly changing their minds about what they wanted out of life. Some might say that makes them annoying and not worthy of filming – it is difficult to figure these people out – but to me, that is what made them seem ‘real’.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have disliked abrupt, pat endings at least since I saw "Gone With the Wind," at the end of which "tomorrow is another day" stops Scarlett's blubbering. I laughed when first I saw that ending, annoying fans of GWtW. Wind indeed!

"Smart People" is an interesting commentary on people who are intellectually accomplished but socially maladroit. Since academia teems with folks who make their own lives impossible but are so proud of their own acumen, this cinematic parody is as acute as it is amusing.

Like Terry, I tend to snore through films about foibles and nutbars. I stayed awake through "Smart People." Too bad the writers had no apt ending handy.

Good review, Terry!

Terry Reid said...

Well... thank you, George. So many movies are 'ruined' by cop-out endings, but with 'Smart People' it wasn't as annoying as some others ('Signs' anyone?)
At least this film gave us some interesting, flawed characters; so when they land in a typical joyful celebration of life at the finale, it's wince-inducing, but forgiven...