ROBERT BENTON
Bil’s rating (out of 5): BB.
USA, 1987. TriStar Pictures, ML Delphi Premier Productions. Screenplay by Robert Benton. Cinematography by Nestor Almendros. Produced by Arlene Donovan. Music by Howard Shore. Production Design by Paul Sylbert. Costume Design by Albert Wolsky. Film Editing by Sam O’Steen.
Kim Basinger‘s considerable comedy talents are wasted in this pointless effort by Robert Benton. She plays a daffy hairdresser who has no idea that when she goes to a photographer to demand back the “artistic” portraits he has taken of her, that she will end up involved in a caper that includes murder and police corruption. She reluctantly asks her idiot ex-husband (Jeff Bridges) to help her out, resulting in having to avoid the bad guys who want to bump her off for what she’s witnessed while also rehashing a very bad relationship. It could have been irresistibly cute, but the script gives Basinger a few good moments at the beginning and then renders her completely useless to the plot for the rest of the film. Benton, usually so good at presenting actors in terrific, rich roles, gets very little mileage of the weak screenplay here.
