BB.5
(out of 5)
A giant cast of appealing actors do a lot for this odd but enjoyable film. Timothy Hutton returns to his hometown for the first time in years only to realize how much he has outgrown it. On the other hand, he’s as big a moron as his small town drinking buddies (Michael Rapaport, Matt Dillon, etc.), none of whom deserve the beautiful women (Uma Thurman, Mira Sorvino, etc.) who populate their lives, so really, how much has he changed? Rosie O’Donnell is hilarious as a mouthy town resident who has an opinion on every subject (and is welcome to share it every time), but the film completely belongs to Natalie Portman: though Hutton’s character is expected to go after the lovely Thurman, the real chemistry is in the shy friendship that develops between him and Portman as a nosy neighbour with an infectious smile.
USA, 1996
Directed by Ted Demme
Screenplay by Scott Rosenberg
Cinematography by Adam Kimmel
Produced by Cary Woods
Music by David A. Stewart
Production Design by Dan Davis
Costume Design by Lucy W. Corrigan
Film Editing by Jeffrey Wolf
