I'm not much of a movie freak myself, but I'm willing to state that Ted Demme's "Beautiful Girls" is one of the most subdued, insightful movies made in the 90s - even if it sort of went under the radar in most circles. Altough there's admittably nothing that special about the whole movie, it just works on the whole as a small town depiction. The overall mood is just exceptional. There's especially one scene in that movie, somewhere in the middle, that has stuck to my mind and I often think about it when new people are about to enter my own life.

The basic plot is simple: A group of twenty-something / thirty-something folks are getting together for a High School renunion in a small, snowy town, New Englander. Most of them have lived inside the borders of this place all through their lives. Neglecting their aspirations, ending up getting married and haivng normal blue-collar jobs. Needless to say the bulk of them are quite unhappy with their lives, constantly craving for something more. It's the old sentiment of "it really shouldn't have gone this way" that hovers over everyone throughout the flick. Most of the movie obviously consists of plain dialog, so it's a typical small-town-reunion movie by most accounts if you want to formally inspect it. I just happen to think it goes way deeper than that.

The main character in this movie is called Willie, who functions as something of a lone wanderer amongst his old High School friends - the guy who did in fact happen to leave everything behind in order to become a musician in a big city. However, life's not been all that perfect for him either - he's now ended up as a mere pianist playing gigs in hotel night clubs and not that satisfied with his on-and-off relationship with a smart lawyer woman who makes way much more money than he does. And now he's just coming back to his old home town for a few days to reflect on his past and make some sense to his current life situation. It was a genius decision by Demme to cast Jeff Brides in this role as he manages to convey exceptionally well the lead character's sentiments over to the audience... okay, he's not really Jeff Bridges, but he looks awfully lot like Jeff Bridges anyway - and I've forgotten what the original actor's name is. He's somewhat famous too, you'd recognize him if you saw him in a TV-movie or something. He looks a lot like Jeff Bridges.

At one point this aforementioned character is sitting with one of his childhood friends in a bar, discussing their life and relationships etc. You know, the usual deal. During their conversation they notice a very attractive woman, played by Uma Thurman, walking into the bar. Confidently, looking fine as hell, she turns everyone's heads - altough they're also quite nervous not to let it show that openly. Some try to flirt with her as well, without much success. Now this female character doesn't get to have that much screentime on the movie itself, since she's only featured in only a few scenes throughout the movie, but she sort of intersects Jeff Bridges' whole life-arch just by being there at that very given moment... okay, he's not really Jeff Bridges again, but you get the point.

So her appearance at that given moment is sort of a culmination point in the lead character's life so far, altough his life is obviously somewhere else - in a different city altogether. Now the lead character, and I'm referring here to the one who looks like Jeff Bridges, starts speaking to his friend about how incredibly good-looking this woman in the bar happens to be and how it would be really awesome to be able to share your life with a woman who looked as good as the character played by Uma Thurman does. There's the whole idea behind here how a woman who would look like a model would make life perfect, instead of having to settle for a nice, casual-looking woman ("a seven-and-a-half" -woman) like the rest of the guys you were growing up with did. So he says to his childhood friend: "I wonder if he has a boyfirend?"

Now this is the part that's clung to my mind for all eternity. It's one of the most poignant and bitterly true things any fictional character's said in a fictional frame, most likely cause it's turnt out to be quite bitterly true in real life as well. Now, at this point his his friends turns to him and says on his own behalf: "Jeff, women who look like that... oh, I seemingly forgot once again that he's not really Jeff Bridges, only looks a lot like him - let's give it another try then - his friend turns and says to him: "Jeff... (oh for fuck's sakes - nothing's coming out of this apparently, so I just as well might call him Jeff anyway - the most important thing is to get to the point finally.)

... so he turns to him and says: "Jeff, women who look like that ALWAYS have boyfriends."

Yeah, I guess they do. Should I take that into account or just totally ignore the fact that she does?

Novabreaker said:

This is one of my favorite movies EVER..the actor's name is Tim Hutton

this movie started my crush on Natalie Portman.....


I loved the fact that Michael Rapaport's dog was called Elle McPherson!

Great movie. Uma was hot in that movie as usual. It's sad that Natalie's character was too young and Uma was taken. Most guys do not get the women that they really want. They settle for what they can get.

And that line is pretty accurate. The hottest women are usually already taken.

IM ORG HUMPIN THAT BROAD SEE ME



SEEE MEE!!!!??


nuts:

Spats said:

It's not just that they are "already taken", but rather they are "always taken". It's almost as if there'd be only a nanosecond for the guys to act when these women end one relationship and are already entering a new one. Getting a woman like that is rather like winning the lottery, not because you'd need to feel that inferior over yourself (most beautiful women aren't that concerned about their partner's looks) but because it really is a rare chance that a beautiful grown woman happens to be a single and you just happened to meet them during such a period.

For instance if you happen to meet someone like that who's available now and knew the next time you were able to see her would be in i.e. a 3-4 weeks of time, you can be pretty sure she's already entered a new relationship by then. At least started dating folks, why would they say no to a date anyway? It's sometimes for us mere mortals hard to understand and accept - because we'd run after a woman like that. Yet, it's not a two-way situation as they really don't have to run after anyone themselves.

It's a strange concept of power.

That's true. The best ones usually are not available. Life sucks.

Feeling ponderous, are you?

You got me interested in watching that movie. I wonder if I can find it in FilmTown. Have you seen it in renting shops, Nova?
Why would life be perfect if his girlfriend looked amazingly beautiful? What'd be different? I really want to see that film.

I watch this movie every winter. Though it takes place in Upstate New York it was filmed in and around Mpls, so I like catching the little things.

And the line is somewhat different. He says something to the effect of women like her are born with a boyfriend. Similar effect though, I suppose.

Interesting that that's the relationship you focus on, as I've always found the relationship w/Natalie Portman's character my favorite to think about. So sweet and innocent and intense at the same time.

CarrieMpls said:

It was? That might have been the case - as I live in a non-English speaking country the movies come with subtitles and sometimes I read those, sometimes I don't. Guess the subtitle might have been different. I really haven't seen the movie in years, but I'm going to watch it again in the coming days. I also changed the movie's plot and the scene a bit just for the sakes of this thread (which has not been that much of a resounding success so far...)



Yeah, of course that's the main "relationship" (pardon me) the movie depicts. But it's actually Uma's character Willie would be ready to cheat his girlfriend with.

Sirah said:

I don't think it would be any different. I know it wouldn't. But it poses further questions even in the case there'd be no difference, such as are men supposed to feel guilty over the fact that they are attracted to someone more beautiful than a person they are either with or just considering to be with?

Why does society automatically suppose that it's the "seven-and-a-half" -women that really are the best girlfriends in the end (in the end of the movie Willie returns home with his "seven-and-a-half" girlfriend). If it makes no difference why are is it considered shallow for the men to want a "model-like" woman for themselves? Why has it automatically been determined that the most beautiful girl in the room isn't really considered the optimal companion, but instead the third or the fourth most beautiful ones, or whatever, are?

So do the "beautiful girls" themselves win in the end? These days most people are so critical by definition towards "materialistic values that it sort of secludes the most beautiful women in an odd social space where they are still free to make the choice from pretty much anyone, but nobody considers them to be genuinely good girlfriends. The most beautiful girl is, in today's climate, never the "right choice" - as so to speak.
[Edited 3/26/06 20:24pm]

Yeah, i saw this movie recently. Considering a few of u may remember my thread about myself liking a 13 year old, this film was kinda eye-opening. I could totally relate to the man who felt for natalie.


Great movie. Loads of good one liners, michael rappaport was excellent, even rosie O'D was ok.

I liked the analogy about winnie the pooh and christopher robbin. Kinda sad