Crush

For the most part, this is light entertainment and it falls into my category of a chic flick. Its all about three professional 40+ women living in a small village in England. Theres a head mistress of a school, a doctor and a sheriff, all with no existing personal relationship other than with each other. Who in the group can achieve a couple-relationship is the plot. The first clue that this is not a serious story occurs when you notice that two of these women are beautiful and attractive. The only way they could have avoided a relationship is by cloistering themselves in this village and Im not even sure that would have worked.

As the story progresses, you begin to realize that this is a present day farce in grand English style. Well maybe not so grand. But the silliness is portrayed with a straight face and the acting quality is excellent.

Neither the story line nor the characters really hold up under analysis. To begin, the new central relationship is problematic. None of the main characters have any history or family, anywhere. Finally, the actions of these professional women are unrealistic, even if I suspend belief for a while. But this is a farce and viewed that way, there are some funny parts and you leave the story with everything comfortably resolved.

Andie MacDowell plays Kate, the head mistress. I last saw her in Harrisons Flowers (2000), which I reviewed 3/28/03. Working as a model for Calvin Klein, she was discovered and cast in Graystoke (1984), a Tarzan film. Her North Carolina accent was so heavy that her voice was dubbed over by Glenn Close. Sex, Lies and Videotape (1989) really launched her career and following it she got lead roles in Green Card (1990), Ground Hog Day (1993) and Short Cuts (1993). She is the only American in this film and, with no back-story; you wonder how she got there. I thought she was a little too serious in this role.

Imelda Staunton plays Janine, the sheriff. She has been in both American and English film and TV for about 15 years, mostly minor roles. Anna Chancellor plays Molly, a GP MD for the village. She is the youngest of the trio in her late 30s. She is actually a descendent of titled English aristocracy. Staunton was the more convincing of the two, but Chancellor carried off her role with flamboyant enthusiasm.

Kenny Doughty plays Jed the young love interest. He is a graduate of a music school, so he may have done his own organ playing in the film. The scene in which he relates the music he plays to the feelings it engenders was well done.

Reviewed August 27, 2003