I thought this movie was alright. I saw it one night while flipping through the channels. The ending kind of suck though, but everybody had good performances.
April 29, 2006 |  | Ryder and Haas anchor the film with good performances... |  |
Winona Ryder (Heathers, Mr. Deeds) winds up in the hands of school boy Lukas Haas (Mars Attacks!, Witness) after she falls off her horse and knocks herself unconscious in a field. Haas goes to an all boy school and he tries to hide her from his classmates...he doesnt like school. Ryder is hiding from the cops because their investigating on a baseball player named Bud Valentine, played by Skeet Ulrich (Scream, Chill Factor) and the last person to see him was Ryder and also threw the movie we see flashbacks from her night with Ulrich and what happened to him. Alright story has its lulls here and there but what anchors it is the performances by Haas and Ryder but the ending sorta is put on for a happy yay feeling which I didnt like. Also starring Chris Cooper (Jarhead, Adaptation), John C. Reilly (The Aviator, Dark Water), Catherine Keener (The 40 Yeard Old Virgin, Interpreter) and James LeGros (Near Dark, Just Looking).
November 3, 2005An interesting concept, Once again Winona Ryder shows what a great actress she is
February 29, 2004| | | A little boring...but otherwise ok | |
Like I said before, a little bit boring but otherwise ok. This movie was hard to understand and I didn't get the plot at all. What I am looking for is the name of that one hot blonde dude that was a friend of John Baker's in this movie? Also, where can I find some pics of him? Anyone know, please e-mail me at icycool7227@aol.com. Thanks!!
January 18, 2004Winona Ryder plays Patty Vare, a troubled young woman with a dangerous secret. Lukas Haas plays John Baker, a prep school student straining against the restrictive and highly rarified lifestyle forced upon him by his ambitious father. Patty recieves a visit from the police and immediately afterward goes for a ride, but in her distracted state of mind winds up falling off her horse. When Baker finds her unconscious in a field, he decides to take her back to his dorm room (Patty comes around just long enough to tell him "no doctors" then conveniently swoons again). While Baker's attempts to keep Patty safe from his marauding dormmates escalate, Patty periodically flashes back on the event that led to her hiding out in a dorm in the first place.
All of the actors in this film do a good job with what they have to work with. The cinematography is lovely. The plot, unfortunately, is thin, improbable and increasingly incoherent. This is not a film to watch for the sheer joy of witnessing marvelous storytelling. This is a film to watch when you're feeling nostalgic for the Gen X heyday of the mid-90's. Winona Ryder, with all of the opposites she is able to encompass (waifish and voluptuous, little-girl-lost and Charlie-girl-who-knows-what-she-wants, Prep School Queen and Goth Princess) is the ultimate Gen X heroine, and Haas, who is sensitive but edgy here, makes a good Gen X hero. The soundtrack is pure mid-90's alternative pop-rock -- soaring guitars and wistful lyrics, all performed by bands you've probably never heard of but whose members you probably have. The clothing and hairstyles worn by the actors scream "'90's!" as loudly as any John Hughes film heralds the '80's -- for instance, Patty starts the film wearing minimalist styles in somber colors but eventually puts on some of Baker's casual clothes and winds up looking grunge.
All things considered, the film's story is too confusing to be truly enjoyable, but the mood is palpable and might be enough to hold your attention on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Terrible story -- excellent time capsule. July 4, 2003
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