
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, December 17, 1994                   TAG: 9412300093
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 12   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

`SPEECHLESS' HAS LITTLE TO SAY

The press material for "Speechless" makes a point of the fact that the romantic comedy about rival speechwriters was written years before Mary Matalin and James Carville became an item during the 1992 presidential campaign.

That's easy to believe, because this disappointing little flick is so politically naive as to be insulting. Anyone with the slightest interest in or knowledge of political campaigns - and that must include the target audience - will realize how mistaken and flat out wrong the film is.

In that regard, Robert King's script never hits the right tone. Its cynicism seems posed and pointless, and its idealism rings false. Stars Geena Davis (who also produced) and Michael Keaton are left with nothing but their charm and undeniable attractiveness to keep the film afloat. In some scenes, they manage quite nicely.

He plays Kevin Vallick, a TV comedy writer turned political hack who's brought in to charge up the Garvin senatorial campaign in New Mexico. She is Julia Mann, a true believer working for Garvin's liberal opponent.

In Hollywood terms, Kevin and Julia "meet cute" and develop their relationship in series of attractive locations - swanky hotel rooms, desert highways, his vintage Morgan roadster. Complications arise when they discover who their respective employers are and when Julia's pompous ex-fiance (Christopher Reeve) shows up to rekindle the flames.

Director Ron Underwood (``Tremors," "City Slickers") does fine work as long as he keeps the camera focused on his two stars. They handle this sort of lightweight material with practiced ease. If their characters were involved in a reasonably believable and interesting larger conflict, the film might have been another "Adam's Rib" or "Desk Set."

But the political subplot is presented ineptly, with improbable details popping up at the last moment, and the embarrassing ending has virtually no connection to the rest of the story.

Audiences who demand nothing more than cute characters and slick scenery may get their money's worth, but for everyone else, "Speechless" is thin, frivolous escapism.

Speechless

An MGM release playing at the Salem Valley 8 and Valley View Mall 6. 99 min. Rated PG-13 for some rough language, subject matter.

by CNB