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

DATE: FRIDAY, December 23, 1994                   TAG: 9412230121
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

'RICHIE' ISN'T SO RICH AFTER ALL

"Richie Rich" is a disposable little kids' movie that's no better than the comic book it's based on.

It's a slow-moving, one-joke story, and at age 14, star Macaulay Culkin is getting too tall and gangly to be playing what's supposed to be a prepubescent character. That's certainly not the film's most obvious flaw, though.

A meandering, dull story takes that prize.

What conflict there is concerns comic bad guy Van Dough (John Larroquette) who's trying to steal the Rich family fortune. Richard (Edward Herrmann) and Regina (Christine Ebersole) are such trusting billionaires they don't realize he's out to get them. So when Van Dough springs his trap, it's up to young Richie (Culkin), the richest boy in the world, and his faithful valet Cadbury (Jonathan Hyde) to save the day.

All of that business takes place in the second half. The first part concerns the Rich mansion and grounds (North Carolina's Biltmore House), professor Keenbean's (Michael McShane) goofy inventions and Richie's efforts to be a normal kid with normal friends.

Director Donald Petrie ("Grumpy Old Men," "Mystic Pizza") keeps the limits of his young audience in mind. If the long introduction doesn't lose them, they'll enjoy the livelier physical comedy that comes later. Despite his maturity, Macaulay Culkin can still handle this kind of make-the-grownups-look-silly action as well as anyone in the business. And that's what his fans like to see.

Also, the feature is preceded by "Chariots of Fur," a new Roadrunner-Coyote cartoon from veteran director Chuck Jones. If this one's not as involved as his best, it's still a treat to see these two old friends back up on a big screen with the Looney Tunes logo.

Richie Rich ** A Warner Bros. releases playing at the Salem Valley 8. Rated PG for the mildest swearing and light comic violence. ``Chariots of Fur'' (***) is rated G. Combined running time, 91 min.

by CNB