Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 18, 1995 TAG: 9503230054
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
It's a labored little romantic comedy/drama that's only a couple of profanities away from network TV. In fact, it looks like a movie of the week with McDonald's commercials incorporated into the context.
The fast-food restaurant is where divorced dads Donnie (Paul Reiser), Vic (Randy Quaid) and Dave (Matthew Modine) meet their ex-wives to pick up the kids for the weekend. The place also figures prominently in the lives of several supporting characters.
The rest of the action, set in backlot suburbia, concerns the three guys' problems with their children (who range in maturity from T-ball to beer parties), their ex-wives' (Lindsay Crouse, Jayne Brook, Amy Brenneman) new relationships, current girlfriends, and a radio talkshow host, Dr. Dave (Rob Reiner), they blame for all that's wrong with their lives.
Writers Gary David Goldberg and Brad Hall put their ensemble cast through a series of uninteresting, pointless conflicts. Given the material, it's understandable that director Sam Weisman (``D2: The Mighty Ducks'') has trouble maintaining an even tone. The mood shifts from soupy drama to offbeat comedy that has a few strangely effective moments courtesy of Janeane Garofalo, as The Date From Hell.
Apparently, the filmmakers mean for most of this to be taken seriously. But in commenting on contemporary family problems, they have nothing to say. Beneath its alleged concern for divorced parents and kids, the film is built on synthetic emotions, hollow humor and glib observations meant to pass as insight.
On the other hand, the soundtrack featuring the Everly Brothers, Mary-Chapin Carpenter, Phil Collins and the theme from "Peter Gunn" is terrific.
Bye Bye, Love
* 1/2
A 20th Century Fox release playing at the Tanglewood Mall. 104 min. Rated PG-13 for language, subject matter.
by CNB