ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, March 2, 1996 TAG: 9603040092
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 10 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: MOVIE REVIEW
SOURCE: KATHERINE REED STAFF WRITER
From the looks of it, the toughest thing for Robert Redford and Michelle Pfeiffer about playing the romantic leads in "Up Close & Personal" was in the film's opening scenes - when they have to act like they're NOT in love.
Because the chemistry between these two is about 14 on a scale of 1 to 10, and that translates into a simple Holy Moley.
When director Jon Avnet points the camera at Pfeiffer's twitchy crossed leg during a late-night editing session with Redford's producer character, it seems like overkill. As insulting to the audience's powers of perception as, well, as television news.
In fact, without the amazing thing that goes on between these two - and terrific performances by Stockard Channing, Joe Mantegna, Kate Nelligan and Miguel Sandoval (the well-spoken thug from Colombia in "Get Shorty") - "Up Close and Personal" would be merely an adequate, overly idealistic film about television news.
Pfeiffer plays a character not unlike her Suzie Diamond from "The Fabulous Baker Boys." This time, she's a craps dealer from Reno named Sally Atwater - soon to be the telegenic Tally - who makes a demo tape, lies on her resume and lands an assistant's job in Miami.
She dresses badly, wears too much makeup; heck, she can barely walk (more directorial overkill that Pfeiffer overcomes with grace), but she is willing to learn everything she needs to know to become a television news "star."
And Warren Justice (Redford) is just the guy to teach her. He's a former network giant, a grizzled old newsman with a habit of loving and leaving his proteges. Not until his back is to the wall does he give Tally her break - doing the weather - and manage to see some potential in her nearly disastrous performance.
But she doesn't become one of his proteges - not exactly - until she is well on her way to her goal.
There are many obstacles: a snob news anchor in Philadelphia (Channing), Tally's hair color, her lack of confidence. But somehow, this script - by Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne - and the Holy Moley factor really do persuade that she is changed by Justice's faith in her.
The role is perfect for Redford: He crinkles just right around the eyes when he looks at her, and Pfeiffer captures the transformation of her character's affection for him from slightly ga-ga adoration to mature, respectful appreciation.
And, of course, lust.
Things wander onto less certain footing when the movie attempts to suggest that little Tally will be able to resist the overwhelming forces that conspire to take the "news" out of "television news." In fact, to the contrary, we end up with the definite feeling that the only good idealist is a dead idealist.
There's no way to tell what director Avnet thinks the future holds for what we watch on television, because the message is confusing. But on the important question of "What's love got to do with it?," Avnet obviously believes that the real hope lies in what happens between people one-on-one, when no one's watching at all.
Movie reviewer Katherine Reed can be contacted on-line at movieyakaol.com
Up Close & Personal
*** 1/2
A Touchstone Pictures release showing at Valley View Cinema and Tanglewood Mall. 2 hours. Rated PG-13 for profanity and adult situations.
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Robert Redford and Michelle Pfeiffer make sparks fly inby CNB"Up Close & Personal." color.