THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 21, 1995 TAG: 9507210064
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E11 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MAL VINCENT, MOVIE CRITIC
LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
THERE IS MORE than a clue that ``Clueless'' knows exactly where it's going. As a tragicomedy about wealthy teens, it is a major surprise. For viewers of any age, it's a hilarious comedy that manages to walk a precarious line between satire and gentleness. It is the best movie about teens since ``Heathers,'' but it lacks the mean spirit of that film. At the same time, it lets us know that it knows what cool is all about.
Cher Horowitz, the princess of Beverly Hills High School, is the kind of ditz who worries most about finding the right shoes to match her latest outfit. She strides the halls of the high school with her cellular phone constantly keeping her in contact with her best friend, Dionne.
Cher has so many outfits that she has to use her computer to coordinate her accessories. A credit card is her most proud possession and a split hair is her worst enemy. Life is ultra-simple.
She's an organizer and a manipulator, but in the most naive, straight-forward way. Grades, to her, are ``just a start for negotiation.'' She flirts with teachers and even arranges romances for them.
Mom died during a routine liposuction and Dad earns $500 an hour as a lawyer but, as she puts it, ``he argues with me for free.''
In one of the movie's more original tacks, the stormy relationship between rich dad and spoiled daughter is actually a caring one, in its own way. Viewing one of her dates, he comments: ``If anything happens to my daughter, I've got a .45 and a shovel. I doubt anyone would miss you.''
She refuses, though, to date high school boys. ``Looking for a guy in high school is as pointless as trying to find meaning in a Pauly Shore movie,'' she says.
When she does pick a hunk, and uses all her wiles, and outfits, to attract him, it turns out that he has a fixation on Tony Curtis.
Alicia Silverstone, the babe on the Aerosmith videos, makes a bid for major stardom as Cher. Her comic timing and energy are quite impressive and, with the help of Amy Heckerling's witty script, she does what would seem impossible - she makes Cher likable. Cher may be a bit sad when you think about her shallowness.
She quotes ``Hamlet'' ``because Mel Gibson played him.''
When she's asked if she wrote a particular line of her theme, she points out that, ``It's like a famous quote.''
``Where did it come from?'' she's pushed.
``Cliff Notes,'' she explains, in all seriousness.
Director Heckerling's one burst of fame, to date, came for the over-rated 1982 film ``Fast Times at Ridgemont High.'' Here, she goes directly for comedy and manages to let us know, at the same time, that she isn't condoning all she sees.
In addition to turning out a star-making role for Silverstone, she has discovered Brittany Murphy as Tai, the slob whom Cher chooses for one of her makeovers. Cher turns Tai into a fashion plate and even finds the right boy for her. In the role of Dionne, Stacey Dash adds winsome support. Brecklin Meyer is the resident druggie, a role that smacks almost too much of the Sean Penn character in ``Fast Times.'' Justin Walker, a veteran of Virginia's Washington and Lee University, scores in the role of Christian, the hunk.
Dope and alcohol are treated casually, hopefully with an exaggeration that is meant to be comedic. Sexually, though, the film is mostly talk, and surprisingly chaste. (The rating is PG-13.) Cher seems to not have a clue when it comes to boys, even though they all covet her.
Although almost plotless, and suffering from a rather lame ending, ``Clueless'' is a surprise comedy find. Paramount, seemingly not knowing what it had, missed the mark by promoting it as just another mindless teen flick. From either the trailers or the print ads, you'd hardly get the idea that it is more than clueless.
As it is, you might just go postal over the witty lines. ILLUSTRATION: PARAMOUNT photo
From left, Alicia Silverstone, Brittany Murphy and Stacey Dash are
best buddies in the satirical ``Clueless.''
Graphic
MOVIE REVIEW
``Clueless''
Cast: Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy, Paul
Rudd, Dan Hedaya, Elisa Donovan
Director and Writer: Amy Heckerling
MPAA rating: PG-13 (drugs and alcohol are treated casually but
sexually it is surprisingly chaste)
Mal's rating: 3 and 1/2 stars
Locations: Chesapeake Square, Greenbrier in Chesapeake; Janaf in
Norfolk; Lynnhaven Mall, Pembroke, Surf-N-Sand in Virginia Beach
by CNB