THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 25, 1995 TAG: 9509230035
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E5 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Movie Review
SOURCE: BY MAL VINCENT MOVIE CRITIC
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
GROWING UP is always tough. Twelve-year-old Steven Lidz, though, has particular challenges. His mother is dying of terminal cancer, although no one likes to acknowledge it. His father is a highly eccentric inventor who is emotionally distant.
The solution, at least in ``Unstrung Heroes,'' is to run away and live with the crazy uncles. They are the ``unstrung'' part of the title.
The good thing about Diane Keaton's first feature-film directorial effort is that she never allows this material to become sentimental. There is a particularly likable and believably serious quality about Nathan Watt, the boy actor chosen for the lead role. His concerns are played for real.
Less appealing, though, is the director's effort to suggest that insanity is much better than sanity in such a simplistic way. This has been a favorite theme of movies for years. ``One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' suggested that the inmates had a good deal more individuality than the dull ``normal'' people in the real world.
In ``Unstrung Heroes,'' though, the efforts to turn this call for eccentricity into a guiding light for a 12-year-old is a bit more questionable, particularly when there are efforts, late in the movie, to make it a comedy as well as a drama.
Andie MacDowell, in her best performance since ``sex, lies and videotape,'' brings real caring and understanding to the role of the valiant Mom. John Turturro, so memorable in ``Quiz Show,'' has a rather small and thankless role as the caring but ungiving father.
The two uncles are played by Michael Richards (of TV's ``Seinfeld'') and Maury Chaykin and don't come across quite as likable as they should. They live in a slum in an apartment stacked high with old newspapers. They also collect rubber balls.
It's a mark of the movie's Pollyanna quality that the slum in which they live has no blight or drug dealers. Keaton, an Oscar winner for acting in ``Annie Hall,'' clearly wants to be lighthearted about her material. Her film is best, though, when it's dramatic.
The script, written by Richard LaGravanese, suggests that craziness is good for its own sake. All of us want to be individuals and not just dull, ordinary folk, but we've received the call with a lot more verve, and fun, than this.
Keaton wants to get cute with all the characters, but the script doesn't quite allow it. (It's based on the autobiographical book by Franz Lidz, which reportedly has been widely changed for the film version).
Still, ``Unstrung Heroes'' has its heart in the right place and has a particularly winning child actor. In the end, we are convinced that young Steven Lidz has learned to loosen up. Craziness, though, is not quite the same as individuality. ILLUSTRATION: MOVIE REVIEW
``Unstrung Heroes''
Cast: Andie MacDowell, John Turturro, Michael Richards, Maury
Chaykin, Nathan Watt
Director: Diane Keaton
Screenplay: Richard LaGravanese
Music: Thomas Newman
MPAA rating: PG (mild language)
Mal's rating: two and 1/2
Locations: Greenbrier 13 in Chesapeake, R/C Columbus in Norfolk,
Lynnhaven 8 in Virginia Beach
by CNB