THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 11, 1995 TAG: 9511100060
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MAL VINCENT, MOVIE CRITIC
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
``I FEEL MY life is exploding,'' supermodel Cindy Crawford exclaims with a minimum of emotion in one of the tepid scenes from ``Fair Game.''
No, Cindy. It's not your life detonating. It's the set, the cars, the buildings, the ships - everything except your life, and, regrettably, your career.
The release of ``Fair Game'' has been delayed several times to find a weekend when the competition wouldn't be tough. The reluctance to release it is understandable. The action scenes are noisy and fiery, but the plot, ugh, ranks among the silliest excuses for an explosion.
This marks the starring debut of model Crawford. Those who wandered into the movie ``Unzipped'' during its curious booking at Lynnhaven Mall were sorely puzzled. It featured a cameo appearance by the model, even though she got star billing and, after all, the film was called ``Unzipped.''
``Fair Game,'' on the other hand, features Crawford in at least one quick glimpse of nudity (even though it looks suspiciously as if it were posed by a double) plus numerous scenes of her fleeing from Russian mafia in short shorts.
It might have been enough, but it isn't. Crawford apparently fares best in still shots; when she's asked to move and talk at the same time, she has trouble.
She plays a lawyer who gets into shallow water when she tries to collect on an alimony claim. There is a real question as to how this character got through law school. She would more apparently seem to be a graduate of the Raquel Welch School of Dramatic Art.
The fleeing lawyer is aided by a Miami cop, played by William Baldwin. You can tell him from the other Baldwin boys because he's the thinnest, and has the eyes that are set closest together. Baldwin works hard, jumping from docks into the water, jumping from a racing car to a racing train and appearing attentive and Crawford at all times. He certainly has the energy to be an action star. As an actor, the jury is still out.
Leering Russians, including a plug-ugly leader and a woman kicker, pursue with a great deal of noise, screaming their disgust each time the duo escape. They, it seems, have come to Miami by way of Cuba and plan to check huge amounts of money from the world's banks. The scheme doesn't make much sense, but the aim, after all, is just to keep blowing up buildings.
The chase continues across Miami and into the waters off shore. Automobiles and buildings burst into the most photogenic flames at the slightest collision.
It takes the heroes an inordinately long time to figure out that they should stop ordering pizzas with credit cards as they flee. The bad guys can trace the cards.
Cindy Crawford would be advised to keep her day job. ILLUSTRATION: MOVIE REVIEW
``Fair Game''
Cast: William Baldwin, Cindy Crawford
MPAA Rating: R (nudity)
Mal's rating: 1 1/2 Stars
Locations: Surf-N-Sand, Lynnhaven Mall, Columbus, Kemps River in
Virginia Beach; Circle 4, Main Gate in Norfolk; Chesapeake Square,
Greenbrier in Chesapeake
by CNB