THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 21, 1995 TAG: 9511210045
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Videomatic
SOURCE: Craig Shapiro
LENGTH: Long : 106 lines
AT THE BEGINNING of ``Fluke,'' Matthew Modine makes a simple enough request:
``I ask you to listen with an open mind, forgetting for a moment what you believe and don't believe.''
Seeing how they liked Modine so much in ``Birdy,'' ``Full Metal Jacket,'' ``Married to the Mob'' and ``Memphis Belle,'' the grinches who sit on the Videomatic Viewing Committee voted to do just that, but not before grousing about sitting through another dog movie.
Well, the VVC wants you to know it is not ``another dog movie.'' ``Fluke'' (MGM/UA) is about the value of life, every life. Offbeat, poetic and often profoundly touching, it caught the old crusts by surprise.
Modine plays Thomas Johnson, a driven businessman who is killed in a car accident. He is racing, and arguing, with his partner (Eric Stoltz) when he swerves off the road to avoid a truck. Johnson is reincarnated as a puppy, and Fluke starts having flashbacks of his life as a ``two-legger.''
Director Carlo Carlei doesn't rely on dialogue to tell the first part of the story. His inventive camera follows Fluke as he is tossed into the pound, escapes when he's about to be euthanized and is taken in by a generous homeless lady.
He's later befriended by a worldy mutt named Rumbo who shows him the ropes, even how to pee like a boy dog. The voice-overs (Samuel L. Jackson is Rumbo) only momentarily break the mood. When Fluke realizes what the flashbacks mean, he finds his way back to his family.
The dog, an expressive pooch named Comet, soon sees all that he'd forfeited as a man and tries to find some way to tell his wife and son (Nancy Travis and Max Pomeranc, so good in ``Searching for Bobby Fischer'') who he is.
But when his old partner shows up as his wife's boyfriend, Fluke vows to get even. He blames him for his death, only to realize in the end that it wasn't that way at all. To its credit, the movie doesn't take the easy way out.
Although ``Fluke'' (95 mins.) is rated PG, it deals with some heavy topics. That doesn't mean it's not suited for the family. It is. There are valuable lessons here for everyone. Mom and Dad just need to be there to explain them.
You may not know about the Videomatic Guarantee. It can't be redeemed for cash; on the other hand, we don't toss it around lightly. We're making one today. Just do what Modine asks.
Videomatic says: A
TOP VIDEOS (in Billboard):
Sales: ``Batman Forever,'' ``Casper,'' ``The Santa Clause,'' ``Star Wars Trilogy,'' ``Cinderella''
Rentals: ``While You Were Sleeping,'' ``Pulp Fiction,'' ``Batman Forever,'' ``French Kiss,'' ``The Santa Clause''
The Couch Report
``Apollo 13'' (MCA/Universal, 1995). Ron Howard's sure-footed account of the failed lunar mission illustrates the strength of straightforward storytelling. Even though everyone knows the crew made it back, that takes nothing from the drama. Tom Hanks is believably down-to-earth as Jim Lovell, the mission commander whose book was the basis for the film. The supporting cast is just as solid. Videomatic says: B+
(CAST: Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris. RATED: PG for language; 140 mins.)
``Johnny Mnemonic'' (Columbia TriStar, 1995). ``D.O.A.'' meets ``Blade Runner.'' Keanu Reeves smuggles data that is uploaded into a web imbedded in his head. He makes one final run - only he's carrying more than he can handle and has to download or else. Problem is, he doesn't have the access code and the bad guys are tailing him. Stylish and original, this comic book plays by its own rules. Videomatic says: B
(CAST: Keanu Reeves, Dina Meyer, Ice-T, Henry Rollins. RATED: R for language, violence; 98 mins.)
``Congo'' (Paramount, 1995). The producers didn't scrimp on this turkey, although Amy the talking gorilla looks like a guy in a monkey suit and the hippo attack would make a good Disney ride. The problem is it tries to deliver too much, and the cast is just wrong. Ernie Hudson's and Tim Curry's accents are outrageous. Want a good jungle flick? ``Tarzan and His Mate'' is tops. Videomatic says: C-
(CAST: Dylan Walsh, Laura Linney, Ernie Hudson, Tim Curry, Joe Don Baker. RATED: PG-13 for gory violence, language; 109 mins.)
Also: three sci-fi thrillers: ``Cyber Bandits,'' ``Project Shadowchaser 3000'' and ``Automatic'' (all R); a couple of thriller thrillers: ``When the Dark Man Calls'' and ``Tall, Dark and Deadly'' (unrated); and two Turner TV jobs: ``Broken Trust'' and ``Tecumseh - The Last Warrior'' (unrated).
Vids for kids
``Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie'' (FoxVideo, 1995). The Fab Six's big-screen debut is better than expected, mostly because big bucks went for some cool FX, and Paul Freeman is a hoot as the wisecracking, world-dominating, no-goodnik Ivan Ooze. On the downside, it plays like a lengthy toy commercial. Videomatic says: C+
(CAST: Jason David Frank, Amy Jo Johnson, David Yost, Karan Ashley, Johnny Yong Bosch, Steve Cardenas. RATED: PG for rough stuff; 93 mins.)
Also: ``The Phoenix and the Magic Carpet,'' a fantasy starring Peter Ustinov (unrated).
Next Tuesday: ``Forget Paris,'' ``Love After Love,'' ``Search and Destroy,'' ``Twogether,'' ``Distant Justice,'' ``The Great Elephant Escape'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
"Fluke"
RON BATZDORFF\ Universal Pictures
From left, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon and Tom Hanks portray the crew
of an ill-fated lunar mission in ``Apollo 13.''
by CNB