Love at Large

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant Effort by Alan Rudolph and Superb Cast
Review: Alan Rudolph takes a mystery and turns it inside out, with the help of great acting. Tom Berenger as the crusty, savvy detective. Elizabeth Perkins as the hapless but lovestruck detective wannabe. Ann Archer at her radiant and amusing best. And Neil Young (yes, THAT Neil Young) in a delightful cameo role as a heavy who gets what he deserves. A small film it may be, but the script is excellent, the photography impressive, the familiar theme of mistaken identity is well played, so this is in many ways Rudolph's best film.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant Effort by Alan Rudolph and Superb Cast
Review: Alan Rudolph takes a mystery and turns it inside out, with the help of great acting. Tom Berenger as the crusty, savvy detective. Elizabeth Perkins as the hapless but lovestruck detective wannabe. Ann Archer at her radiant and amusing best. And Neil Young (yes, THAT Neil Young) in a delightful cameo role as a heavy who gets what he deserves. A small film it may be, but the script is excellent, the photography impressive, the familiar theme of mistaken identity is well played, so this is in many ways Rudolph's best film.

Rating:
Summary: Very good cast in so-so film
Review: Notwithstanding the occasional chuckles that pop up now and again in Love at Large, this is not a great movie. In fact, the filmmaker (writer-director) Alan Rudolph must have sat down and thought, "Gee, how can I make a movie that people will just love to chomp popcorn to?"

So that's what he did. This is not really a bad movie. It just ain't very good. Take a solid cast--Ann Magnuson, Anne Archer, Tom Berenger, Ted Levine, Kate Capshaw, Elizabeth Perkins, and rock god Neil Young--and stick them in a story that is meant to evoke classic film noir but doesn't raise the stakes very high at all for anyone in any situation, and you have the reason for the three stars here.

The acting is fine, no problem. Everyone acquits herself/himself very well indeed. But the story is just kind of there. If you're gonna have film noir, ya gotta have some intensity and it just ain't here, folks. If you DON'T have intensity, you gotta have some real laughs, and there's not enough of em to replace the intensity. So what you DO have is a really watered down film noir that just kind of ambles along good naturedly until the end when it says, Be seein' ya, and then it's over and you can go back to your knitting or whatever.

Too bad. If the story had been punchier OR the laughs had been more frequent and zingier, this coulda been a contender. For a much better film noir from Alan Rudolph, check out Mortal Thoughts with Demi Moore and Bruce Willis. This features some of the best performances from both of them, and is a powerful piece of cinema, written by the great William Reilly.

Love at Large is a kind of half-hearted homage (three H's in a row, how bout that?) to film noir that never really gets off the ground. Good acting, weak script.

Rating:
Summary: Alan Rudolph's Best Film
Review: Those unfamiliar with director Alan Rudolph should not hesitate to buy this video. It's a carefully crafted mystery with a wry sense of humor, visually exciting, and well-scripted. Tom Berenger is at his best, well complemented by Elizabeth Perkins, Ann Archer (at her steamy best), and yes, a cameo by Neill Young (yes, that Neill Young) that is bound to please. This is a small film but one that aspires to greatness through its noir plot, crisp dialog, and excellent acting by all. The larger theme of identity seems, in a way, Hitchcockian, but the movie is not at all derivative. When it came out in the 1980s it received good reviews but went quickly to video, though it deserved wider recognition. Note: although not billed as a "family" flick, the absence of gratuitous violence et al is a welcomed relief. So when is the DVD coming out? It's about time. Until then, buy and enjoy the VHS tape.

Rating:
Summary: Alan Rudolph's Best Film
Review: Those unfamiliar with director Alan Rudolph should not hesitate to buy this video. It's a carefully crafted mystery with a wry sense of humor, visually exciting, and well-scripted. Tom Berenger is at his best, well complemented by Elizabeth Perkins, Ann Archer (at her steamy best), and yes, a cameo by Neill Young (yes, that Neill Young) that is bound to please. This is a small film but one that aspires to greatness through its noir plot, crisp dialog, and excellent acting by all. The larger theme of identity seems, in a way, Hitchcockian, but the movie is not at all derivative. When it came out in the 1980s it received good reviews but went quickly to video, though it deserved wider recognition. Note: although not billed as a "family" flick, the absence of gratuitous violence et al is a welcomed relief. So when is the DVD coming out? It's about time. Until then, buy and enjoy the VHS tape.