As relationships go, they don't get much more mundane or artificial than those found in "Boys and Girls".
A talky, forced romantic comedy that attempts to retool a "When Harry Met Sally ..." take on sex and friendship for the college crowd, the picture shows few signs of life, despite the efforts of its energetic cast.
And though the presence of Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jason
Biggs could initially draw young females, you know Miramax is sweating it when one of the funniest bits in the trailer involving
Biggs and a quartet of Victoria Secret's models is actually a closing credits outtake.
Prinze is Ryan, a compulsive, repressed engineering student who meets up with the impulsive, direct Jennifer Claire Forlani) in college after a couple of previous antagonistic encounters.
They certainly make for an unlikely pair. Ryan, who plans everything to within an inch of its life, likes building intricate bridges in his spare time. Free-spirited Latin major Jennifer squirms at the mere concept of commitment. When they cross paths at UC Berkeley, they're involved with other people, but you know they're destined to be together -- mainly because the movie wants them to be, rather than there being any palpable spark between them.
While writing partners Andrew Lowery and Andrew Miller, a k a the Drews (Dennis Rodman's "Simon Sez"), obviously intended to deliver a hip dissertation on contemporary mating rituals, the game plays out more like Parcheesi than Twister. The story is continually covering the same old ground.
Although the leads try mightily, they're unable to scrape all of the bogus cut-and-paste dialogue off the page and make it sound authentic. Biggs and Amanda Detmer fare better as Ryan and Jennifer's respective roommates, injecting welcome comic energy into the drudgery.
Director Robert Iscove, who worked with Prinze on the successful "She's All That", matter-of-factly choreographs blocks of scenes as if he were governed by invisible commercial breaks.
In fact, there's a prevailing small-screen feel to the whole enterprise, despite worthy contributions from veteran cinematographer Ralf Bode ("Coal Miner's Daughter", "Saturday Night Fever") and costume designer April Ferry ("Maverick", "The Big Chill"). The soundtrack attempts to pick up the considerable slack by spinning proven hits (Apollo Four Forty's "Stop the Rock") and the obligatory Diane Warren ballad ("If I Don't Tell You Now").
BOYS AND GIRLS
Dimension Films
Punch 21
A film by Robert Iscove
Director: Robert Iscove
Producers: Jay Cohen, Lee Gottsegen,
Murray Schisgal
Screenwriters:
the Drews (Andrew Lowery, Andrew Miller)
Executive producers: Bob Weinstein,
Harvey Weinstein, Jeremy Kramer,
Jill Sobel Messick
Director of photography: Ralf Bode
Production designer: Marcia Hinds-Johnson
Editor: Casey O. Rohrs
Costume designer: April Ferry
Music: Stewart Copeland
Music supervisors: Randy Spendlove,
Leslie Lewis
Color/stereo
Cast:
Ryan: Freddie Prinze Jr.
Jennifer: Claire Forlani
Hunter: Jason Biggs
Amy: Amanda Detmer
Megan: Heather Donahue
Betty: Alyson Hannigan
Running time -- 97 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
A talky, forced romantic comedy that attempts to retool a "When Harry Met Sally ..." take on sex and friendship for the college crowd, the picture shows few signs of life, despite the efforts of its energetic cast.
And though the presence of Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jason
Biggs could initially draw young females, you know Miramax is sweating it when one of the funniest bits in the trailer involving
Biggs and a quartet of Victoria Secret's models is actually a closing credits outtake.
Prinze is Ryan, a compulsive, repressed engineering student who meets up with the impulsive, direct Jennifer Claire Forlani) in college after a couple of previous antagonistic encounters.
They certainly make for an unlikely pair. Ryan, who plans everything to within an inch of its life, likes building intricate bridges in his spare time. Free-spirited Latin major Jennifer squirms at the mere concept of commitment. When they cross paths at UC Berkeley, they're involved with other people, but you know they're destined to be together -- mainly because the movie wants them to be, rather than there being any palpable spark between them.
While writing partners Andrew Lowery and Andrew Miller, a k a the Drews (Dennis Rodman's "Simon Sez"), obviously intended to deliver a hip dissertation on contemporary mating rituals, the game plays out more like Parcheesi than Twister. The story is continually covering the same old ground.
Although the leads try mightily, they're unable to scrape all of the bogus cut-and-paste dialogue off the page and make it sound authentic. Biggs and Amanda Detmer fare better as Ryan and Jennifer's respective roommates, injecting welcome comic energy into the drudgery.
Director Robert Iscove, who worked with Prinze on the successful "She's All That", matter-of-factly choreographs blocks of scenes as if he were governed by invisible commercial breaks.
In fact, there's a prevailing small-screen feel to the whole enterprise, despite worthy contributions from veteran cinematographer Ralf Bode ("Coal Miner's Daughter", "Saturday Night Fever") and costume designer April Ferry ("Maverick", "The Big Chill"). The soundtrack attempts to pick up the considerable slack by spinning proven hits (Apollo Four Forty's "Stop the Rock") and the obligatory Diane Warren ballad ("If I Don't Tell You Now").
BOYS AND GIRLS
Dimension Films
Punch 21
A film by Robert Iscove
Director: Robert Iscove
Producers: Jay Cohen, Lee Gottsegen,
Murray Schisgal
Screenwriters:
the Drews (Andrew Lowery, Andrew Miller)
Executive producers: Bob Weinstein,
Harvey Weinstein, Jeremy Kramer,
Jill Sobel Messick
Director of photography: Ralf Bode
Production designer: Marcia Hinds-Johnson
Editor: Casey O. Rohrs
Costume designer: April Ferry
Music: Stewart Copeland
Music supervisors: Randy Spendlove,
Leslie Lewis
Color/stereo
Cast:
Ryan: Freddie Prinze Jr.
Jennifer: Claire Forlani
Hunter: Jason Biggs
Amy: Amanda Detmer
Megan: Heather Donahue
Betty: Alyson Hannigan
Running time -- 97 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
- 6/16/2000
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.