Scanlines

D: Benjamin Ross; with Hugh O’Conor, Antony Sher, Ruth Sheen, Roger Lloyd
Pack, Charlotte Coleman, Paul Stacey.
VHS Home Video
Waterloo Video, 1016 W. Sixth

A boy and his chemistry set. It’s a deadly combination in this black
comedy based on the true story of 14-year-old Graham Young, whose experiments
in Britain during the Seventies left behind a trail of dead family members and
workmates. Hugh O’Conor’s ultra-focused performance takes us into the deranged
and passionate mind of a sociopath who is merely ridding himself of life’s
obstacles, all the while charting and graphing the progress of his lethal
compounds with the seriousness of a Nobel prize-winning scientist. And we
follow along in his blue book just as matter-of-factly, waiting for the
empirical evidence to present the effect we’ve hypothesized. In fact, we almost
want to cheer Graham on as he does in his not-really-so-evil stepmother, though
the whole process is far from pretty. When he attempts to tip the fatal sauce
into the beer of his poor old pop though, his compulsion is discovered and
Graham is committed to a psych ward where he must craftily hide his lack of
remorse. And as Graham continues to remain as emotionless as Science itself, it
sure makes for a strange laugh. — Jen Scoville

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Welcome to the Dollhouse

Maybe I’m just sentimental, but Welcome to the Dollhouse was the film
that finally put to rest all of the demons that taunted me in my junior high
years. A breakthrough first film from writer/director/producer Todd Solondz,
the picture is the darkly tragi-comic tale of Dawn “Wienerdog” Wiener
(Matarazzo), an 11-year-old outcast who is ridiculed at every possible turn in
her miserable existence. From her parents’ fawning over her kid sister Missy
(Kalinina) to Dawn’s crush on the local high school stud (Mabius), Solondz has
the details of pre-teen angst down pat. Her parents even dismantle her backyard
clubhouse (the “Special People Club”, Membership: 2) in order to throw a party.
In the end, Solondz’s social commentary and witty delivery are hilarious and
cathartic reminders of bygone days.

— Christopher Null

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Strictly Ballroom

Since Baz Lurhmann’s Romeo & Juliet has received such critical
acclaim for its magnetic camerawork and ability to breathe life into a
400-year-old script, it is worth checking out the earlier Strictly
Ballroom, where it may be possible to see the seeds of his style starting
to take root. Set in a variety of Australian ballroom dance competitions and
practice halls, this film simply bubbles with romance and charm as it tells the
story of Scott, a dancer who wants to dance his own crowd-pleasing steps
despite the rigid rules of competition, and Fran, the dumpy woman turned
paso doble queen after she finds the right partner. Like Romeo &
Juliet, Scott and Fran must overcome familial and societal pressure to win
acceptance for their need to dance together, and Luhrmann’s visually quirky
style fills the frame with whimsical shots that show the same old
boy-meets-girl story in a fresh new way. The undercurrent of his contempt for
the ballroom dance atmosphere, evidenced partially by his tight shots of the
characters’ sweaty and overly made-up faces, injects a streak of dark humor
that is difficult to ignore. Still, the fierce chemistry between actors
Mercurio and Morice makes you want to run right out, find a partner, and learn
how to rhumba.

— Adrienne Martini

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The White Balloon

Seven-year-old cherubic Razieh (Khani) not only charms a 500-tomans note out
of her mother to buy a fat, “lacy” (her word for extra special) goldfish; she
charms it back from the street performer who bamboozles it from her. If only
for its peek into Iranian daily life, The White Balloon would fascinate,
but it is artful beyond its exotic locale. Awash in the bright hues of Iran,
The White Balloon took home two of the top prizes at Cannes in 1995.
Razieh and her brother Ali are endearing without being overly sentimentalized
and their simple quest to buy a goldfish builds a gnawing suspense. Most
compelling, though, is the sense that their story, their stubborn resolve, and
their smiles are less Iranian than they are universally childlike.

— Kayte VanScoy

This article appears in February 7 • 1997 and February 7 • 1997 (Cover).