Just Looking

I stumbled upon this film on IFC, had nothing better to do, so I sat & watched. I found myself thoroughly enjoying this movie! The kids are real kids, speaking the way kids speak. Ryan Merriman plays Lenny so well, and I loved Amy Braverman's Alice character. I felt, watching her, like I was watching myself at that age, and was rooting for her & Lenny to kiss...and was not disappointed! Catch it if you can!

'Just Looking' stars Ryan Merriman as a young boy whose curiosity about sex is growing exponentially. When his mom and stepdad send him to stay with relatives for the summer, he becomes determined to catch someone "in the act."

The story itself is interesting; watching the lengths to which young "Lenny" (Merriman) goes to fulfill his curiosity is quite funny in and of itself. But there's also a dramatic aspect, a life lesson if you will. Through his exploits, Lenny learns about life and the responsibilities therein. Overall, not a bad effort and quite an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours.

I have just returned home from the Dallas premiere of this movie. We were lucky enough to have both the director, Jason Alexander and the writer, Marshall Kemp in attendance. They also stuck around for Q&A afterwards. Mr. Alexander said he was attracted to the movie because "it made sense" to him. I think the point is that this story hits home because we all went through the stage of total preoccupation with the curious theory of sex. We knew it was there ... we just couldn't quite get a grip (so to speak) on what it was all about. Lenny, brilliantly played by Ryan Merriman, is on a personal mission to be sex-educated. His "object" of desire is Hedy, a former bra model. Gretchen Mol left me breathless its this role that makes the film click. She will steal your heart, just as she does Lenny's. Other excellent performances come from Peter Onorati as Uncle Phil and veteran actress Patti Lupone as Lenny's widowed mother. Lenny's step-father is a good-hearted, fat butcher played by Rich Licata, who according to Jason Alexander is a real-life personal injury attorney. My tidbit of info involves Gretchen Mol's doctor boyfriend who is played by John Bolger, the Great Nephew of Ray Bolger - the scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz". Mr. Kemp's tremendously insightful script shows us that Lenny's greatest education comes not from a book, but from realizing that life is made to be lived passionately with others. Sex is fine, but true love and trust are the ultimate goals. I trust this film finds an audience.

Just saw this at a film festival, and it was one of the highlights of my weekend. This was a sweet, funny, sometimes touching film, well directed by Seinfeld vet Alexander. The story deals with a sex-starved 14-year old boy. But since it's set in 1955 and not 1999, all he wants is to see two people in the act. He thinks his plans are dashed when his widowed mother (Patti LuPone) and her new husband send him from the Bronx to his Aunt and Uncle's in the country (Queens). He lucks out to find a bra model (Gretchen Mol) living on his block. I won't give away the rest, but Ryan Merriman as the boy was great. When this opens, as it certainly should, get right out to it. It's the kind of film they just don't make enough of.

Alexander and Karp hit a home run with this sweetly sentimental little slice-of-life flick about a Bronx boy in the 50's when his hormones have kicked in and he finds himself preoccupied with sex. Merriman makes a solid centerpiece among some fine character actors and the much under-rated Gretchen Mol as our little hero learns lessons about life, love and...yeah, sex too. A cute, fun, and earnest little romp for anyone who can harken back to when sex was just one big question mark.