Mittendrin und voll dabei

I saw the trailer for this film a few times when I was renting some movies and I thought it looked very funny. Then today I saw it at the video store. I picked it up and watched it and loved it. I thought Jennifer Jason Leigh was so hilarious in this movie and she truly stood out as Lydia, Sam's mouthy, slutty mother. Another acting standout was Bug Hall, Mischa Barton and Angela Featherstone. I thought they played there part perfectly, especially the young leads and Leigh. I was also suprised to see Drew Barrymore in a very small role as "Dream Girl". Although it deals with pregnancy and sex with 14 year olds...I still found it very entertaining and if you want to see some very good acting and a good comedy, i recommend this movie very highly. 10/10

It's been almost a week since I saw this movie but I can't figure out whether it's view of the world is liberal or reactionary, libertarian or determinist. One of it's central themes is the importance of discussing sexuality with pubescents, one that the movie doesn't shirk from discussing openly itself but doesn't seem to advise others to do. Whether the movie is wilfully ambiguous and trying to start an honest debate on the issues it raises or just confused itself is a moot point. A previous comment indicates that the movie was slated for release in September 2000 but I think it may have been withheld until after the Presidential election in the US, as it's the sort of thing the "moral majority" seize upon as an example of Hollywood filth, though I found it deeply moralistic.

I'm making this seem like a deeply serious movie, but actually it's main thrust is comic. It's got some excellent acting, particularly among the young members of the cast, and JJL is radiant as usual. Check it out, let me know what u think of it's moral stance if u want.

I just saw this movie about a week ago, although i am a girl who loves bug hall, i also enjoyed the ways that the movie portrayed life for younger adults in the 1960's. I admit that this movie had a severe consequence to their actions...but in those actions did those teenagers realize the responsibility, and dedication that they had to put forth to be happy. I'm sorry if i make no sense at all. It was a great learning experience for me, i was so awed at the way that Sam didn't want to end up like his father. From the start, he wanted for them to keep the baby. It was a GREAT movie, i give it a hundred and fifty out of ten.

"Skipped Parts" is a watered-down version of Tim Sandlin's novel of the same name, the first in a wonderful trilogy about Sam Callahan's and Maury Pierce's unusual lives. I recommend reading the novel(s), where the two leads are 12, not 14, in the beginning and where the Wyoming landscape and Teton Mountains are just as much characters as they are a background for the movie.

Not only is the story watered down and written for cheap laughs and tears, but the pacing is unbearably slow. Jennifer Jason Leigh is clearly not capable of doing justice to the methodically drunken Lydia Callahan, as her portrayal is really more of a caricature than a character; and Tim Sandlin sadly did little justice to his own novel in this screenplay by down-playing Sam Callahan's inner life as innocent, hopeful commentator on the action of the novel/movie. Much of his biting and insightful humor is lost by removing Sam's commentary.

Read the book. It'll take more time, but feel hours shorter than this movie felt.

this is a quirky, entertaining flick. set against the backdrop of small town america 1963, it's a different 'coming of age' movie. goofy, drunken , obsessive adults and saner, wiser children attempt to sort through family roles and societal situations -- bigotry, sexual awakening, family structures, morality, abortion, gender roles --- this movie has got it all. it is, alternately, funny, sad, depressing & invigorating, but always entertaining. a great rent!