Twinky

This is a good comedy film as well as a love story about the younger/older type. It's got interesting music and it's a real funny film-definite watch!!!!

Swing right into this undoubtedly silly, but mildly charming light-headed 60's British sex comedy / drama starring the stone-like persona of Charles Bronson and the young scarlet Susan George. Actually it's her long legs that become the centre piece, because most of the time she's fluffing about in miniskirts. The story focuses on a middle-aged American erotica writer, who falls in love with a sixteen year old British school girl. When her family finds out about their relationship, everything is turned upside down. Despite that they eventually marry in Scotland (since the law there allows it), and then head to America, but this is when their relationship is put to the test.

Now the subject matter here is risky, but the whimsical script and Richard Donner's peachy direction makes light of it, by having fun at its expense. So if anyone is looking for something raunchy, and perverted. Look elsewhere. Susan George brings a playful innocence to her role (maybe too much for a 16 year-old?), but on the other side of the coin Bronson's casually brooding performance is a hard one to make out. The chemistry between the two is terribly spotty. A glowing support cast are nothing more than nutty inclusions. Honor Blackman, Michael Craig and especially Trevor Howard are great fun to watch as Lola's family. In lesser but worthwhile turns are Lionel Jefferies, Jack Hawkins and Robert Morley.

After a quirky, and spirited pop-like first-half where the story amusingly moves back and forth between Twinky's parents, and her confronting Scott about her parents knowing. Then the film changes when it reaches America. Becoming quite glum, laboured and fairly straight (well just say not as kooky). The relationship begins to crumble, but at the beginning it wasn't all that convincing that you wonder how did it last as long as it did. The whole thing feels messy, and so does its message. There's just no depth, or structure to it all to leave an impression. The ending is rather awkward too. Richard Donner does a serviceable job, and includes some fashionable filming techniques (slow-mo, freeze frames, montages), and the jazzy score with plenty of colour and features some bogus theme songs.

What can I say? This is a weird one. Filled with sitcom jingles and 60s freeze frames, LOLA is a product of its time. It's also got some stinky performances. Chucky Bronson sleeps his way through the role of a writer. Unable reveal a single note emotion, Bronson displays the sensitivity of a gravy bowl. His stone grimace may be good for getting it done and blowing away bad dudes, but it's not going to do anything for relationships. Susan George (who plays Lola) is certainly attractive. But, she's her one-note "I'm going to be a 12-year old" approach to the role grows tiresome. All and all, it's very funny to see this thing. You can't help but wonder what was going in with these B-flicks or why in the world Bronson wanted to take this role.

Well, there's Charles Bronson near his prime and heaps of nice female limbs in this film, so there is that going for it, regardless of your sex or preference, I suppose. There are other visual attractions besides the leads, though - some nice settings and camera work.

The problem is that, whilst the basic plot itself is somewhat plausible, it's just not handled to the depth that it could be. Bronson does a passable job as the writer who tries to be Hubby but ends up feeling more like Daddy half the time, but it is not his best effort by far. He really does better in thrillers like "Telefon". Susan George (as well as most of the actresses playing her friends/peers) comes off as being fairly vacuous, and acts more like she's 11 than 16. Perhaps this is meant to help us share some of Bronson's character's discomfort - but then he married her because she guilts him into it, or he guilts himself? Or what? I'm not buying it. Perhaps if there were some genuine deep chemistry and passion between the two, but I don't get that. The entire relationship comes off more like a long, uncomfortable play-date.

Okay, maybe it's supposed to - but then, what's the point?

And whilst as a male with the typical appreciation for the female form I can't say I really object strenuously to this, but hey - she wears a miniskirt in *every* scene, even in NYC in the wintertime? C'mon...

The soundtrack is also fairly hokey, even given when this film was made, and makes it feel even more contrived.

I gave this film a 6 of 10 because it's pleasant enough entertainment for the I've-no-date-tonight circuit, and because I'm a Bronson fan, but no higher because it really never draws in the viewer, and fails to make any lasting statement or impression.

This is a VERY unusual role for perennial movie tough-guy/vigilante Charles Bronson. He plays an American writer of pornographic novels living in Britain who gets involved with a teenage British girl (Susan George). Her parents are less than thrilled (although personally I'd be too scared to tell Bronson he couldn't date my teenage daughter). But the real trouble comes when he takes her back to America to meet his own judgmental family and where the disparity in their ages starts to take its toll.

The American title of this "Lola" may suggest it was inspired by the notorious Vladimir Nabokov novel "Lolita", but the original British title was actually "Twinky", and it was allegedly based on an autobiographical(!) story by screenwriter Norman Thaddeus Vane (who might have been even more sex-crazed than Roman Polanski--at least Polasnski didn't make movies about his affairs with underage girls). The title "Lola" (without the diminutive "ita") is somewhat appropriate though because casting the then 19-year-old Susan George in the role takes away the seriously perverse elements of the story (you'd have to be a sick pervert to NOT be attracted to her). So this becomes more of just an absurd comedy about an older guy trying to carry on an affair with a much younger girl who he is really more of a father figure to.

This is probably not a favorite of Bronson fans, but he was such a rigidly typecast actor (kind of like John Wayne) that its nice to see him play a different role (He's miscast, but not nearly as much as Wayne was playing Genghis Khan). Susan George doesn't really have much to do but ride around on a bike in her schoolgirl outfit (but, believe me, that's plenty). Director Richard Donner seems a little embarrassed by this (he took his name off the print I saw), but this is the same guy that made those stupid "Lethal Weapon" movies with that douche-bag Mel Gibson. . . This isn't great, but you just can't go totally wrong with an oddball, off-beat movie like this.