Soup for One

New Yorker Allan Martin (Saul Rubinek) is struggling with his singledom. His best friend Brian Reed (Gerrit Graham) breaks up with his girlfriend. They run a little-seen local cable news program. Allan is desperately looking for the one. He even goes to the police to do a missing person sketch. He meets his dream girl, Maria Giannini (Marcia Strassman), and she promptly tells him to F off.

I've never heard of this movie. I'm surprised to see a few familiar faces. Andrea Martin and Christine Baranski have a couple of fun scenes. I get the attempts at humor although they're not making me laugh. Saul Rubinek is not really a funny leading man. He's trying to be Woody Allen, but he's not the same. He has since become a great support actor.

I found this to be a very funny film, especially the first part of the film, where Allan Martin, played by Saul Rubinek, is seeking his dream girl.

If you remember the disco years and the early years of being single in a metropolitan city, then you may recall how promiscuous singles were. The rub here is that Allan is looking for real love and marriage, not one night stands, which come his way everyday!

Although Christine Baranski has a very funny scene early in the movie, Andrea Martin nearly steals the movie when, as the Concord Seductress, she rapes Allan, giving him blow by blow instructions on how to have sex with her. That scene had me rolling on the floor in fits of uncontrollable laughter, and it alone was enough to drive me in search of this movie, which was not easy to find.

I think Saul Rubinek, Christine Baranski, and Andrea Martin are very talented actors and actresses, and I love their performances in several other movies.

The best part of the movie for me is up to his meeting Maria Giannini, played by Marcia Strassman. Nevertheless, because the first part of the movie is side-splitting and hilarious, I had to give the movie a 10 rating.

In short, this film is a romcom revolving around issues with commitment, specifically marriage. It gets its MPAA rating from obligatory bare female breasts, a gimmick overly utilized by the film industry at the time to lure pubescent and post-pubescent boys into the theater. Surprisingly, it's actually a bit touching emotionally.

The best part of this movie for me is the bit-part players. There's Anrea Martin of SCTV fame giving a scene-stealing performance. Teddy Pendergrass sings songs produced and/or cowritten by Nile Rodgers during his Chic affiliation. Even Christine Baranski shows up at some point.

If you're a fan of Adam Sandler movies, and perhaps Woody Allen movies, you'll probably appreciate this somewhat throwaway of a gem.

We knew about Lalo Schiffrin, burt bacharach, Michel legrand, john barry or Laurie johnson et al ... but did you know that super producers/Composers Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards (aka CHIC) did most of the score of this movie? Today this is highly sought after rare groove (track Soup for One, which also served as a sample for the planetary hit Lady" by Modjo). Evertyhting that BE and NR touched turned into music gold at this time... Makes this average movie actually enjoyable! without this outstanding score I doubt this movie would have ever got that recall. The music clearly makes it twice better. Interestingly enough, BE and NR did not venture too heavily in film production despite their very eclectic approach to music (which made them what they became, later, producing the likes of Madonna or David Bowie, and so many more). That's why this score is so particular. I've also heard that Nile rodgers has produced a track for the last X-men : the last Stand (2006), from his director friend Brett Ratner. this track is being extremely warmly received in the club scene and is supposed to be on the next upcoming Chic album. Can't wait to put my hands on that one.

Allan is a television producer for a far-out cable channel. His friend and partner is an aging lothario. Allan, however, had a police artist sketch the composite of his perfect woman and he is determined to find her. On the long journey of love, Allan has one disastrous date after another, including the one on a restaurant boat. He finds himself leaving in a rowboat and paddling as fast as he can. Nevertheless, he meets his dream woman. She won't have anything to do with him. Is fate unkind?

Saul Rubinek is charming and funny as Allan. He handles all of his dating woes with a wistful humor. Marcia Strassman is also wonderful as the longed-for lady. Yes, there is an R rating attached to this movie for a few sexual scenes that go out of bounds. Hopeless romantics may have to hit the fast button on the remote now and again. The funny script and performers, though, carry this winning film. Try the seek and ye shall find method to get a copy of this loving comedy into your hands today.