Romy y Michelle

"Romy & Michele's High School Reunion" is all about Sorvino and Kudrow as a couple of best friend ditzes who have supported each through and since school and are confronted with their first high school ten year reunion. This female frolic depends entirely on the audience buying into the fun and funniness of the two leads and their nonstop blonde moments. The rest of the film is the usual high school reunion gig with all the stereotypes in place and the usual morals about just being yourself, being happy with who you are, being real, etc. Personally, I adored this flick but then I love "Adventures in Babysitting", "Sixteen Candles", and "Hollywood Knights" which requires going to a whole different place in your head to get away from "Gone With the Wind", "Citizen Kane", and "2001 A Space Odyssey". "Clueless" for the adult dating distaff. Fun, fun, fun. (B)

ROMY AND MICHELE'S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION (1997) ***1/2 Mira Sorvino, Lisa Kudrow, Janeane Garofalo, Alan Cumming.

Hysterically funny comedy about two best friends/roomies Sorvino and Kudrow (think female "Dumb and Dumber") facing their 10th high school reunion and, realizing their lives are not worth really bragging about, coming up with pseudo lives. Lots of belly laughs especially Kudrow's explanation of how Post-It glue is made and her run in with a limo. Garofalo is a scream as their fellow bitter alumni. Kudos to costumer Mona Maya's outlandishly colorful creations, Robin Schiff's kitschy screenplay based on her play "Ladies' Room" and a waycool soundtrack of ersatz 80s tunes (best one: The Smithereen's "Blood & Roses" to start off the flashback). Directed in high comic style and snappish glee by David Mirkin.

I'm not sure the amount of time that has to pass before a film is considered a classic but this is definitely one to me. It's unique, funny, heartfelt and with a retro zing. Mira Sorvino (Mimic) and Lisa Kudrow (Friends) star as Romy and Michelle two bright, sassy, stylish young women who receive an invite to their high school reunion where they were once bullied and made fun of. To show up their old nemeses they come up with a plan to create two new, more impressive lives and get the respect they wanted for so long. Throw in a dream sequences, some hilarious jokes, great performances from the leads and Janeane Garofalo (Reality Bites) amongst others and a clever, heartfelt screenplay and you have the makings of this comedy classic. Revisiting it's easy to see why it's attained it's cult status.

Budget: $20m Box Office: $29m

I don't find Romy and Michele's High School Reunion to be as funny as some seem to—just consistently amusing—but I still like it: it has a warmth and charm that you don't find in many Hollywood films, a few profound points to make about life and true happiness, and two absolute babes with amazing legs—and sometimes, that's enough.

The lovely Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe from Friends) and the possibly even lovelier Mira Sorvino play lifelong pals Romy and Michele, a pair of ditzy blondes sharing an apartment in Los Angeles. In the ten years since graduating high school, the girls have led a carefree existence together, avoiding responsibility during the day in minimum wage jobs, and partying at night.

When they discover that their high school in Tuscon is holding a class reunion, Romy and Michele decide to attend, but on realising that their lack of accomplishment over the last decade is unlikely to impress, they concoct a story to make themselves appear successful. Of course, the whole deception crashes around their ears, but through the experience, Romy and Michele discover that their lives have been much richer than they had realised.

The comedy of Romy and Michele veers towards the extremely silly at times, and is unlikely to appeal to those who enjoy more cerebral humour, but the underlying, heartfelt messages, the effervescent performances from its likable (and luscious) leads, excellent support from Janeane Garofolo (as class grouch Heather Mooney) and Alan Cumming (as nerd-turned-millionaire Sandy Frink), and spirited direction from David Mirkin are guaranteed to provide a fun time for all but the most joyless of souls.

Romy (Mira Sorvino) and Michele (Lisa Kudrow) live in Venice, California and love watching the film Pretty Woman. They also adore going out to the dance clubs every night and looking for their own potentially rich boyfriends. However, on most evenings they end up turning down invitations from jerks and dancing with each other instead. Word arrives that their ten year high school reunion is approaching. Since Romy and Michele were certified geeks at school, they get the idea that they will make a triumphant return as winners. After all, they both look pretty and they can make up the rest. So, they outfit themselves as successful businesswoman, with a hot car and cell phone and take off for Arizona. Will they be able to fool the old gang with their new, trumped-up identities? This is a classic tale of dumb blondes who are clueless but, who nevertheless, end up making good. Sorvino and Kudrow are perfection itself as the dimwitted but lovely blondes. Janeane Garofalo is also on hand to steal scenes with her acid wit and intelligence. The costumes are to die for and the overall production values are very nice. But, most importantly, the humor is abundant and zestful. If you need to drop all your worries and get your fighting spirit back, spend an evening with the delightful Romy and Michele. They will make you giggle and get you ready to face the more somber world again with a renewed and optimistic attitude.