The Lather Effect

I saw this on the last night of the LA Film Festival, and it was a treat.

The plot, such as it is, is about a group of friends getting together for 'one last party' at a house about to be sold, an '80's Rage', where they dress up like their favorite 80's icons, Madonna, Tom Cruise, etc. There's even a funny reference to 'that Gorbachov dude'.

But it's really about a lost past, missed opportunities, and cleaning out the cobwebs of old relationships. Sounds kind of heavy, but it's really really funny.

The cast is great, from the radiant Ione Skye (Say Anything) to straight laced Tate Donovan (The O.C.) to David Herman as the 'former child star', who just about steals every scene that he's in. But the 'jubilant engine' that kicks it into high gear is Eric Stoltz (Pulp Fiction), who I didn't' know even did comedy. He's hysterical, and every time he's on screen the film goes to a different, wackier place.

It has one of those soundtracks that make you want to go out and buy it. Which I tried to do at the Virgin Records outside the theater, but they didn't' have it yet. Every 80's hit song you can remember is somehow in this film, it's a little like BEING at the actual party!

In fact, the whole film is like being at a party. A lot of fun.

Caught this movie at the St. Louis International Film Festival, and loved it! The cast was great with Eric Stolz giving the best performance in my opinion. The movie starts the day after a big blow out party. Our core group of friends are facing the task of cleaning up the house and revisiting all the highlights from the night before. I'm sure it may hit home with people in their mid thirties - am I where (or with whom) I should be? What would my life have been like if past events happened differently? In the end we realize that sometimes you have to revisit the past in order to appreciate your present and move on to your future. The director was at the festival and was great with the Q&A after the screening. I hope this movie will get picked up for a wider release. Good Luck!

Despite a rebellious beginning, the movie offered nothing original in film-making. An 80's version of "The Big Chill", but going back to a vapid teen nostalgia? Not worth telling. Even having an off-screen character named Lex was a more rip-off than nod. It didn't help that the soundtrack overlapped in several places with "Gross Pointe Blank", a far superior 80's nostalgia film.

Unconvincingly conceived and unconvincingly portrayed (least hung-over looking group of 30-somethings ever). The characters' biggest regrets were ending up in the wrong fantastic relationship? Too pat, too clean, no point.

Saw this movie at the Sonoma Film Festival and it was really funny. Went with a group of friends of all ages and everyone was laughing out loud. Not to mention the soundtrack is really good. Have told so many of my friends about this movie. They can't wait for it to be released so they can see it first hand. It is a kind of Big Chill for all of us who grew up in the 80's. It takes you right back to High School. It also deals with the issue of growing up and moving on and getting older. This seemed to strike a chord in everyone. It is the reason, within our group, that everyone found amusement in this film. No matter what age, if you have a chance to see this film, do yourself a favor and go. You will be in a good mood for the rest of the day.

This movie inevitably will be compared with The Big Chill, and that's okay. The Lather Effect is funny and poignant, and explores a lot of themes that are common to most people in their thirties regardless of when they grew up. I saw it when it played at South by Southwest, where it was well-received by the audience, who laughed and cheered in all the right places.

Valinda (Friday Night Light's Connie Britton) throws one last "rager" at her parents' house on the weekend before it is to be sold. The party's theme was "Come As You Were," so everyone was dressed in Eighties costumes, but along with their memories they also brought their unresolved issues from their teen years, as well as their adult fears about the future. On the morning after the party, the house is a huge mess that Valinda and her circle of friends have to clean up. In the process, long-buried secrets are revealed and old wounds are opened. The characters begin to come to terms with how their pasts affected the present, and contemplate the future.

The cast is excellent. Connie Britton carries the movie well, and Eric Stoltz steals many scenes as the slightly-older guy who used to crash every party when they were teens, in what feels like a reprisal of his cameo in Say Anything (minus the chicken suit). The soundtrack is great as well -- when can I buy the CD?