KUAlum26

Okay,perhaps "legend" might be construed as being a bit of an exaggeration(particularly by Ms.Grandin herself,I'll bet). But I must say that when I first heard about the accomplished behavioral psychologist and innovator in livestock herding technology getting a movie made about her I felt like saying "Wow! What took them so long?". You see,having family afflicted with autism,and with my mother particularly involved in various causes and functions in the cause over thirty years,Someone like Temple Grandin has been a familiar name for quite some time now. A remarkable story then as now.

I'll confess that when I found out that Claire Danes was cast as Dr.Grandin,I was skeptical. A very pretty actress known more for playing sort of "Damsel in distress" roles,I couldn't immediately meld that image with that of the plain,can-do autistic woman by concept. But this movie set me right.

Even though this is literally a biopic,it still seems as much concerned with the nuts and bolts of her ideas and contributions to agriculture and the study of autism(most movies where autism is a topic only choose to deal with the character who is afflicted and how it affects the ones who are "normal",with precious little if anything offered about the person with the affliction)as it is about her. Besides Danes' bravura performance as Grandin(and I must say that physically,Miss Danes' eyes actually ARE perfect for the role. Just take a look at a photo of both women!),much credit goes to director Mick Jackson and the editing,which is able to give about as good a sampling of what Professor Grandin's thought processes are as can be done in a "one-shot" movie can give.

Not a real populous cast(i.e. much of the people involved are mostly "non-entities": people who have contact with Temple but have either negative or no direct impact on her life),but the support is largely patient and fit in well--David Straithairn as a kindly science teacher who sort of sets Miss Grandin on her way as a youth;Catherine O'Hara as the aunt living in Arizona who goes out of her way to accommodate the title character and Julia Ormond as Temple's strong-willed(if perhaps sometimes hard-headed),educated mother--and aid the movie along its stated path.

Perfect for HBO(I frankly have no real idea how this movie could EVER be sold as a large screen offering,and that's NOT a knock on this film at all!),it's running time moves like a breeze and,if you are in any way engaged by what you see in it,will want to see it more times and maybe even do some real digging about the main subject(who is currently in her mid-sixties,still a tenured professor at Colorado State University),either or both by internet research and her numerous writings. I suppose maybe why this doesn't get a higher rating by me is because it still feels like more could've been covered on this pallet and that they stopped themselves a bit short(don't THINK I'm giving much of anything away here),otherwise a very rewarding film!

Andy Sargentee(Jeff Bridges,somewhere between'Lebowski'and,well...some other characters he's played before)is an affable schmo who cannot seem to keep a job nor his marriage,which wouldn't probably trouble him too much were it not for the fact that he loses contact with this teenage son,who he feels is becoming less impressed or needing for him. On an average evening in the local watering hole,Andy has a moment of clarity: he needs money...what is a profitable line of business...PORN!

He assembles his cadre of locals in the small town he lives: the shy,studious sort who still lives at home(Joe Pantoliano),the "Gay-but-he-doesn't-know-it" longtime pal(Ted Danson),the twitchy,loserish wannabe grounds-keeper(William Fichter),a lonely,heartsick longtime buddy(Tim Blake Nelson)who is torn between trying to entice his longtime interest(Glenne Headley)into doing the porn and instead just breaking down and professing love for her,the local video store clerk/film student(Patrick Fugit)and various others(some ladies,mostly men)to produce,write,cast and film the porn. The ensuing events are neither too predictable nor particularly surprising,but they DO have their own elements of charm.

A low energy,chock-full of quasi-cameos(short list:Steven Weber,Brad Garrett,Judy Greer,Jeanne Tripplehorn,Valerie Perrine),directed and written by Michael Traeger,this movie neither possesses the large idea concept or ambition to be given much shrift for large market distribution(and this is a rare time when I mostly agree with that move)nor does it feel like this film lacks any ingenuity to make it merely an "afterthought"(i.e. another romantic comedy/drama,another stock family drama etc.)movie that quickly goes to video and/or cable. The show's unique idea,fine casting(if nothing exceptional acting-wise from anyone involved)and warm,pleasant play out make this worth the time to watch. Using a narrative element(with Bridges' Andy as the narrator,of course),this has an almost wistful and matter of fact quality which seems strangely informative. Probably can be found in the many piles of cheap purchases at stores like Walgreen's or CVS or any supermarket chain store(which is where I got my copy). If you got a high tolerance for "questionable" material for a quirky comedy,give this one a try.

Working class schleps John Winger(Bill Murray)and Russell Ziskey(Harold Ramis)decide,on a whim,to join the Army,much of the reasoning to escape the humdrum lives they lead in the big city. Probably not the best reasoning,but if we had good reasoning added to the mix of many comedies,they'd seem to cease being comedies now,wouldn't they?

Thus we have the seedlings of this largely enjoyable comedy that mixes many of the ingredients of National Lampoon's Animal House and Meatballs(which were directed and/or written by director Ivan Reitman and Ramis),which follows the two protagonists thru basic training on through their first deployment in Europe. And if you're guessing that there's more to the story than merely passing basic training and their deployment well,you'd be guessing correctly.

A friend of mine who's been in the Army(around the time this movie was released,in fact)told me that the film isn't based in much reality--and I'm sure most people who been in the Army would probably agree--but I have the impression that this has JUST enough real element in it to make it roundly palpable AS WELL as a lot of fun.

A fantastic ensemble cast features Warren Oates in one of his last roles(as their drill Sergeant),John Larroquette(as a preening,weaselly superior),John Candy(as the gregarious,heavy-set recruit with JUST the right amount of rage issues),John Dietz,P.J.Soles(a sympathetic MP who has a thing for Murray's character),Sean Young(same as SOles' character,only for Ramis),Conrad Dunn and John Volstead(pre-"Other brother Darryl" from Newhart,as Laroquette's oft-put-upon aide)among others to fill out as big,loud and enthusiastic ensemble. Three years later,Reitman,Murray and Ramis(to name possibly just a few)would tone this formula down to "PG" for the even more successful comedy Ghostbusters. Here,they keep it loose,kinetic and light as a quasi-Cold War,broadly patriotic usage of about 100 minutes of film viewing.

A great watch no matter the medium(big screen,TV,video,DVD). The more recent DVDs have plenty of back-chatter,tributes and story about the making. Well,well worth the price if you're up for it,as well as this show.