Between the Lines

I had never heard of this movie until about two months ago when I was looking up actor John Heard. I had just watched 'Cutter's Way (1981)' and was extremely impressed by his performance having previously only recognized him as the dad in 'Home Alone.' Not only does 'Between the Lines' have John Heard delivering another excellent performance but it also has a terrific ensemble cast of some great actors before they gained popularity; notably Jeff Goldblum, Linsay Crouse, and Marilu Henner. 'Between the Lines' is set up very much the same way as Robert Altman's 'Nashville' with the plot (what little there is) taking a backseat to a picturesque look at a time period and delightful characters. In a nutshell the film is about an independent newspaper group who is about to be bought out by a large company; but more so it's about the relationships between all these people. An absolute breeze to watch because the actors are having so much fun. There are many random funny moments; including an absurd scene where an abstract artist comes into the office and starts wrecking the place referring to each action as art, but the movie also has a great deal to say. A charming time capsule for the late 70's and also for the displaying the talents of the young actors.

***1/2 out of ****

The lives and loves of a small Boston newspaper. You have the idealists, the wannabe authors, the photographers, the rock journalists, the editor, the secretary, etc etc. All working and hooking up while facing the possibility that the paper is going to be sold to a big corporation and ruin the counter culture nature of it all.

This is one of those ensemble movies that follows different people for a while then goes onto someone else. It's not nearly as good as Altman but still a nice movie about people. Sure a lot of them are jerks, but you do get a sense of who they are during the run time. Worth seeing for young Goldblum too!

You know what happens when you bite into unripe fruit. It is not sweet or juicy; but it is a bit sour. The same is true for this film. Most of the actors in this ensemble went on to much better roles later in their careers, but not the director or writer. That is because several of these actors had talent. But at the stage most of these actors were at when this film was made, most of them were still unpolished, unripe fruit.

Goldblum is good. Heard is interesting, but Crouse was still very raw; and would not peak until House of Games. Worth viewing only to see the development of these kid actors at a very early stage. An interesting side note for this film is the story of Bruno Kirby. He had a very good role in Godfather 2, which was a good three years before this piece of fluff was made. He actually looks younger in this film. Marylou Henner went on to do Taxi in 1978, and she was much sexier and funnier by that time. Sometimes, it takes time for fruit to ripen.

This is a movie very much of it's time. The hippie underground newspaper is in financial trouble and might be bought by a big time publisher. The in-fighting, bickering, jealousies and bed hopping by the young, idealistic staff make up the main, simple plot of the film but the cast and the sharp script make it a pleasure to watch. The film is CHOCK FULL of some of the best, young American actors doing some of their earliest film work: Jeff Goldblum is hystercial as the constantly stoned music critic who is always dead broke, Bruno Kirby (pre-Godfather II, When Harry Met Sally) is almost unrecognizable, pre- L.A. Law Jill Eikenberry, Lindsay Crouse, Joe Morton (Terminator II, Lone Star, City of Hope), a very young pre-TAXI Marilu Henner as a stripper and TV's 7th Heaven, Stephen Collins who plays a real jerk in the film. In fact, there is a scene on a park bench between John Heard and Stephen Collins as two rival writers that is one of the best things I have ever seen about petty jealousy between scribes. Terrific fun.

Standard ensemble dramedy about 60's "youth quake" hippies running a radical paper, trying to maintain their anti-establishment values in the face of encroaching corporate greed, with all the joys and conflicts inherent in the enterprise. Good performance from lotsa youngish stars that continued to deliver for years, Jeff Goldblum even today.

Standard.