Doing Time on Maple Drive

Who knew or remembered that Jim Carrey could be dramatic? He offers a genuine deep performance as a troubled youth, bright, but a high school drop-out who is unbearably harassed by his holier than thou parents, especially a father who is a perfectionist in every sense of the word.

Ironically, the Carrey character soon takes a back seat to a brother, a closet homosexual, who breaks off with his fiancé, and a married sister, ready to abort her pregnancy because the father always believes in being financially prepared before starting a family.

James Sikking and Bibi Besch are first rate as the parents out of the 1940s and 1950s who are living the 1990s as if that period never existed.

This is a very well done film worth watching.

Some major plot line details are mentioned... don't read any further if you haven't seen this and don't want to spoil the fun.

Okay, I am one of the biggest Jim Carrey fanatics out there. The only reason I bought this movie (on eBay) was to see Jim Carrey in his "first dramatic role". It cost me $26!!! So, obviously, I went in only to see Jim. But then the title character came on, Matt, and I was like, hey, I know him... I like him. And then Laurie Laughlin (Becky from Full House, don't know how to spell her real name) came on, same reaction. And I also recognized the sister and the father. So I was like, hey, maybe it'll even be a good movie anyway.

Well, let me tell you, Jim Carrey was secondary as of twenty minutes into the film. While I wished that Tim would have been a bigger part of the story, I was completely taken into the story of Matt and being gay. I think they tackled the pressures of being gay, and hiding secrets to a "too perfect to be true" family. I think there should have been three storylines...the back stories of the sister and of Tim's were way too big to be back stories... but the movie was already 94 minutes long and I don't think any scenes preexisting should have been taken out... I guess I just think it shoulda been three different movies... I don't know. Every single actor in this movie does a beautiful job. The storys are sympathy envoking and the characters are likable, exept for the mom and for the father until about ten til the end. And speaking of the end... it was too wrapped up for my taste. A little hasty about face for the Father to go through... but anyway, it was a TV movie right?

I definately think this is right up there with Truman Show as far as Jim's acting goes... anyone who says my man can't act can't see. Thanksyou very much!!! ;)

8/10

This seemed great when it premiered in 1992, but it now seems a little bit contrived. The father is too easy to hate, and the grown sons are too easy to feel sorry for. Therefore, the only multidimensional characters are Lori Laughlin's and Bibi Besch's. But at the time, Ken Olin was pretty bold to tackle the issues in this movie. The nightmare bachelor party is probably the most cringe-worthy scene, of many, but that's probably intentional. Loughlin has one of the best lines in the movie: "Matt, I don't think this is the kind of thing you can talk yourself out of." Too bad she was only in half the movie. Jayne Brook (of "Gattaca") is great as the sister, and her character's storyline, though the least dramatic, should have given her more to do. And as for Besch, she pulls off the best acting as much with her facial expressions as with her lines. Always a radiant character actor, she was taken from us too soon (1996).

One of the most incredibly honest family dramas I've ever seen. Exceptional writing and acting. Jim Carrey's (pre-fame) dramatic acting is his best to-date, in my opinion. This little film is underrated and should be aired more frequently, and at least released on video/dvd.

It's a story about a dysfunctional family centering on the up-coming marriage of one the sons, and how years of trying to keep everything up for appearances finally unravels and nearly destroys everyone with it. Oddly, the most functional member of the family is an alcoholic (played by Jim Carey), the only one with the ability to state what's true and to speak his mind.

The story and plot are well developed, as are the characters. The only thing I would've like to have seen more of was the sister and her husband. The movie hints at some serious issues (beside the one immediate one at hand) between them--which seemed oddly down-played.

Anyway, see this when it comes on cable!!