Frogs!

The delightful depiction of young Arlo's troubled adolescence is full of lessons for adults even moreso than the kids. I wasn't familiar with the child actors, but I certainly enjoyed their performances. Shelly Duval and Elliott Gould are parents who make us examine our own parental behavior, and laugh at ourselves. All the dozen or so kids I've shown this movie to (aged 8-13) loved it and said it was a keeper!

I happened upon this movie this past weekend on Showtime and I was captivated. This movie had a very cute story, and some really funny parts to it. I especially died laughing when the big Bullfrog who was Arlo's friend in the poison pond broke into song! HA!

All in all, good fun for everyone.

My one question is this...... why was Robin Tunney not credited in her pivotal role as the nerd girl, fighting to save the poison pond, who eventually kisses the frog and turns Arlo back into a human? If Denise Richards keeps "Tammy and the T-Rex" on her resume, I don't see why Robin Tunney can't keep this on hers.

I don't know what it is about this movie that makes me like it so much. It's pretty cheesy and predictable but than again I have a thing for cheesy, feel good, 80's comedies. To sum it up the movie is about a geeky boy named Arlo who has a crush on susie a wannabe cheerleader and with the help from his new friend Gus (A prince transformed into a frog) finds enough 'a confidents' to ask her to be his science fair partner and in exchange Arlo must find a way to get Gus kissed so he can turn back into a prince. This is a movie aimed at a young audience, I saw it first when I was 12, and the moral is basically don't judge people by their appearance or geekyness.

Shelley Duval is very funny in this movie which also features some other actors about to find success in hollywood; Elizabeth Berkly and Hal Sparks.

The movie was produced by the late Shelley Duvall who also played Arlo's mother in this movie. It's loosely based on the phrase kissing a frog who will turn into a prince. Arlo loves reptiles and is a teenager. He is brilliant but nerdy and shy. While his friends and peers are dating girls, he's happy playing with his lizards. Shelley Duvall and Elliott Gould plays his supportive parents. Scott Grimes does a brilliant job as Arlo. The film is low budget but worth watching. Shelley Duvall brought warmth to every role she's in. I wished she did more in her later years. She gave us a lot especially about bringing fairy tales to current audiences. This sweet film is engaging maybe dated by today's standards.

Truly one of the finer coming-of-age stories out there. Fine acting from the mother, whom you may remember from The Shining amongst other items. She even played a major role in the production. The effects are stimulating. The young boy going against his RUBUS state, squarer than a L-7 Weenie, through the help of his frog/science project. The frog effects bedazzled me.

His large reptile collection represents an urge to go beyond his mere human emotions, consisting mostly of an overwhelming sense of rejection and helplessness. If only the Coloroda shooters had frogs of their own. If every boy was issued a frog and no fret of a mother's concern of the dangerous swamp.

The final war-rally of the frogs is almost a scene out of Braveheart.

My emotions are too overpowering to continue with the review. This breathtaking romp through the spectrum of human emotion still sends shivers down my spine. This is something YOU MUST EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF. Even if it's the last thing you do....

Viewing recommended only under extreme medication. It's just that good.