Getting Personal

A very engaging story, with nice chemistry between Michael Landes and Heddy Burress. I thought there was a compelling realism to the awkwardness of their first encounter and growing attraction to each other. Balanced with a variety of humorous bits, this was a very enjoyable romantic film.

Ron Burrus the director of "Getting Personal," managed to create some great scenes. Good Performances from his young actors can also be credited to him. Unfortunately, the direction he gave his actors and the tension he created up until the payoff or lack of one at the end, could not overcome the weak script and the below average cinematagraphy. The cinematagrapher did a professional job, but did not help the weak script with his uncreative camera work. Michael Landes relationship with his psychiatrist was repetitive and dragged on. The director was not able to pull an average script, cast, cameraman or overall story into anything more than an average movie, but I look forward to seeing further work from Ron Burrus.

This movie really wasn't all that bad. It had a few funny parts and the romance between Christopher and Melissa was ok until he would freak out and have flashbacks whenever they kissed. The thing that made this movie so awful was what was supposed to be the main plot twist, which explained why Christopher was afraid to get involved and what he was holding back in therapy. Instead of his revelation being emotional and sad, I actually laughed out loud at how stupid and ridiculous it was. If you don't want to know what happens then stop reading now because I'm going to tell you. Christopher dropped out of high school, remained a virgin until he was twenty five, and never had a lasting relationship with a woman because his high school girlfriend was having an affair with his father! That would have been a good revelation if Christopher treated women badly or had a lot of casual sex or had anger issues, but I can't imagine that anyone, especially a man, would be so traumatized by finding out about that kind of affair that they would stay celibate until they were twenty five. Not only did he drop out of high school because of this, which is moronic to even imagine given that he was very smart and a football hero, but Christopher even went so far as to convince himself and tell other people that his high school girlfriend had died. And then suddenly after he spends not even five minutes talking to her, where they don't even have an actual conversation, the seven years of being physically and emotionally traumatized by her affair with his father suddenly means nothing. He rushes off to be with Melissa and immediately has sex with her. I mean come on. I know movies are not always supposed to be realistic, but this movie was way beyond incomprehensible. It was just ridiculous and moronic. So the bottom line is skip this movie.

The main attraction is the leading lady, who is sort of a Sally Field type (hey, you could do worse!) but younger. But not like Sally when she was younger.. oh, forget it. Don't you hate these mini reviews anyway? Let's just say if you have a mid-day break to kill and this picture is on the box, don't hesitate because overall it's got good performances from unknown young actors (except for Lane Smith and John Shea, who are both good and known) and a few good laughs. Hedy is the one to watch for in the future, though. She's a natural..