Claudine's Return

The main reason I'm posting this comment is point out that there are NO NUDE scenes featuring the femme fatal Christina app legate so if you mistook the R-rating,and the cover showing Appplegate pole-dancing as an implication that you're gonna see a "money shot" then do yourself a favor, don't make the same mistake I did when it first came out and don't bother renting it. Its actually a really depressing movie, so if you're into soppy love stories then you might enjoy it. The acting was OK, I suppose, but frankly the overall wasn't my cup of tea. There are, however, love scenes although about as soft-core as a soap opera. Is it just me or should they start labeling what you get to see in a movie and who you get to see it on right on the box next to the rating?

This film has been repackaged as an erotic picture [retitled Kiss Of Fire] with a very racy cover that implies one will get more than a brief exposure to Miss Applegate's talents. Well forget it. This is an idiotic "drama" with no point, little plot, and amateurish camera work. Disney has added the tagline "An Erotic Journey Of Desire!" to a movie that is really just a crappy chick-flick!

I admit I got this movie partly as a goof and partly because I was interested to see Christiana Applegate in a movie the box suggested (name change to "Kiss of Fire" and more, it was rather funny really) was a trashy genre film. I actually enjoyed Applegate, who does not have much of a career outside of "Married ... w Children" (sadly, since she has potential), in the low budget film "Streets," I hoped this was similiar fare. It turns out to be a character study with some seedy elements and bad (and somewhat inconsistent) accents. It would have been nice if I knew a bit more about the characters I was watching, and the ending was rather sudden and pointless. Also, the whole little girl symbolism was just one of the stylistic touches that just didn't work.

Nonetheless, I do recommend people to watch the film for Christiana Applegate's performance. Not only does she look great in the film (no nudity, sorry, though she does a good dance scene), but she gives a rather good performance, and the accent isn't that bad (shock really to hear it given her past roles and all). Actually, she is the film -- the loser she hooks up is written and performed in such a lackluster fashion that you soon wish he would just go somewhere. The role would have even been better if it was written better; for instance, what motivates her to moonlight as a stripper? what about the hints of bisexuality? what is the point of the final scenes? The fact Applegate still shined suggests she has a future as an actress, if only she gets some good roles to show her talent.

This movie was BORING! This movie did not have a good plot and was basically about an Italian admirer trying desperately to get back with Christina Appalgate after a lacklusting love affair. The fake accents were terrible and made Applegate as we knew her from her "Married with Children" days look pathetic in this slow moving film. Do not waste money on this one unless there is a pillow beside you and an alarm clock.

The reason you have not heard of this film is that no one saw it, and that is the way it should be. Applegate is almost decent, but the accent seems variable, and she doesn't transition us through her mood swings, which probably is more the fault of the director, editor, and writers than hers. Somehow I did not get why she was as nutso as she was. Just a spoiled little rich girl all twisted by unhappy events? Persons of modest strength survive the traumas of life, why couldn't Claudine? It was a bit like destroying your life with drugs and alcohol because someone had a better senior prom dress. Wasn't that Valerie Perrine in the end as the stepmom? Where was her credit? Did she decline one when she saw how bad the film was? If so, she showed marvelous taste.