Loucuras em Los Angeles

LA Story is a funny and very inventive comedy drama, even though the real love affair is with LA itself. When looking at the storyline, it does look a bit odd, (man receiving love advice from a freeway sign?) but this helps give it a more surreal and somewhat magical edge.

The acting is very good all across the board, even from a non-man-eating Sarah Jessica Parker. It has a lot of quotable dialogue, (she's not young she'll be 27 in 4 years) and some passable cameos from Rick Moranis, Patrick Stewart and Chevy Chase.

Perhaps some scenes get a bit too sentimental and make the film seem a bit uneven. But I think this helps improve the shape of its overall atmosphere, and make it heart-warming and not just a bit of gas.

LA Story is an underrated classic. It's consistently enjoyable, nicely acted and highly memorable. 7.5 out of 10.

Quite similar to Woody Allen's Manhattan, and not quite as good, but pretty close to it. Steve Martin stands for comedy, and this movie is filled with jokes; some very funny others pretty stupid. What I like the most with this film is the acting of Sarah Jessica Parker; she is SO great. Overall, highly watchable.

7 or 8 out of 10.

Outwardly, it's a ridiculous plot line. Steve Martin as the sensitive, wacky weatherman... falling in love with a British woman and somehow accidentally getting involved with the Sex in the City girl along the way. The reality of it is, though, there are so many charming details in the movie... vivid images and pictures painted in various scenes alluding to the childlike innocence of falling in love, the magic of letting yourself go and following the advice of an electric traffic sign... this movie become more enjoyable as you watch it more and shouldn't that be how a movie should be? Shouldn't it get more enjoyable instead of LESS enjoyable like most movies made today, that start with a shock and go downhill? Steve Martin shines throughout this movie and you share his gleeful moments... for example after he's tickled to find that his wife is having an affair with his agent and he converts his make-believe-shock into a dance as he approaches his then-a-symbol-of-affluence LeBaron in the street... when he tosses his hat to himself after he sets up another way to see the woman he is falling for... Simultaneously, though, you share his confusion as to how to handle the relationship with the over-energetic, giddy 23 year old he's accidentally fallen into bed with along the way. This is a complex movie that presents itself so innocently, you can't help but enjoy it. And, as a tribute to the brilliance of "The Man With Two Brains," he even manages to insert a portion of the (now legendary) "Pointy Birds" poem. In all, this is a worthwhile experience if you're willing to watch it all the way through. This is a movie for Steve Martin fans, because his unique, sensitive, accessible brand of humor and (more importantly) of life is apparent throughout.

Okay, I was raised in the LA area, so I appreciate "LA Story" more than many might, but it's still just an incredibly wonderful romantic comedy regardless of where you grew up. The script is fabulous, and the soundtrack featuring the music of Enya is the perfect counterpoint to this wonderfully wicked lampoon of Southern California culture.

The humor is much more intelligent than early Steve Martin features such as "The Jerk", but it isn't snobbish. It has wit, charm, and pure satirical funniness. Whether it's watching Martin roller-skate through a museum of Old Masters, seeing a restaurant full of jaded Californians casually ride out a minor earthquake as their tables gracefully vibrate across the room, or the absurdity of a freeway sign giving out cryptic personal messages that change the course of the principal character's lives, the movie simply works.

Steve Martin is at his best here, equal to his wonderful performance in "Roxanne". Victoria Tennant is the perfect choice as the off-beat, tuba-playing British journalist Martin's character falls for. Sarah Jessica Parker is absolutely priceless as SanDeE* (that's her spelling, not a typo), the young would-be spokesmodel/bimbette who "likes to point". Even Rick Moranis as the comedic Cockney grave digger is wonderful, despite his having one of the least believable accents since Dick van Dyck as the chimneysweep Bert in "Mary Poppins". Forget the comment about Moranis' accent... you'll enjoy him anyway.

Overall, this is one of my two favorite movies of all time, and considering how many I've enjoyed, that's saying volumes.

L.A. Story is a tremendous romantic comedy just a notch below Moulon Rouge or High Fidelity, and similar to Roxanne. There are a lot of in-jokes for Californians, but I found the comedy accessible. The film is really stronger on the romance side, and has something to say about people who are somewhat phony and put up barriers to the world. As with Roxanne there is a little classic literature dropped in. There are quite a few cheesy moments where the lack of sophistication in the characters and plot does show. But there are also powerful, moving scenes, such as linking falling in love to the awe and wonder of childhood, and the airplane scene which brought tears to my eyes. And that's quite something; I almost never cry at the movies!

And of course, I loved the music by Enya! Check it out.

Who should see this film:

-- romantic comedy goers, a must see

-- action film guys like me, it's OK to see it with your SO (but see if you can get her to see Enemy at the Gate, too)

I'll give L.A. Story a surpassed-its-original-expectations 9 out of 10.