Paixões Alucinantes

1st watched 5/18/2003 - 8 out of 10(Dir-Roberto Benabib): Great little movie with brutal relationship honesty(aka. Is anything final?). Basically what this movie is about is people being involved with one another because they want sex, because they're obsessed, or because they want to be loved. It's all of these and then some for this twisted, topsy-turvy dramatic comedy. What makes this movie great will not sell DVD's but deserves a permanent part in movie history because of it's suttle unique & realistic storyline about life & love in an actual big city(San Francisco) that becomes little because of the intertwined relationships that occur throughout the movie. This movie doesn't need extras or anything else. It stands on it's own as a unique story with a good, what's going to happen next, finale. The players in this film are really good at just letting the story tell itself and not masking it with over-acting but just doing their job. This was definetly lost in the shuffle when it came out, but deserves to be recognized for what it is. A good movie.

It seems this movie gets watched either because of Jon Bon Jovi or in spite of him. I'm one of the latter - it was on TV right after my supper and i said ok, now i'll watch this movie even if JBJ is starring... i must say that my prejudice wasn't based on his acting, as i never watched him act - it's more that i find his music trash. But he turned out quite a ok actor. But even better was the movie overall - a smart relationships- and looking-for-love story with a nice plot revolving around 5-and-a-half characters and taking sharp turns every 10 minutes, with (almost) everything happening at wrong times. I did find the style of some of the main characters' various confessions slightly over-styled for the confidant at hand, but i did like the idea of every character having his own way of analysing him/herself aloud (confession booth, support-group, taxi-dispatcher, shrink, diary); but i also didn't mind the glitch in light of the rest of this witty, funny, honest, warm movie. I especially liked the acts of Josh Charles and Annabella Sciorra.

This was not a fast paced movie and as some say more of a chick flick. Basically it is a movie with a lot of dialogue that you might hear in your every day life. A look at the relationships of several friends as they navigate thru life. The cast consists of excellent actors Josh Charles, Joanna Going, Penelope Ann Miller, Annabella Sciorra, JoBeth Williams and Jon Bon Jovi. having seen the first 5 in movies over the years I knew they could make the characters believable but it is Jon Bon Jovi that I have seen a very rapid growth in his acting ability. He was very good and on the same level as the rest of the cast. If you want an action movie this is not the one for you but if you like the small movie that shows feelings and the things that people go thru then this might be worth seeing.

Being a little skeptical about movies with a singer in the main role (Bon Jovi), I must say "Little City" was beyond my expectations. It's a movie about people in platonic feelings, the usual "when-i-care-for-you, you-don't-care-for-me" situation that becomes "now-that-i-was-accepting-it(with someone else) you-come-back". Love becoming lack of interest becoming searching someone else becoming love again.

The movie has regular performances, but a good screenplay, maybe a little slow at the beginning, but at the end is an acceptable result.

"Little City" refers to San Francisco of which much mention is made and many landmarks are shown in this film which features an ensemble cast of quality actors all comfortably engaged in sorting through the romantic vicissitudes of their characters lives. Lively, fun, and glib, "LC" is a little situational plotless and soapless "chick flick" with lots down-to-earth dialogue about relationships. A fun, light hearted watch for mature channel surfers, especially couples and San Franciscans.