Anita Morris Sizzles
A Sinful Life wants desperately to be a lovable quirk fest like Female Trouble, Desperate Living, or any other John Waters film, but it's more shrill than witty or truly funny. Thankfully, it's anchored by a spirited performance by the impossibly sexy Anita Morris who gets about as many laughs out of the script as anyone could.
Morris plays an unwed mother to an overgrown daughter who speaks in baby voice (one can never understand if the daughter is actually an impaired teen/20-something or if they just cast an older actress instead of casting an actual child) who is currently in danger of being taken away by a bitchy teacher due to the less than stellar residence where she lives.
Dennis Christopher comes in as an over the top religious freak who wants Morris and Morris decides to use him as a way to make herself seem more respectable. There's also a drag queen neighbor, a rageaholic handyman, and other strange character who pop in and out at whim.
It's easy to tell that A Sinful Life was based on a stage play as the film rarely leaves Morris' apartment. It makes for a strangely claustrophobic experience and feels more like a depressing chamber drama like Night, Mother than a rip roaring farce like Boeing, Boeing or Noises Off.
There are a few light chuckles here and there and Morris is always a treat to watch. Still, A Sinful Life feels like it plays things too safe and almost feels like what would happen if your good Christian mother decided to send up John Waters movies. It's too respectable to ever go off into delicious, sleazy camp like his films do.
Morris plays an unwed mother to an overgrown daughter who speaks in baby voice (one can never understand if the daughter is actually an impaired teen/20-something or if they just cast an older actress instead of casting an actual child) who is currently in danger of being taken away by a bitchy teacher due to the less than stellar residence where she lives.
Dennis Christopher comes in as an over the top religious freak who wants Morris and Morris decides to use him as a way to make herself seem more respectable. There's also a drag queen neighbor, a rageaholic handyman, and other strange character who pop in and out at whim.
It's easy to tell that A Sinful Life was based on a stage play as the film rarely leaves Morris' apartment. It makes for a strangely claustrophobic experience and feels more like a depressing chamber drama like Night, Mother than a rip roaring farce like Boeing, Boeing or Noises Off.
There are a few light chuckles here and there and Morris is always a treat to watch. Still, A Sinful Life feels like it plays things too safe and almost feels like what would happen if your good Christian mother decided to send up John Waters movies. It's too respectable to ever go off into delicious, sleazy camp like his films do.
- sarastrahan-61184
- Jun 29, 2019