Tante Julia et le scribouillard

Why is a movie funny? The plot? The actors? The director? All of the above? I cannot answer but "Aunt Julia..." surely gathers all of them and must be one of the most hilarious movies I have ever seen. I cannot stop laughing when thinking of Peter Falk disguised as a fireman explaining why men have to hate other men. A truly special film.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. The jokes about Albanians were hilarious and Peter Falk's character was the most ridiculous. Just one person creating so many multi dimensional characters. Especially the fire scene. Very dramatic. Keanu Reeves and Barbara Hershey play very good characters with romantic interests in each other. Well you end up rooting for Keanu's character since he has such an endearing innocence. The backdrop, scenery and the costumes are very colorful and convincing. The movie is a great joy to watch. It brings light to a entertainment medium that is hard to imagine in this digital age.

I love this movie. I love everything about it.

It's a screwball comedy and first-rate farce. It kids soap operas, white-bread 1950's suburbia, and even points up the absurdity of racism, while still being joyous, fun, and affectionately good-natured. The acting is superb all around with delightful chemistry between the three main characters played by Barbara Hershey, Keanu Reeves, and Peter Falk. I'm amazed that anyone could fault Reeves' performance in this film. He is perfect - sweet, hopeful, naive and romantic. The May-late autumn romance between Reeves and Barbara Hershey is completely believable. You want these two to make it.

The secondary plot involves a playing-out of the radio soap opera as Peter Falk's character writes it. The acting is deliciously over-the-top as befits the absurd storyline. Extra kudos to Elizabeth McGovern. Who knew she could be so funny?

Peter Falk is the glue that holds the whole thing together. He wickedly manipulates everyone who comes within his sphere of influence - but all in the name of art and love.

As an added bonus, the music is wonderful, both as atmosphere and in and of itself. Wynton Marsalis wrote the score and his band plays the music. If you like jazz or even if you don't, the way it weaves in and out of and becomes part of the plot is a delight to the soul.

"Tune In Tomorrow" is a near miss. It's a movie that is funny in moments but unfortunately these moments are few and far between. Peter Falk is enjoyable as is the story of the effects of a radio serial on those involved with its' creation. The movie just never clicks. Much of the blame has to go to Keanu Reeves. It is almost worth watching the movie to see how bad an actor can be. I don't know if he's just horribly miscast or maybe it was just a bad day at the office for him but he is awful. The funniest portions of the film have to do with the fictional radio serial Peter Falk's character has created. The insults against the Albanians are laugh-out-loud funny. With a little more work this could have been a very funny movie.

Whenever I think of extremely underrated movies, Tune in Tomorrow always comes to mind. Barbara Hershey, Peter Falk and Keanu Reeves all shine in their leading roles. The luminous and hilarious supporting cast showcases Patricia Clarkson, Peter Gallagher, Elizabeth McGovern and John Larroquette like you've never seen them before. This ensemble is one of the best that I've encountered on screen and makes me wish they gave out awards for supporting casts.

The movie might not be everyone's cup of sweet tea but it's a gem, nonetheless. Even if the story doesn't tickle your heart, the movie is definitely worth catching for the Wynton Marsalis score and the classic images of a pre-Katrina New Orleans.