Une vraie blonde

I heard for the first time about THE REAL BLONDE in May 2020 and when I looked at the cast I told myself that I knew I had to see it. Last March (after nearly two years) I finally saw it and while I didn't loved it, I still liked it for what it was.

Joe (Matthew Modine) is an aspiring actor that works as a waiter in a restaurant. His girlfriend Mary works as a cosmetician and supports him in money. Joe wants more to express himself than work a job with a salary, and is frustrated for not having accepted roles that were up to his standards. In the meanwhile his colleague Bob lands a role in a soap opera and has a fetish for blonde, leading to date a model and then dump her when he discovers her hair is dyed. Joe swallows his pride and meets agent Dee Dee Taylor (Kathleen Turner) that arranges for him to be an extra for the new Madonna music video while Mary goes to a self-defense and anger management class with an instructor (Denis Leary) that encourages her to express her anger. Bob has success with his soap opera and starts a relationship with real blonde Kelly (Daryl Hannah). During the Madonna video the director (Steve Buscemi) treats the extras like contest dogs and Madonna has been replaced by Tina (Elizabeth Berkley), and for an anti-semitic statement Joe is fired.

Dee Dee takes pity for Joe and arranges for him to play the part of a sexy serial killer in a play with Tina as her co-star, and he succedds and goes in bed with Mary after months. In the meanwhile Bob is negotiating a longtime contract for the soap while Kelly taunts him constantly, and Bob hopes to have Kelly's character killed in the show.

While the plot is a bit convoluted and the language a bit too adult in spots, it's still funny and managed to make me crack some smiles here and then. Matthew Modine gives a decent leading man performance and he actually surprised me, Daryl Hannah comes off good along with being gorgeous as the sultry soap opera star, while Maxwell Caulfield was a bit buffoonish with his fetish and needed a break. The supporting cast (Kathleen Turner as a pretentious but still warm-hearted agent, Christopher Lloyd as the head waiter and Joe's boss, Steve Buscemi as a loud video director, Elizabeth Berkley as a sexy Madonna double and part time actress, Denis Leary as the defense instructor) is a hoot and gives their best with the material given. The soundtrack was catchy, with not only Madonna's HANKY PANKY but also BE MY LOVER by La Bouche (a song I really love and now I can't associate it without thinking of this movie) and various other hits of the 1990s.

In substance, this movie is like a satire on the entertainment and fashion industry, and it does it in a nice and, I dare to say it, kid-friendly way. With a star studded cast, lots of great songs of the unforgettable 1990s and some funny moments, do you need more? Perfect for having some sort of voyage back in the 1990s even for folks who haven't lived them (like me that I am soon to be 24).

I checked some of the comments below and see there's quite a few people trashing this film. Perhaps those people were the type of audience expecting lots of action scenes and explosions. (Or maybe they're just too young to understand a character-driven plot!) This was a great satire on the Entertainment Industry, and what kept it all together were the characters. Joe Finnegen (Played by Matthew Modine) was not too bright, but there was a good cause in his character which made it sympathetic. The plot may be a little thin but it was more of a series of interwining characters and their everyday occurencies.

Forget the negative reviews about this movie and check it out, there's nothing to dislike about it. Another great gem from Tom DiCillo! (Living in Oblivion)

I rented 'The Real Blonde' on video at the same time that I rented 'The Curse of the Jade Scorpion', because my favourite actress (Elizabeth Berkley) is in both and I wished to have a quiet afternoon in watching two of my favourite screen star's movies. 'The Real Blonde' was not only funny, it was well-scripted, well-acted and well... great!

The cast all did an absolutely fine job of bringing their characters to life, despite the fact that some didn't get a lot of screen time. Honestly, I had no idea that Bridgette Wilson could be so funny! I've only ever seen her on TV a few times, and she didn't really strike a huge chord with me there. But in 'The Real Blonde'... wow! Kathleen Turner, Daryl Hannah, Christopher Lloyd and my favourite, Elizabeth Berkley, are nothing short of hilarious as well. The satire was excellent and the ending was practically inspired. Great!

Does anyone happen to know the title of the song that was played in the Madonna video scene? That song was goofy. I liked it! :)

Set in the world of struggling actors and models, this is an intelligent comedy with just a hint of seriousness. It's well-written with good performances by its large, mostly younger cast. The humor is for adults, so if you're looking for big belly-laughs and gross-out situations, you'll be disappointed. The number of characters threatened to be a bit too many but that's not a major problem. I found 'The Real Blonde' funnier and more entertaining than lots of comedies that get far more publicity and have much more box-office success.

Tom DiCillo is a wonderful director who should be seen more often. As he has demonstrated with his previous films, he is a man that brings a great dimension to the subjects he selects for his movies. Mr. DiCillo's strength lies in the magnificent performances he gets from his casts by making them underplay their roles and the irony behind his plots.

"The Real Blonde" was Mr. DiCillo's third film and he shows a firm hand in moving all the characters in so many interesting ways as they go about their lives in this complex city of New York. The film deals with the way young people are trying to cope with careers and relationships in this complicated city.

At the center of the action we find Joe, a good guy who works as a waiter in order to pursue his ambition of becoming an actor. Joe seems to be a bit confused about what he wants to do and doesn't have his feet planted on the ground. He doesn't have anyone pushing for him, no experience to speak of, yet he perceives himself into doing roles such as Biff in "The Death of a Salesman". Talk about reality!

Joe is living with a down to earth woman, Mary, who is a makeup artist and knows her way around the city and the people she has to deal with. Bob, who is Joe's best friend, and fellow waiter, lands himself in a soap opera that nets him a lot of money. Joe, the idealist, believes Bob is selling out, going too commercial.

Mr. DiCillo brings together the different worlds in which these characters are living into perspective with great style in a fun movie that is a lot of fun, at the same time.

Catherine Keener, who has worked with Mr. Dicillo in several films, comes out the best in her role of Mary. Ms. Keener is one of the best actresses working in films today and has a natural charm that graces everything she does. Matthew Modine gives a good performance as Joe. Daryl Hannah, Maxwell Caulfield, Elizabeth Berkley, Marlo Thomas, Bridgette Wilson, Buck Henry, Christopher Lloyd, Katheleen Turner and Denis Leary, are seen in supporting roles.

A charming film by one of America's best kept secret director: Tom DiCillo!