Just a Kiss

I took this movie because my wife wanted a romantic comedy. It is slightly comedy as well as romantic, but IT IS NOT a romantic comedy. What it is is one of those situational movies which exploit the butterfly effect in relationships and in the end everybody ends up knowing everybody and having a connection to them and facing consequences for the things they did in the first start of the movie.

The graphical effects are nice sometimes, but completely unnecessary. After I watched about 80% of the film I have already decided that it is better than a romantic comedy, as I wasn't bored out of my socks, but worse than any other type of movie. I've already labeled it average and I was waiting for the end. The end, though, transformed into a short "what if" mini-movie that canceled all the bad effects of the first part of the film. I didn't like that, really.

So, in conclusion, while it was a rather original take on an old story, it failed to deliver entertainment or at least the discovery of one's true hidden feelings as some of these romantic experiments end up doing. You just watch the movie, completely disconnected and vaguely aware of the emotions of the characters, then it ends.

Just A Kiss? It could have been called 'Surrealistic Fruitcake'.

Certainly a strange flick. Lots of big stars doing weird work in Manhattan, but certainly not up to normal standards. I can just see Woody Allen doing a face palm. Not a high point for director Fisher Stevens.

Not sure if it was about schizophrenia, or just a case of writers' discarded notes being made into a movie. Visually, a strange intermix of normal filming and painted-over frames, to look something like comic books.

Mildly entertaining, for all that.

Shows Tomei and Sedgwick in different kind of roles than their usuals.

Could have been a breakout role for Taye Diggs and sexy Marley Shelton, had the movie not totally bombed.

Worth a look if you like the offbeat.

There are in fact some good takes in this film. Each is like an episode that relates forward or back to another, with uneven balance. The clever rotomation is probably unnecessary, but you never know because the central theme of infidelity masquerading as comedy never gets off the ground.

It could be just that I don't appreciate gimmicks or television-inspired quick jumps from one aspect or view of an object to another. Or that I see Generation X or Millennium Generation attitudes as disjointed and lacking any sense of classic value. Anyone who might be strongly centered on the idea of "character" (in the old sense of that word) should probably avoid this film as a waste of time. Go and rent a computer game or watch Reality TV instead.

I can't help wondering if some of the positive comments here were written by people involved in making this film, not only because it's a movie only its mother could love (though it is), but because they seem to reflect what the filmmakers intended, not what the audience sees. It's screamingly obvious that this was intended to be an 'original' film, the interspersing of cartoony footage, the 'alternate reality' stuff, but all in all this is just a rehash of 100 film school indies you've seen before, urban hipsters having sex, having relationships, engaging in the forced clever banter that passes for wit in such flicks. The characters are intended to be unique and interesting, but instead of personalities, they just have quirks. It's not unbearable, there's just not enough here to make it worth the time it takes to watch.

Commercial director Dag (Ron Eldard) is a former womanizer. He's dating Halley (Kyra Sedgwick) and their best friend is Peter (Patrick Breen). Peter is dating flighty lead dancing Rebecca (Marley Shelton) who lives under her domineering director mother. One day, Rebecca reveals that she and Dag had a fling while she was touring in Europe. Dag, Halley, and Peter all break up as they find other relationships. Dag flirts with unstable waitress Paula (Marisa Tomei) who is in love Peter's commercial as a peanut butter mascot eagle. Halley has a fling with Andre (Taye Diggs) while staying at Rebecca's apartment. Peter meets Colleen (Sarita Choudhury) and then their plane crashes.

It's always fascinating to see these established actors in their earlier less-known work. Suddenly, Peter Dinklage shows up in a weird one-off role. Tomei is playing a psycho. There is a lot of wackiness but it doesn't strike my fancy. It's harder to laugh when the lead annoys me and Dag annoys me. I'm not a fan Eldard although he's usually pretty good as the annoying sidekick or the pathetic villain. It's not good when he's the lead. I also find the animated flashes really bad and unnecessary. I'm only interested in Halley and Peter but even there, the interest fades rather quickly. Peter pulling down his pants is a great move but his character turns bland. I love Sedgwick but when she lets in Andre, I just don't think that any New Yorker would do that without at least calling Rebecca. In the end, none of these characters intrigue me and other than the pants drop, none of it struck me as being funny.