L'histoire

"Stateside" is 'based on a true story' and tells the tale of a rich teenager who gets into trouble and is allowed to avoid prison by enlisting in the Marines; he falls in love with a disturbed young woman. We wander to five states (California, Connecticut, New York, North Carolina, and South Carolina) in this disjointed, smoky soap opera. The talented young actors do their best with the mess they are given.

GRADE = "C"

If you're over 18 you're bound to be disappointed by this movie. It delivers nothing. It, actually, depresses me. The entire movie is about senseless dramas of stupidity and boredom. In spite of the celebrity cast, it does not take you anywhere emotional, enlightening, or even amusing. What's happening in Hollywood? What's happened to those genius brains? I like to watch movies because I like to escape from reality. However, with the help of Hollywood films, I unfortunately dump from the frying pan into fire. Sad, indeed. I should just stick to foreign films then.

"Stateside" is a quirky romantic comedy. Mark (Jonathan Tucker) is a prep school student with a strict father who sends him to the Marines; Dori (Rachael Leigh Cook) is an aspiring musician with a temper and mental problems. They do a good job of introducing us to the characters; both are quite likable.

The film picks up when our leads are falling in love. The comedy aspects are funny and the romantic aspects are cute. The film gets dramatic at times. In my opinion, too dramatic but the film-makers had things they wanted to say, and I think they wanted to make this a "bigger" film than just a romantic comedy.

The film has a great soundtrack and they got me in a great mood to start the film with Elvis Costello during the opening credits. I recommend "Stateside" for movie fans who want more to their romantic comedies.

This movie was in and out of Atlanta theaters in one week-what a shame! It doesn't deserve the short run and bad reviews. All I can say is, if you like romantic movies, try this one on DVD. Stateside has the kind of sweet story that the critics usually hate. It's refreshingly different from most romances. It avoids the typical formula. You know the one, where the girl and guy meet cute, fall in love during a musical interlude, break up, and get back together at the end, typically with the guy racing to the airport to catch the girl at the last minute before she boards her plane. Stateside reminded me of movies that I saw back in the sixties, like The Graduate. Of course, it isn't as good as The Graduate, but it has that kind of off-beat quality.

Some of the negative reviews focused on minor issues such as the slow start and continuity problems. Others complained that the dialog was too poetic, but to me that was a plus not a minus. Still others pointed out how unrealistic this kind romance would be in the real world. But haven't these people ever heard of "willing suspension of disbelief?" Besides, countless romantic stories have derived their drama from the fact that the guy and girl are so different from each other. And unlike most 'opposites attract' movies, Stateside doesn't shy away from showing how difficult it would be for these two to have any kind of long-term relationship.

These critics apparently missed the point of the movie. It is about a bittersweet romance that would never have happened if not for Dori's mental illness. Both Mark and Dori gave up something important in order to get something they desperately wanted. If Dori had not been mentally ill, she would have married some rock star or movie star. She had to give up that dream because now she is lucky to get any guy, much less a nice guy like Mark. Mark had to give up a lot, too. Before meeting Dori, he probably expected to fall in love with an average but mentally stable girl. He gave up that prospect in order to do something he would have previously thought impossible-have a relationship with a real pin-up girl.

Jonathan Tucker and Rachel Leigh Cook are outstanding as Mark and Dori, especially Cook. She plays such a sweet, innocent and guileless beauty that you have no trouble believing that Tucker's character could fall in love with her despite her mental illness. Cook strips away the veneer of civility and gamesmanship that we typically see in Hollywood romances. What she reveals is a very likable character.

By the way, the story is based on the director's own life. He was a rich kid who fell in love with a mentally ill actress. He did join the marines and was sent to Lebanon.

Stateside won't win any academy awards. It has its flaws, but it is an enjoyable movie with fine acting and appealing characters. I give it 7.5 out of 10.

I saw a prescreening of this lovely movie. It explores fresh exciting territory while telling an extremely realistic teen love story. When the leads sneak around and struggle to be together, it has the romance and fun of ROMEO AND JULIET. In other ways it reminds me of THE MAGDALENE SISTERS in that it tells a story that is important for people to see. However, just like in Magdalene Sisters the message doesn't interfere with the high level of entertainment. The mental illness doesn't take over the film. It just provides a unique obstacle that the lovers must get over to be together.

The acting is excellent and the all the characters are really alive, flawed,

passionate and interesting. All in all, this is a warm and funny movie.