Indie Gems: Two Girls and a Guy
If there was an award for "Most Unjustified NC-17 rating" this one would win it.
Carla (Heather Graham) and Lou (Natasha Gregson Wagner) meet on the street in New York City. They are both waiting for their boyfriends. Eventually, they realize they are waiting for the same guy and they decide to confront him about it together. That man is Blake. (Robert Downey Jr.) He's been leading a double life, and is having a hard time coping with the fact that his mother is sick.
This is always an interesting film to revisit. It's a very good showcase of Robert Downey Jr.'s talent. Especially the ending. This film has one of the most heartbreaking yet beautiful endings I've ever seen. The commentary on the DVD is also very interesting, and that' why I brought up the NC-17 rating. There are plenty of films that unjustly get an NC-17 rating (Mysterious Skin comes to mind) but this one has got to be the most ridiculous. There is one sex scene in this film. It's in the dark, and both characters are fully clothed. But because it had to do with oral sex and because RDJ's character was behind Heather Graham's, they got slapped with the NC-17. All you see are their silhouettes.
This movie does have its faults, the female leads are not really on par with Downey, and the sound editing it a little off. (I know, a minor thing to complain about, but I thought it was just because I was watching the movie online but nope. It isn't)
Grade: B-
Memorable Quote: "Did you throw the plant through the window?" - Blake (Robert Downey Jr.)
I agree, this isn't a perfect film, but it's always interesting to watch. Also agree that its NC-17 rating was absurd. I've always wondered why Toback didn't protest it.
ReplyDeleteNo kidding. If they were naked, taking the Lord's name in vain AND doing a bunch of blow, then it could MAYBE qualify for NC-17. Just maybe.
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