LA Story
A hilarious spoof of the eccentric shallowness of the people of Los Angeles, Mick Jackson has crafted, with Steve Martin’s script, one of the first great comedies of the 90s. Martin in the lead shows why he is one of the best everyman comedy stars of all time, showing his trademark mass frustration at the world around him without coming across as whiny. Victoria Tennant (his wife at the time), also does well for herself as the tuba-playing British journalist. Henner is funny and bitchy as Martin’s on-off girlfriend, and Richard E. Grant is amusing at times as well. But it’s Sarah Jessica Parker (back when she was still VERY sexy), who steals the film lock, stock, and barrel as SanDeE*, the ditsy, free-spirited California girl whom Martin has a fling with. Continuously bouncing and full of energy, she’s the type of girl no real man can say no to, and a certain weight is lifted from the film whenever she is onscreen. The cameos and supporting roles range from hilarious (Patrick Stewart as the Nazi-like maitre’d), to being boring and having little to them (both Chevy Chase and Kevin Pollak are utterly wasted). There are so many good bits in the film, such as the “robber for the night”, and the LA Freeway shootout, that the parts that bomb can almost be forgiven (Moranis’ cameo, the two main characters turning briefly into children). The traffic sign gimmick is interesting, and makes for some fine surrealism, but many times the film’s sense of whimsy goes too far for its own good. Nonetheless, this may be Martin’s strongest effort of the 90s, with a touching ending…
9/10