Thursday, October 15, 1998
Bland ‘Bad Manners’ invites annoyance, boredom
FILM: Awkward attempt at wit produces unreal characters,
dialogue
By Ricky Herzog
Daily Bruin Contributor
Intensity, creativity and energy. These are three key components
to the making of a truly amazing film. Unfortunately, these
ingredients are all absent from the lackluster drama "Bad
Manners."
The film follows a New England couple, Wes (David Strathairn)
and Nancy (Bonnie Bedelia), who have invited Nancy’s ex-boyfriend
from college, Matt (Saul Rubinek), and his current younger flame,
Kim (Cardeen Feeney), to stay with them for a few days while Matt
gives an important lecture on musicology at Harvard.
Misunderstandings and psychological games create tension between
the characters, testing the strength of the two relationships and
the honesty of the people in them.
The script sets up various contrived sequences which are used as
springboards for the scholarly characters to spout dialogue which
attempts to be witty and bold, but it usually ends up as awkward
and unrealistic. The actors are not able to raise this dialogue to
the next level by infusing it with a much needed dose of emotion
and humanity.
As Wes, a New England professor, Strathairn falls into playing
the stereotypical uptight and anal professor, making his screen
presence little more than an annoyance.
Cardeen Feeney receives the thankless job of playing the poorly
written younger, sexy woman; she mistakenly believes, however, that
smoking cigarettes in various poses throughout the entire film
constitutes acting. Bonnie Bedelia and Saul Rubinek turn in
adequate, though unexciting, performances in their fairly
one-dimensional roles.
The direction is generally bland, although there are some
vaguely creative scenes. One sequence sets up two contrasting shots
between the two very different couples. Kim and Matt jet along in
their convertible, swerving dangerously around the road, as the
scene cuts to Wes and Nancy, the more reserved married couple,
driving slowly in their clean and practical sedan. It gets the
point across, though it may be a bit blunt in presenting the
dichotomy.
The script does include some interesting things about
probability, honesty and human relations, but the predictable
dialogue usually overshadows this.
The film ambles along at a slow pace, making 90 minutes seem
like three hours, and when the end finally comes you don’t know
whether to be disappointed at the lack of climax or relieved that
the film is finally over.
"Bad Manners" open nationwide on Oct. 23.Phaedra Cinema
Kim (Caroleen Feeney) and Matt (Saul Rubinek) have their
relationship and characters tested in "Bad Manners."
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