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Review
Archives
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Today's
Date is:
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The
Next Best Thing
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Reviewed
by: |
Rachel
Hughes |
| Genre: |
Comedy |
| Video: |
Anamorphic
1.85:1 Widescreen |
| Audio: |
Dolby
Digital 5.1 |
| Language: |
English
and French |
| Subtitle: |
English |
| Length: |
1hr
48mins |
| Rating: |
PG-13 |
| Release
Date: |
August
29, 2000 |
| Studio: |
Paramount |
| Commentary:
|
None |
| Documentaries:
|
None |
| Featurettes:
|
None |
| Filmography/Biography:
|
None |
|
Interviews: |
Yes
with Benjamin Bratt, Rupert Everett, Madonna, and John Schlesinger
|
| Trailers/TV
Spots: |
Yes,
Theatrical Trailer |
| Alternate/Deleted
Scenes: |
None |
| Music
Video: |
Yes,
Madonna's "American Pie" |
| Other:
|
None |
| Cast
and Crew: |
Madonna,
Rupert Everett, and Benjamin Bratt |
| Screenplay
by: |
Written By
Thomas Ropelewski |
| Produced
by: |
Tom Rosenberg, Leslie
Dixon and Linne Radmin |
| Directed
By: |
John Schlesinger |
| Music: |
Gabriel Yared |
| The
Review: |
This film
is about Abbie (Madonna), and her best friend Robert (Everett)
who happens to be gay. One night after consoling each other
over the loss of a friend, and consuming much alcohol they share
one night together. Abbie becomes pregnant and they all live
together forming a strange, but loving family. Then Abbie meets
the man of her dreams and their family becomes threatened. The
first half of the movie has many funny moments and is enjoyable
to watch. However once Abbie becomes engaged the characters
do a complete 180 and start acting like squabbling children.
They refuse to listen or think about anyone else. They jump
to the wrong conclusion and can't admit they were wrong. What
made you care about the characters in the first half of the
movie is destroyed. The only character that remained consistent
was that of Bratt. |
| Image
and Sound |
The colors
of LA have never looked so lush beautiful. The colors seem to
have been slightly washed to give everything a glow. There is
no sharpness, but this is not a criticism, it works wonderfully
in the film. The sound is also of high quality. The voices are
all natural and the score stays in the back and does not detract
from the dialogue. |
| The
Extras |
This DVD
features the original theatrical trailer, as well as Madonna's
"American Pie" video. Under cast and crew interviews there is
"Reflection on The Next Best Thing". This is more like a featurette
than a series of interviews. It features Rupert Everett, Madonna,
John Schlesinger, and Benjamin Bratt. They talk about why they
did the film and how it was to work with everyone else. Although
it runs 14mins and 30secs almost half of that is taken up by
film clips. |
| Commentary |
None |
| Final
Words: |
The Next
Best Thing is not a movie I would recommend. The movie itself
was disappointing and the DVD does not offer very much. If you
enjoyed the movie when you saw it, then I would recommend rent
the movie on DVD for now and wait for a special edition. Perhaps
one with a director's commentary would add more depth and meaning
to the film as a whole. |
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