# Blast from the Past (1999)

### reviewed by
David E. Smith

"Blast From The Past" (1999) - Brendan Fraser, Alicia Silverstone, ...

Last year's underrated "Pleasantville" tossed a couple of modern teens into the 1950s, and occasionally went so far as to touch on social issues. This year's "Blast From The Past" is its conceptual opposite, launching a young man from the early 1960s into the eerie modern world with a much lighter touch.

The story is one that could only happen in the movies. Convinced that the Cold War is about to turn hot, Calvin and Helen Webber (Christopher Walken and Sissy Spacek) lock themselves up in their bomb shelter. 35 years later, they send their son, optimistically named Adam, to the dreaded outside world for much-needed supplies. Adam (Brendan Fraser) has never seen the sun, or wacky religious cults, or public transportation, and so promptly gets lost.

Enter Eve (Alicia Silverstone), the consummate 90s girl from L.A. Adam needs a guide to this post-Apocalyptic wasteland. She knows what a liquor store is, and she even knows how to drive. Over the next hour and a half, Adam gets a practical education in the modern world... and, of course, in love, while Eve realizes this may be the one man left who won't try to ruin her life.

Yes, it's a romantic comedy, and it's utterly predictable. So what? Fraser, with goofy charm, is already well-versed at the "fish out of water" routine, having done it before in "Encino Man" and "George Of The Jungle." Once again, he pulls it off with subdued flair. The always-lovely Silverstone, complete with puppy-dog eyes, is equally charming in her role. And Dave Foley, in the cliched role of the gay best friend (as Eve's brother Troy), steals a few scenes too.

Back in the 1960s, Walken and Spacek do their jobs as well. Christopher Walken has always been good at doing "spooky-cool," but like Spacek, rarely gets a chance to do pure comedy. While Walken raises his son as a Renaissance man, Spacek goes stir crazy, and they generate more than a few chuckles in the process.

Visually, "Blast From The Past" is serviceable. Aurally, though, it's outstanding. The soundtrack is nearly a copy of the Billboard charts, if you splice together this week's chart with one from 1964. And those tunes are used to good effect, but rarely over-used. Pardon the pun, but musically it hits almost all the right notes.

There's only one major flaw in this otherwise sparkling romantic comedy. The first half-hour is spent underground, showing Adam's childhood; while it may help build the character, it waffles between almost-funny and almost-tedious. But that's what the fast-forward button is for, right? Blast through the first few minutes of "Blast From The Past" and what's left is thoroughly charming.

(This review was originally published in The Capaha Arrow, the student newspaper of Southeast Missouri State University.)

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