# Real Blonde, The (1997)

### reviewed by
Ben Hoffman

                            THE REAL BLONDE

There are several things that make THE REAL BLONDE such a delight to watch. There's the sexy, fun story and realistic dialogue, both by Tom Dicillo, the fine acting by the entire cast which consists of some great names even in the smaller roles. Take Kathleen Turner as a powerful casting agent such as is found in the real world of TV and movies. There is Marlo Thomas as a top notch photographer who knows how to make a picture tell a story that is not true. And there is Buck Henry as a psychiatrist who would love to bed his patients. And Christopher Lloyd who runs a catering service that employs actors between gigs or those who have yet to get their first break, Finally, Denis Leary as a women's self-defense instructor who tries to come on to the women who have personal problems. Wrap all that together by a fine director and you have one very entertaining film.

The story and all the characters ring true. Joe (Matthew Madine) and his live-in lover Mary (Catherine Keener) appear to be about at the end of their relationship. While Mary is a make-up artist for TV and movies, Joe is still waiting for his first job, His only income is as a waiter. Obsessed with never accepting a minor part in a film as it would be too demeaning for someone who is as good as he thinks he is, he is always out of work, always shooting off his mouth and blowing his chances of ever getting cast. Mary has just about had it with him even if they are in love.

Bob (Maxwell Caulfield) is Joe's friend and fellow-actor (and waiter!). His problem is he wants to find a real blonde, someone who does not get her hair dyed; a natural. To this end he runs after every blonde he imagines will fill the bill. What he really wants is a woman whom he can love. Among those he chases are Kelly (Daryl Hannah in a superb performance) and Sahara (Bridgette Wilson) who is seen as the perfect body on huge billboards. Is he happy? Not at all.

Joe finally settles for a role as an extra with a hundred other men in a Madonna video. He has to play up to casting director Dee Dee Taylor (Kathleen Turner) in order to get the role. When Joe meets up with Tina, (Elizabeth Berkley) who is a Madonna double, his morality suffers as he takes her to bed. So much for HIS ethics.

One would hope that despite the film being released so early in the year, that come Oscar voting time in 1999, Matthew Modine and Daryl Hannah will be remembered.

The movie runs along rapidly as we get to know all the characters and meet those on their periphery who have a bearing on the story and on their lives. That there is not a dull moment in the film is a tribute to the fine direction..

                 Written and Directed by Tom DiCillo.

    3.5 Bytes

    4 Bytes = Superb
    3 Bytes = Too good to miss
    2 Bytes = Average
    1 Byte  = Save your money

                    Copyright 1998               Ben Hoffman

The review above was posted to the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup (de.rec.film.kritiken for German reviews).
The Internet Movie Database accepts no responsibility for the contents of the review and has no editorial control. Unless stated otherwise, the copyright belongs to the author.
Please direct comments/criticisms of the review to relevant newsgroups.
Broken URLs inthe reviews are the responsibility of the author.
The formatting of the review is likely to differ from the original due to ASCII to HTML conversion.

Related links: index of all rec.arts.movies.reviews reviews