Double Parked
(1999)
I saw two films at Slamdance
that were typical driven saved by their lead actors,
"Blink of an Eye," and "Double Parked."
Callie Thorne, of TV's "Homicide," is a little firecracker
here. Her undeniable spirit makes "Double Parked" soar
at times. It's too bad she's caught up in such a dreary,
tired, pretentious "Afterschool Special" on pharmaceuticals.
The film is in trouble from the beginning when it
starts portraying an abusive relationship that is nothing
short of contrived Hollywood shit. Thank God it only
goes on for one scene. Then the film delves into the
realm of the completely ridiculous when it tries to
tie up it's ends in the later 2/3's of it's run time.
When the past comes to haunt the present it is nothing
short of drivel. It doesn't work, can't work, because
it is poorly written, poorly executed and insanely amateurish.
But Thorne finds plenty of moments to make magic in-between
this crap. Her romance with William Sage (of Hal Hartley
fame) is nothing short of quirky sweetness. There initial
kiss, where Thorne giggles for a moment, is just wonderful.
We haven't seen this kind of fresh alchemy since Rosie
Perez hit the screen in "White Men Can't Jump." Thorne
is "Perez Lite," just as quirky but nowhere near as
irritating. She's going to be huge.
"Double Parked" is also lucky to have two of the hottest
young males in film in the cast. We can only assume
this film was lensed before they were "discovered" to
be so talented in indie hits last year. Noah Fleiss
dares to be bleached and outrageous for his role. He
shows nowhere near the capacity to surprise and engage
as he did in "Joe the King," but then again, he has
almost no opportunity to do so. The script treats him
as victim/criminal so poorly that we could really care
less about him. Meanwhile, Rufus Read, who amazed us
in "Happiness," with his troubling and stalling performance,
is forced into the role of diseased nerd (another victim).
His poorly drawn character has no opportunity to be
likable or poignant and Read, at his wit's end, simply
turns in a "TV Movie-of-the-Week" child victim that
irritates and bores. It's sad to see such amazing talent
wasted like this.
Writer/Director Stephen Kinsella couldn't write his
way out of a paper bag. He couldn't create tension or
romantic crackle or poignancy without his amazing cast.
He's in way over his head here. Thank God Thorne takes
pity on him and turns in one of the most engaging and
likable single moms ever to grace the silver screen.
She is the woman behind the film. She gives this tripe
a reason to exist.
Note:
Kinsella is also a producer here.
Co-scripted by Paul Solberg, who has a cameo as a
wig salesman.
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