Knots (2004)
The titular knots here are the ones
forged between couples, as in the phrase "tied the
knot." Not that this is a film about marriage per
se, except, of course, that it is. Marriage is certainly
important to what is going on between these couples.
The film centers around Scott Cohen
and Annabeth Gish who play Dave and Greta, a couple
who have been married for two years and who, as the
film begins, are moving into a new place. The film
seems to take place in a big city, presumably New
York. Anyway, it doesn't take long for us to meet
Dave's friends, Jake the loser (played by Michael
Leydon Campbell) and Cal the fashion photographer
pussy hound (John Stamos playing against type). Soon
all of these people will find their lives in flux
when devious maneater Lily (Paula Porizkova) gets
involved and Cal's girlfriend Emily (a chunky Tara
Reid) comes back to town after being on a business
trip.
This is an interesting ensemble
even though Cohen is a little too bland, Gish is not
as quirky as the young Julie Haggerty that we'd hope
she would be, and Porizkova is way out of her depths
as an actress here. The film moves along quite nicely
just the same. The true fun comes from watching Uncle
Jesse from "Full House" say words like "pussy" and
"blowjob" and act like a complete stud. It is funny.
The film, in fact, has a real sophomoric approach
to sex while pretended to be sophisticated yet using
terms like "fecal fetish."
"Knots" tries to be a modern and
edgy adult sex comedy. There are many elements of
the film that seem to take the approach of "what if
something that happens all the time in pornos happened
in real life." Like, what if you were invited to go
to a hot tub by two hot stewardesses or what if you
came home and found your wife in bed with a hot woman.
Of course, since we're being adults here, nothing
turns out like it does in a porn at all. Most of this
mainly thanks to Cohen's Dave's more nebbish qualities.
"Knots" may not be the best movie
ever made but its certainly charming, funny and real
at times. It only looses steam when it slows down
to be sentimental but within a small amount of time
for this diversion passing, it will often turn around
and be just as funny again for several minutes. The
twists and turns towards the end of the film just
get better and better and it ultimately ends quite
amusingly.
Even if Tara Reid doesn't really
need another fudgesicle. She's going to get one anyway.
Good for her.
Notes:
Co-written and directed by Greg
Lombado.
Filmed in NYC in spring 2003.
Viewed at SXSW
2004 in March 2004 at the Paramount Theater.
