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WHITE PALACE
1990 was not a terrible year in cinema, documented by my recent re-watch of White Palace, an edgy and intelligent adult romance about two people with sexual heat who are in very different stages of grief. Oh, and you have Jason Alexander with hair.
James Spader plays Max, a 27 year old up-and-coming who meets cute with a 43-year old waitress named Nora Baker, who has a Marilyn complex and loves to drink and have sex. And her house is a mess. Of course, there is the classic "The Haves vs Haves Not" sensibilities that help to keep our star-crossed lovers apart.
Director Luis Mandor must be credited for this steamy look at contemporary relationship land, anchored bya near brilliant screenplay by Ted Tally, based on Glenn Savon's novel that is dark and challenging and never forgets that some of cinema's most telling romantic moments are silent.
Remember when Sisan Sarandon was delicious and James Spader was thin and sexy? Susan Sarandon, as always, is illuminated sex on legs as Nora, another one of those great movie characters who not only knows speaks without filter but knows how to it make it hurt. Spader is the personification of urban sophistication that really needs to get laid. There are some deft supporting turns offered by a clearly hand-picked veteran supporting cast...Eileen Brennan as a warm clairvoyant relative of Nora's, Renee Taylor as Max's mother, and Kathy Bates as Max's boss offer great star turns that serve the story, nothing more.
But what this movie has more than anything is smoldering sexual heat between the two lead actors...only Sarandon's work with Kevin Costner in Bull Durham begins to rival this. Bouqets as well to set direction, sound editing and a lush soap-opera score, If you liked When Harry Met Sally...
1990 was not a terrible year in cinema, documented by my recent re-watch of White Palace, an edgy and intelligent adult romance about two people with sexual heat who are in very different stages of grief. Oh, and you have Jason Alexander with hair.
James Spader plays Max, a 27 year old up-and-coming who meets cute with a 43-year old waitress named Nora Baker, who has a Marilyn complex and loves to drink and have sex. And her house is a mess. Of course, there is the classic "The Haves vs Haves Not" sensibilities that help to keep our star-crossed lovers apart.
Director Luis Mandor must be credited for this steamy look at contemporary relationship land, anchored bya near brilliant screenplay by Ted Tally, based on Glenn Savon's novel that is dark and challenging and never forgets that some of cinema's most telling romantic moments are silent.
Remember when Sisan Sarandon was delicious and James Spader was thin and sexy? Susan Sarandon, as always, is illuminated sex on legs as Nora, another one of those great movie characters who not only knows speaks without filter but knows how to it make it hurt. Spader is the personification of urban sophistication that really needs to get laid. There are some deft supporting turns offered by a clearly hand-picked veteran supporting cast...Eileen Brennan as a warm clairvoyant relative of Nora's, Renee Taylor as Max's mother, and Kathy Bates as Max's boss offer great star turns that serve the story, nothing more.
But what this movie has more than anything is smoldering sexual heat between the two lead actors...only Sarandon's work with Kevin Costner in Bull Durham begins to rival this. Bouqets as well to set direction, sound editing and a lush soap-opera score, If you liked When Harry Met Sally...