REEL CRITICS

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Reel Critics column features movie critiques

written by community members serving on our panel.

‘Random Hearts’ will render you sleepy

Here’s a helpful hint of some things to bring with you should you choose

to see “Random Hearts” -- No-Doz and money for the concession stand. The

No-Doz is obvious; the snacks are in case the No-Doz fails, because this

movie is so boring and long.

Harrison Ford and Kristin Scott Thomas star in this new film by director

Sydney Pollack. Ford stars as Van Den Something, a.k.a. Dutch, a

Washington, D.C. detective. Scott stars as Kay Chandler, a New Hampshire

congresswoman.

They are brought together when a plane headed for Miami crashes with

their respective spouses on board together. Also going on -- as totally

unnecessary subplots -- are Dutch’s investigation of a bad cop and the

congresswomen’s campaign for a second term.

After accidentally finding out his wife was on the plane, Dutch begins

some investigative work into why. In order to piece together the

information of his wife’s affair, he finds he must engage Chandler. At

first, she is a reluctant follower, but as the evidence grows stronger,

she soon realizes the impact on her daughter and on her campaign.

Grief and betrayal make strange things happen to people, and soon Dutch

and Chandler wind up in each other’s arms and beds. As they resolve the

truth of the affair, the heat of their passion cools off, leaving only

the lame subplots left to resolve. This, fortunately for the audience, is

done posthaste.

As I said, this movie is really boring. The characters are uninteresting

and dull, and as an audience member, I could never empathize with them. I

would have rather learned more about the spouses that went down with the

plane.

How two such talented actors ended up in this movie is truly beyond me.

Save “Random Hearts” for video, especially if you are having trouble

falling asleep.

* HEIDI BRESSLER, 35, is a hairstylist and Costa Mesa resident.

‘Drive Me Crazy’ will drive you crazy

It’s funny, silly, cute. Yet “Drive Me Crazy” will probably drive you

crazy unless you can remember how you actually acted in high school --

not how you want to think you were.

Hollywood’s doing high school again (something it’s been trying lately,

with very little success). But this time Hollywood actually earns good

grades. With a good script, funny characters and a high energy level,

“Drive Me Crazy” can do just that and also leave you a much happier

person.

Nicole is full of school spirit and part of the “popular” group. Chase is

a rebel, pulling pranks and looked down upon by that popular set. Nicole

wants the star basketball player, Brad, to take her to the Centennial

dance, which she’s spent months planning.

Chase and Nicole live next door to each other but are about as close as

the earth and the moon. Chase has a girlfriend -- he’s happy. He’s

easygoing and Nicole could be best described as hyper.

Nicole loses Brad a week before the all-important dance. Chase is dumped

for an older guy. Nicole gets drunk at a party and decides that she and

Chase can save each other by pretending to date, thus saving her from

going stag to the dance. Nicole cleans up Chase and voila! He’s now good

enough to be her slave.

“Drive Me Crazy” sounded stupid, predictable and boring. But the movie

doesn’t sell out its characters. The audience could be fellow students.

It explains a lot about high school, friends and relationships and how

precarious the whole situation really is.

It could be one of those public service announcements -- except that it’s

wonderfully entertaining. It’s still crazy at times, but it’s a whole lot

better than most of the latest teen movies.

Is it any good for adults, though? If the adult can accept that a

romantic comedy could be just as good with a teenage couple, then yes, it

has the same formula -- and a great zest that has been missing recently.

Just remember, the title represents proper warning. But crazy can be lots

of fun!

* MELISSA RICHARDSON, 19, is a Costa Mesa resident and a junior at UCI.