Miami Rhapsody (1995)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

David Frankel

Writer (WGA):

David Frankel (written by)

Release Date:

27 January 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Gwyn Marcus (Sarah Jessica Parker) has always wanted a marriage like her parents. She has just accepted the proposal of her boyfriend Matt...

Plot Keywords:

Marriage | Infidelity | Marital Problem | Interracial Romance | Unfaithfulness

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Sarah Jessica Parker	...	Gwyn Marcus
Gil Bellows	...	Matt
Antonio Banderas	...	Antonio
Mia Farrow	...	Nina Marcus
Paul Mazursky	...	Vic Marcus
Kevin Pollak	...	Jordan Marcus
Barbara Garrick	...	Terri
Carla Gugino	...	Leslie Marcus
Bo Eason	...	Jeff
Naomi Campbell	...	Kaia
Jeremy Piven	...	Mitchell
Kelly Bishop	...	Zelda
Mark Blum	...	Peter
Norman Steinberg	...	Charlie
Ben Stein	...	Rabbi

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-8 | Germany:6 (w) | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Dade County, Florida, USA

Company:

Cantaloupe Production

Quotes:

Matt: Can't you just relax and enjoy the moment?
Gwyn: No, I'm a middle child. I always think the really good moments are happening to someone else.

Soundtrack:

INSECT STOMP

Funny, hip and heartbreaking... no easy feat!

This is one of those movies you either hate or love at first sight.

Certainly it has an Allenesque feel to it (It may not be a mere coincidence that Mia Farrow is one of it stars, doing a marvelous send-up of the kind of characters she used to play for Woody, from Hannah to [more closely] Alice Tate), but there's so much more to it than that!

Sarah Jessica Parker is the link in the story, but not necessarily the main knot. Take Antonio Banderas's turn parodying himself and the "suave latino lover" typecasts, or Carla Gugino's bubbly charm, or Barbara Garrick's bravura performance as the too-briefly seen Terri. Of course, good things always may come hand-in-hand with lackluster spots... one of the biggest here? Naomi Campbell sitting pretty and saying "Fuck off" with as much enthusiasm as a laptop computer with a british accent. She is typecast alrigtht, but instead of playing with the possibilities like Banderas did, she just walks by as in a catwalk, but she is remarkably far from fantastic.

Now that brings us to another contrast, for Gil Bellows' performance as Matt, the understated and understanding fiance is nothing short of great. His smile can lit up a room (common knowledge) and yet when he has to unburden his anger and pain he does it in a way that is quiet and convincing. No high drama, no storming through doors. His character is a man in love but pushed too hard by his beloved (Parker) so his empathy is believable to a fault. His is one of the most delightful moments of the film, including the possibility of salvage at the closing.

The scenery goes well with Mark Isham's excellent score and yes, these characters are perhaps a bit too neurotic to be really lovable, but that is the point of it all, and this movie proves it, hands down.

Definitely not a masterpiece, but a good, entertaining and also aching film that is in no way forgettable after all.