Conference bookie::movies

13.0. "Used People" by 6179::VALENZA (Note from Cicely, Alaska.) Sun Jan 31 1993 11:07

    This is a wonderful movie about the importance of people taking charge
    of their lives.  It is very funny at times, but it also has its
    bittersweet and sad moments as well.

    Most of the movie is set in Queens in the summer of 1969.  Two events
    of the time form a backdrop of the film:  the New York Mets "miracle"
    season (in which a perennially losing team wins a championship), and
    the moon landing.  Both of those events are subtle expressions of the
    joy of possibilities.  The story involves a rather eccentric Jewish
    family, and their struggles in dealing with life after the death of the
    grandfather.  His wife, played by Shirley McLean, found herself being
    hit upon by an Italian immigrant (played by Marcelo Mastroianni) who
    had influenced her life 23 years before in a way she had not previously
    known about.  One of her daughters, who actually provides many of the
    laughs, has expressed her grief over the SIDS death of her son by,
    well, going slightly over the edge--she dresses and acts like various
    movie actresses.  Her actions after seeing "The Graduate" are
    priceless.  The other daughter, played by Kathy Bates, struggles to
    find her autonomy under the shadow of her mother.   And a grandson,
    grieving over the death of his grandfather, flirts repeatedly with
    death.

    Each of the various people involved have to struggle with taking charge
    of their lives, of not letting their lives pass them by, in ways unique
    to each of them.  This is really a movie about possibilities.
    
    I really enjoyed this film.  Four stars out of four.
    
    -- Mike

    I wasn't too impressed with this movie.  Shirley MacLaine seemed to be
    playing Aurora in "Terms of Endearment."  I can't get a fix on her
    lately; even in Steel Magnolias ... she just seems to be getting all
    these grumpy over-the-hill women roles.
    
    I found myself getting emotionally involved with the grandson who was
    sure his dead grandfather was protecting him ... and therefore getting
    very disgusted with his flaky mother.  I just found this movie to be
    mean-spirited and cranky.
    
    Definitely not on the caliber of "Fried Green Tomatoes" although Kathy
    Bates, as per usual, is outstanding.
    
    Leslie

    I'll have to agree with .0 on this flick. Although I did find some
    aspects of the film alittle depressing at times, I certainly didn't
    find it mean spirited, and in fact by the end, I think it could be best
    described as in .0, "hopeful".
    
    I thought this was a thought provoking, funny, entertaining movie.
    I give it a 8.5 out of 10. (Really, it's not even as depressing as I
    make it out to be!)
    
    Steve.