90s Movie Review - "Fools Rush In" (1997)

And.... an extended riff on adult cinema (no, not that kind).

I’m going over 500 Words today, as the past two posts were light. It seems that book reviews are not the most popular thing on here, but that’s OK…. gonna still write ‘em anyway! If you have any ideas for topics, do not hesitate to drop me a line! Thank you again for subscribing!

One of my favorite movie podcasts, in the current rotation, is The Ringer networks’s “The Big Picture.” These programs explore a variety of topics in film, including a bunch of old movie reviews. Recently, they looked at the films of 1975 (the year I was born), performing a “draft” of that year’s many classics, including "Dog Day Afternoon,” “Shampoo,” “Nashville,” and of course…. the movie that I plan to watch in perpetuity, but never do…. Stanley Kubrick’s 3 hour+ period drama “Barry Lyndon” (currently on HBO Max, swear I’m going to finish it by December).

Take a listen here.

One particular comment on this show stood out to me. In conducting a deep dive of these storied movies, co-host Amanda Dobbins noted the “realness” of these characters, the smaller stakes they faced, and the relative mundane nature of day-to-day life. Of course, this observation is then contrasted to the superhero-dominated blockbusters of today, with an apocalypse imminent every 20 minutes or so. Even 1975’s ORIGINAL summer event film, Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws,” has that gritty, realistic quality which so many of today’s slick productions lack (I’m looking at YOU “Fast and Furious” franchise!!!). The hosts further riff on the fact, and this is without question, that mostly everything we see in theaters now, is essentially intended for kids, not adults. Comparing the trends of today to the 70’s, for instance, mostly all of the big films of that era were markedly intended for an older audience.

Personally, as someone who adores a good 100 minute, well-written script, viewable in a theater with viable box office potential…. those times are sorely missed.

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So anyway, “Fools Rush In” is available on Netflix. A nihilistic 70s drama it is not. It’s fluffy and a bit contrived. That said, the characters, like the counterparts of 20 years earlier, have that relatability factor. Matthew Perry, at the height of his mid-90s powers, is an architect, dispatched to Las Vegas and overseeing the building of a nightclub. He meets Salma Hayek at a restaurant, They have a very nice meet-cute at a … payphone (by the way, cell phones have ruined most movie plots in 2021, but I digress). Chemistry occurs, followed by a one night stand….. she gets pregnant.

After a period of time apart, Hayek visits Perry, drops the baby bomb on him, and we hit the second act. The remainder of the movie is a surprisingly touching and relatable tale of family relationships in a clash of culture. Being a rom-com, things wrap up nicely and most of the typical beats are hit, but I would call this a more sophisticated example of the genre.

A few other notes.

• Having just witnessed the current iteration of Matthew Perry on the recent “Friends” reunion, it was nice to see him here, in his prime. Salma Hayek has a lovely, smart presence on screen.

• Smoking in movies always looks cool. That’s a fact.

• This is one of the most Catholic movies I’ve seen in a while…. has a PRO-LIFE message delivered in a balanced, non-controversial way, coupled with a very devout family storyline.

• The exterior shots of Perry in mid-90s Vegas…. TREMENDOUS. Compared to 2021, the place looks like a desert ghost town (and remember, the town in 1996 was a teeming metropolis compared to say, 1960)….. also enjoyed the ending at the Hoover Dam, and the well-done scenes at the Grand Canyon.

Recommend!