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'Compromising Positions' fits title;
it's a multi-genre cinematic combo
By mary McWhorter
Movie Reviewer
"Compromising Positions"
Directed by Frank Perry
Starring Susan Sarandon
■kirk
This is a difficult movie to catego
rize. It's funny in places but I'm not
sure I can call it a comedy. It in
volves a murder and it has some
suspense. Maybe I should call it a
thriller. And then, it deals with an is
sue. So maybe I should call it a
movie that deals with today's con
cerns. Take your pick. This movie is
really a little schizophrenic. It can't
decide what it wants to be.
Susan Sarandon plays Judith
Singer, a nave uppermiddle-class
housewife who lives in a seemingly
predictable and very ordinary
neighborhood, Shorehaven. It is not
until the neighborhood dentist,
Bruce Fleckstein, is murdered that
Singer learns the truth about her
neighborhood.
In one of the funniest scenes in the
movie, half of Shorehaven's house
wives turn up to grieve the loss of
Fleckstein at his funeral. The dentist
apparently could operate out of the
office just as well as he could in.
Singer is so shocked about her dis
covery that she decides to take up
her long-lost career as a reporter
and conduct her own investigation.
She discovers that Shorehaven is
not the sedate and conservative
neighborhood it appears to be. It is
filled with interesting characters in
interesting positions.
And it's at this point where the
movie can't seem to make up it's
mind as to what it wants to be.
It could be a comedy. The charac
ters (except for Sarandon) are
unique and funny. Especially Mary
Beth Hurt (''The Big Chill") as Sing
er's best friend. Hurt deserves an
Oscar nomination for her role as a
combination housewife, mother, art
ist and Mata Hari. Next to Meryl
Streep, Hurt is one of the top ac
tresses working today.
This movie also tries to depict the
American housewife as a poor little
slave locked into the stereotypical
role and desperately seeking some
excitement. So when a womanizing
dentist comes along, he naturally
finds it easy to seduce Shorehaven's
housewives.
The script was written by Susan
Isaacs from her novel. This could be
an interesting approach to the story,
but I just didn't have much sympa
thy for Sarandon's or her rich'
friends' plight. This movie is simply
not very timely. The Equal Rights
Amendment and women libbers
have all but disappeared from to
day's headlines.
So, what's the point, anyway?
Was I supposed to be laughing or
feeling sorry for Singer? Was I sup
posed to be afraid when Singer's life
is endangered by the killer? Or
should I rejoice at her opportunity to
prove her real worth? This movie
tries to be everything but lacks the
strength to really come- through on
any of these points.
Most of the blame goes to Frank
Perry who directed and produced
the movie. His director tricks, obtuse
camera angles and uneven story
line only put a barrier between his
work and the audience.-Overall, the
direction is flat and lacks the excite
ment that a really sharp director
could add to this movie.
The most enjoyable facet of this
movie was its unique and memora
ble montage of characters. Based on
that compromise, I can recommend
"Compromising Positions." □
Maalei-mOMei- maaiei-ifukuei
AGNES OF GOD (PG-13): A young nun gives
birth to a baby. Later, the baby is found
strangled. Agnes says she doesn't remem
ber of the birth or the impregnation. Meg
Tilly from 'The Big Chill'' stars as Sister
Agnes in this film that deals with the con
frontation of faith and reason. Anne Ban
croft and Jane Fonda also star. Plaza 3
BACK TO THE FUTURE (R): This is the most fun to
hit the silver screen this year. Michael J.
Fox, from TV's ''Family Ties," stars in this'
time-traveling comedy. *★** Cinema 3
BEVERLY HILLS COP (R): Here it is again. Eddie
Murphy makes this flick a winner. But I am
sure you already know that. *+++ Schul-
man6
COCOON (PG-13): Visitors from another planet
come to retrieve some friends that were left
behind years ago in cocoons. However,
they experience complications when a few
nursing home residents discover the reju
venating power of the cocoons. Director
Ron Howard of "Splash" fame makes this
flick a charmer that should not be missed.
kkkk Plaza 3
COMPROMISING POSITIONS (R): Susan Sa
randon stars as a housewife who is so
shocked by the murder of her dentist she
decides to turn reporter and investigate the
case herself. This movie is a strange but not
uninteresting comedy of life in suburbia.
★** Schulman 6
CREATOR (R): An eccentric college professor
(Peter O'Toole) strives to clone his wife who
has been dead for 25 years. Go see this
funny and heartwarming comedy and get
"the big picture." Also starring Mariel
Hemingway and Vincent Spano. **★*
Post Oak Mall
DEATH BED (R): I have no idea what this movie is
about but it sounds like a horror movie.
Schulman 6
DODES KADEN (UNRATED): This Japanese
movie blends fantasy with reality to show
how man can overcome his troubles with
dreams and hope. Directed by A. Kuro
sawa. Aggie Cinema, 7:30 Sunday, Rudder
EMERALD (R): This is supposed to be a mystery
starring Max Von Sydow. Schulman 6
THE GODS MUST BE CRAZY (PG): An offbeat
comedy from Africa about a Coke bottle
that is dropped from the modern world into
an ancient one. Cinema 3
INVASION USA (R): Oh dear. Another Chuck Nor
ris saves the world movie. I am sure I will
not go see this movie but plenty of you peo
ple out there in newspaperland will be
cause apparently, these movies make a lot
of money. No comment. Cinema 3
A MAN CALLED FLINTSTONE (UNRATED): A
full-length cartoon feature starring that
swanky Stone Age man, Fred Flintstone
and of course, his wife Wilma and Barney
and Betty Rubble, his neighbors. Aggie
Cinema, midnight Friday, Grove
■n.
MAXIE (PG): Maxie Malone is a wild flapper and
actress who has also been dead for 60
years. Unfortunately, she never even got to
see the one movie she got a part in. So she
decides to come back and inhabit the body
of a straight and proper wife of book collec
tor and resume her career. This comedy
may sound a little confusing but it stars
Glenn Close ("The Big Chill" and "The Nat
ural") as the raucous Maxie Malone and as
the proper Jan Cheyney so it should be pre
tty decent. Also with Ruth Gordon and
Mandy Patinkin ("Evita".) Manor East 3
PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE (PG): A wacky
comedy starring comedian Pee-Wee Her
man. See at your own risk. ** Post Oak
Mall
REAL GENIUS (PG): An above average teen flick
that provides a few laughs and is slightly
more innovative than other science movies
released this summer. Some smart college
kids develop a powerful laser that their
sneaky professor gives to the U.S. Air Force
to use as a weapon. The kids decide not
only to retrieve their invention but punish
the evil prof as well. An inspirational story.
*** Schulman 6
RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (R): A horror-
comedy that is supposed to be a spoof of
"Night of the Living Dead." This movie re
viewer has a low threshold for blood-and-
guts movies so you are on your own on this
one. Schulman 6
SILVERADO (PG-13): Ye-Ha! A shoot-em-up if
there ever was one. This western revolves
around four cowboys that fight off bad
guys, protect innocent folks and generally
do good deeds. *★★★ Manor East HI
A SOLDIER'S STORY (R): A black officer is sent to
Louisianna in the 1940's to investigate the
murder of a black soldier. This critically ac
claimed film is similar to "In The Heat of the
Night." Aggie Cinema, Friday 7:30 and
9:45, Rudder
TEEN WOLF (PG): Yuck! Pooey! A dumb and
sloppy attempt at a movie. Don't waste your
time'on this loser. Terminally putrid (no
stars) Post Oak Mall
VOLUNTEERS (R): A comedy starring Tom Hanks
and John Candy. Hanks decides to join the
Peace Corps to hide from an irate bookie he
owes money to. Plaza 3
WEIRD SCIENCE (PG-13): Anthony Michael Hall
of "The Breakfast Club" stars in this movie
as a boy who makes his ideal woman. Ru
mor has it that this is a really, really bad
movie. Manor East III