The Battalion
da' • December 12, 1997
IFESTYLES
iarofalo delivers usual charm
,J latest film The Matchmaker
end®
The Matchmaker
starring Janeane Garofalo
[directed by Mark Joffe
Rated Pg-13
Playing at Hollywood 16
★ ** (out of five)
"atchmaker / Match
maker / Make me a
.match / Find me a
d / Catch me a catch.”
*Th( idea of matchmaking is
■tty much something I began
jading after friends would try
[ set me up with girls with
eat personalities.”
Halized this was a colloquial-
i foi she just broke up with her
i yfriend of three years and I need
uto make her feel good about
rseleven though you are going
hale a miserable time trying to
t her to stop crying.”
Ba i ically matchmaking is an art
it went the way of Shelly Long
Jffd Eddie Murphy’s credibility.
»i In t he new film The Matchmak-
vi' coinedic darling of the mo-
jnt, faneane Garofalo, gets
ughi up in a single person’s
ditmare — a matchmaking fes-
al.
Garofalo plays Marcy, a politi-
1 aide who gets the assignment
track down a Boston politi-
P°f m’s ancestral heritage in Ire-
id, the land of really disturbing
cents and a healthy apprecia-
m of alcohol.
16$ I Upon her arrival in Ireland, she
. ids out the small village she is
i Ifiaying in is holding their annual
atlhmaking festival. Basically,
I cor 'e festival is a throwback to the
lys where men and women
; ould met, look at each other, ex-
aC'hjle each other’s teeth and de-
^ de to get hitched. How romantic.
! soltf Well, the town matchmakers
is decide Marcy needs to end her
linster ways and tie the knot with
ma' local laddie named — now dig
Janeane Garofalo and David O’Hara
a romantic comedy that finds Garofalo
this originality — Sean, played
charmingly by David O’Hara.
Matchmaker is a movie meant
to do two things. First, it is meant to
capitalize on the career of Garofalo.
Since her classic performance in
Reality Bites, this woman has given
short, out-of-shape women a voice.
She is one of the funniest women
today and there is no pretentious
ness to her presence.
Second, the movie is a tourist
advertisement for the Emerald Isle.
This movie has more sweeping
epic shots than they know what to
do with. Marcy lands in the airport,
sweeping shot of the countryside.
Marcy meets Sean, sweeping shot
of the countryside. Marcy picks her
nose, sweeping shot of the coun
tryside. Get the picture?
Garofalo’s performance is her
first foray into real movie acting. In
past films, she has played a different
star in the new film The Matchmaker,
traveling to Ireland for a business trip.
version of her stage persona.
Matchmaker marks her ditching
this stage personality for a real char
acter. While her acting is exception
al in the film, most of America still is
addicted to the persona and will not
find many of the typical biting re
marks they expect from Garofalo.
O'Hara almost steals the show
away from its star playing Sean,
Marcy’s intended. He offers a hu
morous performance with biting
wit and gawky charm.
The supporting cast is funny
and even minor characters in
Matchmaker come alive through
excellent direction by Mark Joffe.
The flaw of the show is the
script. The idea of the matchmak
ing festival is novel and oft-times
offers some of the movies best
laughs. However, the premise of
traveling to find a politician’s an
cestors is borderline stupid. Ad
mittedly, I’m not from Boston and
I’m not Irish — I think. But is find
ing some distant relatives that im
portant to winning an election?
The movie does get side
tracked easily, focusing on in
significant moments that detract
away from the main story. This
Ullesysess-ian attempt at chroni
cling an Irish village takes away
from the romance.
Matchmaker is a cute, but easily
forgotten movie that hopefully is
just another stepping stone in the
career of Garofalo.
— By Aaron Meier
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