Main Page
Alphabetical Menu
The "L" Menu

Loverboy (R)





Release Date: June 16th, 2006 (Angelika Film Center) by THINKfilm.
The Cast: Kyra Sedgwick, Dominic Scott Kay, Kevin Macon, Blair Brown, Matt Dillon, Oliver Platt, Campbell Scott, Marisa Tomei, Sandra Bullock.
Directed by Kevin Bacon.

BASIC PREMISE: Emily (Sedgwick), a single mother, becomes overprotective of her 6 year-old son, Paul (Kay).

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: Despite an outstanding performance by Kyra Sedgwick as Emily, Loverboy has a weak, stilted script with too many pretentious and creepy moments. Emily protects her son Paul 24 hours, 7 days a week without him even leaving the house alone to attend school or to play with friends. Why does Emily act so crazy? Gradually, poorly-edited, awkward flashbacks of Emily’s childhood help to answer this question. Not surprisingly, her father (Bacon) and mother (Tomei) neglected her when she was young and fat. Now, as an adult, the only man in her life is Paul, her six-year-old son played convincingly by Dominic Scott Kay. Unfortunately, screenwriter Hannah Shakespeare goes too far with trying to drive the point that Emily wants Paul to be very close with her all the time—it quickly gets too creepy and perverse. Soon enough, Paul wants some freedom in his life, i.e. playing with friends and going to school while, at the same time, Emily flirts with Mark (Dillon), who wants to be a father figure for Paul. Without any true-to-life moments or likable, believable characters, it’s difficult to care about what happens to any of them. Even director Kevin Bacon’s stylish visuals can’t help to add any liveliness. The predictable third act goes over-the-top with drama and feels just as contrived and awkward as the rest of this creepy film.

SPIRITUAL VALUE: Unfortunately, none.

INSULT TO YOUR INTELLIGENCE: Stilted script with a dull, predictable plot.

NUMBER OF TIMES I CHECKED MY WATCH: 5

IN A NUTSHELL: Kyra Sedgwick gives an outstanding performance! However, the stilted, contrived scenes feel too creepy, perverse, and, ultimately, dull.

RECOMMENDED WAY TO WATCH: TV


Main Page
Alphabetical Menu
The "L" Menu


______________________________________________________
Avi Offer
The NYC Movie Guru
themovieguru101@yahoo.com
Privacy Policy