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The Films of John G. Avildsen

Turn on to Love

Guess What We Learned in School Today?

Joe

Cry Uncle

Okay Bill

Save the Tiger (July 31/18)

Featuring one of Jack Lemmon's very best performances, Save the Tiger follows Harry Stoner (Lemmon), a middle-aged partner in a dress-manufacturing firm, over the course of an especially eventful day and a half - with the movie revolving around Harry's efforts at handling a series of possible calamities (eg his company owes thousands in back taxes, an important client almost dies after an encounter with a prostitute, etc, etc). Filmmaker John G. Avildsen has infused Save the Tiger with a deliberately-paced and decidedly matter-of-fact sensibility, as the movie, written by Steve Shagan, is primarily devoted to the minutia of the central character's existence and the impact his actions have on those around him - with the almost real-time vibe proving effective at transforming Lemmon's protagonist into a sympathetic and thoroughly compelling figure. And although the movie is rarely able to raise itself to Lemmon's superlative level, Save the Tiger nevertheless boasts a handful of admittedly engrossing sequences that cumulatively cultivate a stirring character-study atmosphere - with the picture's center piece undoubtedly a riveting sequence detailing Harry nervous breakdown during what should've been a routine presentation. The movie does falter towards the end, however, with an overlong and somewhat dull encounter between Harry and a freespirited hippie (Laurie Heineman's Myra), and yet it's not quite enough to diminish what's otherwise (and ultimately) an accomplished and surprisingly affecting little drama.

out of

W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings

Rocky

Click here for review.

Slow Dancing in the Big City

The Formula

Neighbors

A Night in Heaven

The Karate Kid & The Karate Kid Part II

Click here and here for reviews.

Happy New Year

For Keeps (August 2/01)

For Keeps takes a potentially intriguing subject (two teenagers attempting to start their lives together) and piles on cliche after cliche, until it's about as compelling as an afterschool special. Molly Ringwald, in one of her last pre-erotic thriller performances, stars as a young woman that finds herself pregnant by her long-time boyfriend, and the two decide to settle down and start a family. Obviously, it's not as easy as they might have hoped. Every possible cliche you could think of is thrown into the mix - from strained relationships with parents to alcoholism to Ringwald being on the business end of some serious resentment from her classmates - For Keeps really runs the gamut. And in the process, almost becomes a parody of itself. But it's reasonably entertaining, I guess, and various celebs pop up in pre-fame bit parts (Pauly Shore and Larry "Dr. Giggles" Drake, to name a couple).

out of

Lean on Me

The Karate Kid Part III & Rocky V

Click here and here for reviews.

The Power of One

8 Seconds

Inferno

© David Nusair