12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
All I want?, August 2, 2004
It's tough being a seventeen-year-old virgin. Especially one with an active imagination, and gallons of hormones. Or at least, it's tough for Jones Dillon, the slightly neurotic teenage hero of "All I Want," a fitful but rather amusing romantic comedy that breaks some rules and sticks religiously to others.
Seventeen-year-old Jones (Elijah Wood) arrives at a university -- unless he enrolls, he can't access the sizable inheritance his grandpa left him. But after being scared off by the roommate from hell, he drops out and heads to a local sublet apartment building. The building comes with some unusual roommates: gay cowboy Brad (Aaron Pearl), sultry aspiring actress Lisa (Mandy Moore), and sullen photographer Jane (Franka Potente).
Settling into his new home, Jones bickers with his estranged mother from Texas, and writes (very imaginative) letters to the mysterious father he never knew. But to deal with the problems of his life, this confused teen will have to face up to the reality around him -- and the women who want him. Especially when he learns that the truth is harsh, and might just break his heart.
Romantic comedies are a dime a dozen, and most of them are forgotten the moment the credits roll. In contrast, "All I Want" (original title: "Try Seventeen") manages to be pretty memorable. Different settings, different characters, and a different kind of lead -- rather than a Holden Caulfield wannabe or a stud, Jones is the kind of likable kid who lives down your street.
The script is somewhat flawed. The ending is pure Hollywood cliche. And it's hard to see why Jones would prefer the alcoholic and abusive Jane over the sweeter if sluttier Lisa. However, relative directing newbie Jeffrey Porter shows plenty of quirks and humor that you won't find in any Julia Roberts comedy -- Jones daydreaming about blasting a car with a bazooka, while blonde bombshells fawn over him, is especially funny.
Elijah Wood gives a wonderfully nuanced, layered performance as Jones, a naive teenager whose life is in a tangle. Wood plays Jones as a sweet, wistful lad with some unusual quirks, but also gets to be rough'n'tough in the delicious "revenge" scene near the end. Mandy Moore shares good chemistry with him, and gives astonishing depth to what could have been a soulless role; her Lisa is flawed, but a pleasant person with regrets and personality. And most memorable is Blondie singer Debbie Harry, as a sexy matron who invades Jones's dreams.
A fun if flawed romantic comedy, "All I Want" features excellent acting from Wood and Moore, and a likably quirky sensibility. Fun and cute, and certainly worth curling up in front of.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"All I Want" is all you need, August 12, 2003
"All I Want" is not so much a quest for cool as it is a quest for identity. As a teen romance, the film flops. As an intriguing independent coming-of-age story, it soars.
The film opens with wretched cliches: freshman-baiting bullies, a blond sexpot (Debbie Harry), and Oedipal red neck intimidators. But just as the despair-factor begins to take hold, Jones Dillon (Elijah Wood) pays a visit to his neighborhood convenience store. He picks up a case of beer, a pack of cigarettes, and attempts a pickup of his unknowing new neighbor, Jane (Franka Potente).
Happy-puppy Jones follows street-smart Jane to the apartment building they both share. Disaster unfolds. Jane maces Jones as he approaches her in the front hall. A helpful neighbor (Andrew Jackson) appears with a six-shooter and an attitude. The scene leaves you wincing and laughing. Action and interest perk up from that moment on.
This is a subtle, quirky film. Off beat humor and tender scenes are enhanced by a good alternative music soundtrack. Wood has fine moments as his character learns to furnish an apartment, open a bottle of wine, and, eventually, to relinquish long held fantasies.
But the whole cast creates an ensemble of believable and empathetic characters, from Potente's edgy photographer to Mandy Moore's self-absorbed wannabe actress. Elizabeth Perkins, playing Jones' Holly-Go-Lightly mother, is a heartbreaker. But it's all held together by Wood's engaging Jones.
When "All I Want" finally takes aim, it hits the target.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very Good Teen Movie, November 15, 2003
Over all, this is a very cute and entertaining movie. Elijah Wood is a 17 year-old who is out on his own in the world. He leaves college after only one day and gets an apartment where he meets two girls whom hate each other. Elijah is adorable (as usual) and you really feel for his character. Franka Potente is very good as well. While she seems crazy at first, she ends up being a very lovable character. Mandy Moore, on the other hand, was very unconvincing and had very wooden acting. I liked her in "A Walk to Remember" but she was just plain horrible in this. Besides her stinking up the movie, it is very lovable and I reccomend any young adult to see it.
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