Customer Reviews

Tune in Tomorrow

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Based on Mario Vargas Llosa's semi-autobiographical novel "Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter", this is a charming film with some laughs, tenderness, and good performances.

Peter Falk plays the highly imaginitive Pedro Carmichael, who writes radio soap operas. One of Pedro's plot devices is to pick a nation that he can blame everything on, and the lucky "country of the month" in his latest soap is Albania, which creates controversy, a huge audience, and eventual havoc. Some of the funniest moments in the film are when the soap opera "comes to life"...Dan Hedeya, as a one-eyed exterminator (watch for the neon rat over the front door of his mansion) is hilarious in his caricature of a crazed bigot.

Barbara Hershey is excellent as the "older woman", and Keanu Reeves as Martin is utterly lovable in one of his most likable performances. He does well with his Louisiana accent, and portrays a youthful naivete that's engaging and believable...and oh my goodness, the man is a work of art. Total beauty in human form.

One of my favorite scenes is between Martin and Pedro in the cafe, when Martin says: "I think I kinda want to be a writer...", and it's clever how the titles are read like an old radio show by Henry Gibson. The early 50's era is captured well in the art direction and Wynton Marsalis provides some terrific music.

On the minus side, a few of Pedro's schemes are a little slow and weak, bogging the film down at times, but overall, if you're in the mood for some light and slightly off-beat entertainment, this might fit the bill.

I laughed out loud so many times during this movie. It was truly a delight.

It centers around a young writer (Reeves) who becomes smitten with his world-weary older aunt (well, aunt-by-marriage -- they are not blood relatives). Barbara Hershey plays the aunt, who plays the lovely 36-year-old divorcee who finds herself attracted to this sweet 21-year-old young man. She thinks she wants someone "older" and "dull," so she can have some stability in her life. But, as her sister tells her later -- "You won't change. You're too wild." So she ends up falling for this younger man who has dreams of being a writer in Paris.

Their romance is sweet and heartfelt, but the true hilarity comes in the form of Peter Falk, who plays an extremely eccentric radio serial writer who is manipulating the whole town with his sensational writing. The town loves the tabloid-like melodrama he interjects into the plots; they are completely hooked. And Falk gets a lot of his ideas for the story by setting up Reeves and Hershey -- encouraging their romance (and then lifting big parts of their conversations to each other and putting it in the radio show). He also manipulates the whole town by targeting Albanians. Over and over, Albanian jokes. Albanian slander. The Albanians in town take notice!

The absurdity of the overripe plots of the radio serial are absolutely *hilarious*. We are taken into the "world" of the radio serial plot, where actors Peter Gallagher, Dan Hedaya, Elizabeth McGovern, John Larroquette, and Hope Lange play the "fictional" characters come to life in everyone's imaginations. These scenes are particularly hilarious, especially when you learn to wait for the Albanian jokes to emerge. And you *know* that they will!

One thing I will confess when I first heard about this movie: I was puzzled how they got the "incestuous" romance between Reeves' character and his "aunt" to work without creeping us all out. But, the "incest" thing quickly dispelled early in the movie. She's just an "aunt-in-law," of a sort. Not a "real" aunt. The story wouldn't have worked had she been a flesh-and-blood aunt, because we would have been too aware of the stigma that would exist in such a relationship.

This was a sweet, unusual movie. I really enjoyed it. I recommend it. It's silly, slapstick, and wait for the wretched Albanian jokes!

What a feast for the senses and mind! First of all Keanu Reeves is in it - but that is not the only reason this tape should be released in DVD format - it should be released because it has the following: 1) Great Music soundtrack that would do so well on a DVD format! Really gives a New Orleans feeling. Loved that jazzy/throaty female singer who was singing in one of the scenes. 2) The scriptwriting of a play within a play is so hilarious and outrageous - from the Albanian jokes, all the costume changes (bizarre) of the sciptwriter, the soap opera's various characters. The cast is made up of entirely entertaining individualistic characters, even those with small parts - have great comic details in their short time on screen (Keanu's screen aunt fluffing up her hair AND the plant leaves before she answers the door for example)- and Keanu Reeves is so fun and sweet as the totally smitten young man, slightly befuddled by the Peter Falk character's manipulations, plotting seduction! 4) Great chemistry between Keanu and Barbara Hershey!I think his best kiss is in this movie. 5) Get this movie - pray it comes out in DVD - that soundtrack deserves that kind of format - get some popcorn, invite your friends and watch it and laugh and laugh!

I love this movie! It's a fine comedy.

I love the romance, the schemes and betrayal, the surrealism of the piece.

Keanu is very good as the clean cut,aloof, yet smitten 'young man'. I especially like the 'dream sequence' with the jealous rage and torment .

Peter Falk does a good turn as Carmichael. He does very good accents. The animal jokes were great.

The Albanian jokes are weird, but hilarious. For example 'You're driving like a one armed Albanian with crabs'. It works though.

A classic film for any fans collection and the boppy soundtrack is a must too.

This movie is delightful to watch. Keanu Reeves is great in this movie - very charming and fun to watch. I like his character a lot as a 21-year old college boy (very believable). My favorite part in the movie is when Martin was w/ his aunt Julie in a cafeteria - telling her about his dreams, of Paris, etc. Barbara Hershey and Peter Falk are such great actors. I highly recommend this movie.

ALBANIANS BEWARE!, August 20, 1999 Reviewer: A viewer from LONDON, England I love this movie! It's a fine comedy.

I love the romance, the schemes and betrayal, the surrealism of the piece.

Keanu is very good as the clean cut,aloof, yet smitten 'young man'. I especially like the 'dream sequence' with the jealous rage and torment .

Peter Falk does a good turn as Carmichael. He does very good accents. The animal jokes were great.

The Albanian jokes are weird, but hilarious. For example 'You're driving like a one armed Albanian with crabs'. It works though.

A classic film for any fans collection and the boppy soundtrack is a must too.

A strange and clever film, with a great deal of humor, witty dialogue, and steamy heat in the Reeves/Hershey relationship.

Don't be put off by the presence of Keanu- he is very good in this funny, fanciful and generally wonderful movie. Barbara Hershey is also at her peak as the older Aunt who, despite being a total realist, can't help but fall in love with the smitten Keanu. Add in Peter Falk's fall-down-funny portrail of a famous radio serial writer who almost always is driven out of town and who helps to engineer their romance, a healthy dose of suspense, some magical realism, truly great cameos, and a clever and witty script, and you have just about the best time you can have on a sofa for two hours. The lush New Orleans setting and the wonderful flashes of the (totally hilarious) radio soap cry out for a DVD version. Just thinking about this movie brings a smile to my face. I highly recommend it.

This is really two movies for the price of one. One movie is a surrealistic, plodding, repetitive comedy about a crazy radio writer (Peter Falk) & the outrageous, somewhat distasteful soap opera he writes. One particularly terrible scene has the writer giving his leading man tips on better acting through masturbation.

The second movie, to which I give 4 stars, is a delightful, whimsical romantic comedy about an idealistic would-be writer (Keanu Reeves) & the prodigal aunt (Barbara Hershey) he courts, under the not-too-helpful influence of that crazy writer from the first movie.

Barbara Hershey is believable & appealing as a nervous 36-year-old double-divorcee, trying to convince herself she doesn't believe in romance anymore. The real delight though is Keanu Reeves, an absolute knock-out in this movie. His sweet, silky Southern accent & fluid delivery of lines that include a dreamer's eye view of Paris are entrancing. Keanu's physical acting & gift for comedy are put to wonderful use in a scene which has him climbing over church pews in pursuit of Peter Falk. I don't want to give too much away by describing in detail the best moment in the movie, when Keanu's face is instantly transformed from jealous trance to ideal love; suffice it to say it's near the end & very much worth the wait.

Fast and funny. Great feel to movie really brings out New Orleans as it is. Keanu us very good in this light hearted comedy. A fun 2 hours.