Many movies have been influenced by New York culture. New York is the big East Coast city that has been a setting for movies time after time. Why not give another city its due respect? That is what screenwriter and lead actor Steve Martin thought. His comedic takes on Los Angeles is spot on, at least according to my LA friends. I may not live in California. Heck, I have never been there. But some of the dear people in my life herald from this area, so I found comedic value. Sure, they played up the comedy with the freeway shootout and socially acceptable mugging bit. It's relatable comedy. I think New Yorkers will love the scenes with Patrick Stewart as the Maitre D at this upscale French restaurant. The food culture in both cities rings very true, even to this day more than thirty years after the movie was released.
When people visit LA or Hollywood for the first time, people expect to be in seventh heaven. Martin wants people to keep their ideas in check with his snide (and often hilarious) takes on Los Angeles. In addition to being a love letter of sorts toward the city, this movie works well as a fantasy romance. Sarah Jessica Parker's character, spelled in a very unique way, is a ball of energy. SanDeE* is her name. Love the spelling! As a fantasy, Martin's character is given wisdom and advice from a flashing construction sign. Honestly, I wish I could be given life advice that way. Martin spent seven years on-and-off writing the screenplay. The time was well spent learning the ins and outs of LA culture. And the use of Enya. Who doesn't love the soothing music of Enya. Director Mick Jackson effectively adapts Martin's screenplay to the big screen by combining fantasy and romance as if they were one.
Harris K. Telemacher (Steve Martin) is a painfully adept meteorologist. After all, a man who predicts the weather does not have to be the smartest one in a place where it is sunny 95% of the time. He feels bored at life and is wasted in a relationship with his girlfriend, Trudi. Once he realizes she is having an affair, he leaves her. He finds a spark when he meets English journalist Sara McDowell (Victoria Tennant) who is in town writing a story about LA culture. She is introduced by her ex-husband and Harris's friend, Roland (Richard E. Grant). Harris thinks that is the woman of his dreams but he feels like she is only interested in her ex. He dates the much younger model, SanDeE* (Sarah Jessica Parker) to get her attention. But the flashing signpost may be the key to Harris's love life and perhaps life in general.
This is Steve Martin's best comedy in some time. His character starts out obnoxious and a sense of dread built inside me. But over time, I became attached to his character as he tries to find his true love. Funnily enough, Martin was married to Victoria Tennant at the time. That would explain their chemistry with one another. Sarah Jessica Parker is a ball of energy and not the brightest bulb, but I dug her character. I loved Patrick Stewart and his restaurant scenes. His scenes were out of place for Stewart and had me in stitches. There are also a whole bunch of cameos which I will not spoil, but some of them are unexpected.
L. A. Story is Steve Martin's love story to the city of Los Angeles. Those invested in the food/art culture will find something to laugh at. The people in Southern California do love to sit outside and drink cappuccinos every day, right? Also, plastic surgery is apparently a thing here. I actually did not realize that. In addition to a story about the smoggy, traffic-infested city, it doubles as a mostly effective love story. It took some time to get invested in the love story, but I am glad I was able to.
My Grade: B+
When people visit LA or Hollywood for the first time, people expect to be in seventh heaven. Martin wants people to keep their ideas in check with his snide (and often hilarious) takes on Los Angeles. In addition to being a love letter of sorts toward the city, this movie works well as a fantasy romance. Sarah Jessica Parker's character, spelled in a very unique way, is a ball of energy. SanDeE* is her name. Love the spelling! As a fantasy, Martin's character is given wisdom and advice from a flashing construction sign. Honestly, I wish I could be given life advice that way. Martin spent seven years on-and-off writing the screenplay. The time was well spent learning the ins and outs of LA culture. And the use of Enya. Who doesn't love the soothing music of Enya. Director Mick Jackson effectively adapts Martin's screenplay to the big screen by combining fantasy and romance as if they were one.
Harris K. Telemacher (Steve Martin) is a painfully adept meteorologist. After all, a man who predicts the weather does not have to be the smartest one in a place where it is sunny 95% of the time. He feels bored at life and is wasted in a relationship with his girlfriend, Trudi. Once he realizes she is having an affair, he leaves her. He finds a spark when he meets English journalist Sara McDowell (Victoria Tennant) who is in town writing a story about LA culture. She is introduced by her ex-husband and Harris's friend, Roland (Richard E. Grant). Harris thinks that is the woman of his dreams but he feels like she is only interested in her ex. He dates the much younger model, SanDeE* (Sarah Jessica Parker) to get her attention. But the flashing signpost may be the key to Harris's love life and perhaps life in general.
This is Steve Martin's best comedy in some time. His character starts out obnoxious and a sense of dread built inside me. But over time, I became attached to his character as he tries to find his true love. Funnily enough, Martin was married to Victoria Tennant at the time. That would explain their chemistry with one another. Sarah Jessica Parker is a ball of energy and not the brightest bulb, but I dug her character. I loved Patrick Stewart and his restaurant scenes. His scenes were out of place for Stewart and had me in stitches. There are also a whole bunch of cameos which I will not spoil, but some of them are unexpected.
L. A. Story is Steve Martin's love story to the city of Los Angeles. Those invested in the food/art culture will find something to laugh at. The people in Southern California do love to sit outside and drink cappuccinos every day, right? Also, plastic surgery is apparently a thing here. I actually did not realize that. In addition to a story about the smoggy, traffic-infested city, it doubles as a mostly effective love story. It took some time to get invested in the love story, but I am glad I was able to.
My Grade: B+