White Palace (1990) User Reviews

Loss of love, trying to find it again...

[MarieGabrielle · 8/10 · 20 November 2006]

there are very few romance or romantic comedies, which strike a real note for the audience, or anyone who appreciates reality and decent acting.

This film does have that. Sarandon is very good; she is a "down-at-heel" waitress, almost twenty years older than the character portrayed by Spader. Some of the interactions are amusing and sad. Her drinking, her loss of a child. Spader's background is respectable, white-collar but bored, he meets Sarandon after missing his deceased wife.

Films like this are sometimes underrated. There was not a lot of hype about this film, which is one of the reasons I like it (We do not need Hollywood to tell us what's good, i.e. "The Break Up", which was actually not good).

While the scenes with Spader's relatives were a bit stereotyped, overall there are a few good messages here. Life doesn't always work out how we want, "perfect couples" aren't necessarily happy, and the Spader character was actually quite good, not being the negative insensitive character here. Definitely worth viewing. 8/10.

Built on shifting sands...

[Howlin Wolf · 7/10 · 1 September 2009]

I liked James Spader's performance; demonstrating as it does a vulnerable quality I didn't know he had. All those wistful looks off into the distance, and the general aura of a man beaten down by life make for something that – I have to say - is pretty touching! This softer element he brings to the part was a nice change from seeing him do the sleazeball routine for the umpteenth time... The movie itself is reminiscent of Pretty Woman in spots, and is a pleasant surprise. An offbeat sleeper on Sarandon's resume.

It's got that whole 'you can't rationalise who you love' motif, which I'm all too aware of, in my everyday living... (of course)

The whole 'keeping things around for show as an empty token of status' philosophy of some of the protagonists pals is a nice comment on the world of yuppie superficiality that James Spader's characters themselves have often been found immersed in. The movie could easily have been just another bland melodrama, but these themes provide a refreshing and unexpected counterpoint.

White Palace

[Scarecrow-88 · 8/10 · 27 December 2006]

While I don't believe the end result for a second, this film will do whatever it takes to make us believe the relationship between 44 year old Nora Baker and 27 year old Max Baron can work. The age-gap isn't as difficult to accept as their ethnic and financial differences. Baron is a wealthy, successful Jewish business exec and Nora is a waitress at a hamburger joint. The film, though, with all it's might, tries to make us believe that, yes, they can still maintain a loving relationship despite all the certain trials that lie ahead. Both have had loss in their life, both find each other attractive, and when they are together the chemistry and passion is simply magnetic. It's the idea of who and what they are outside the personal relationship.

Susan Sarandon's performance as the waitress is a winner because she shows her as fearless, dynamic, and flawed..but she doesn't ask for pity and accepts that life doesn't always deal everyone a great hand. She goes after the younger man, loves him, she is thankful he continues coming by her house to stay. That aggressiveness to go after what she wants without worrying about what others might say(..though, she is very vulnerable and doesn't have faith in the strength of the relationship lasting). Spader finally has a chance to portray a likable character who just wants to feel something again. With Nora, he has that joy and the stars are aligned.

I will say that this film has lots of things going for it. The dialogue does allow Sarandon to expand her character beyond a cliché. You like her despite whatever faults you might see glaringly. Spader is able to expand into uncharted territory as a person we can care about instead of loathe. There's also a marvelous supporting cast which fill the film with color. But, startlingly, this film is also sexually passionate and pulls no punches showing the animal attraction these two have for each other.

Toe Curling Passion!

[foolishewe · 26 June 2001]

White palace has a great sexual dynamic, clearly Susan Sarandon's character (Nora Baker) is a sexually charged self confident woman who is at least 10 years or so older than James Spader's character (Max Baron). This movie shows how deep attraction and passion can change people's lives (perhaps for the better) and overcome class/personality and age differences.

The first and perhaps most noticeable aspect is one of the hottest and more believable seduction scenes in a movie, where Nora shows a raw animal passion for Max rarely shown in movies (and when it is is shown in an unfavorable light, e.g. Single White Female). Susan Sarandon pulls off this challenging scene with great passion AND dignity.

The May/December romance with the older lady is shown in a healthy light (not like say The Graduate).

But more important than the age dynamic, is the deep attraction between Nora and Max, which goes strongly across traditional cultural differences. Max is a compulsively organized widower, neat and decidedly upper-middle/upper class. Nora is more impulsive, living a less ordered existence and is lower/lower middle class. Max has conditional love for Nora, trying to change her (unintentionally acting judgemental?) by trying to help her out (e.g. buying her cleaning supplies as a "gift"). Nora teaches Max about life, and passion. This movie has a much more interesting love story than say "Pretty Woman".

two great actors

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 5 November 2015]

Max Baron (James Spader) is a successful ad executive in St. Louis. His wife Janey (Maria Pitillo) was killed in a car accident two years ago. He buys 50 burgers from White Palace (White Castle refused to give permission) for his friend Neil (Jason Alexander)'s bachelor party and discovers six empty boxes. He berates Nora Baker (Susan Sarandon) and gets his refund. Later at a bar, Max finds common suffering with Nora who lost her son to leukemia. They start an affair based on their shared losses despite their differences.

These are two good performances from great actors of interesting damaged people. The bulk of the interest probably comes from the age difference. For me, more of the interest comes from these sad lives. I would have liked a bit more Sarandon. The hardness of their chemistry is terrific.

An entertaining film all around

[Ankhenaten91 · 7/10 · 23 June 2015]

For me there really is nothing better than good writing, good actors and an interesting and engaging film. This has all of that.

I won't go saying that this is a fantastic film, it's not going to be on the top 250 list with Shawshank, but what it does attempt to do it does very well, tell a compelling story about two lonely people in different stages of life from two different socioeconomic levels finding each other first for a physical relationship and over time that relationship deepens into something quite beautiful.

Spader is a white collar ad exec who seemingly has everything a 27 year old would want, except he lost his wife two years prior and is still quite depressed and mourning her loss. His friends want to see him find someone new, but it doesn't seem to work for him as he just isn't receptive to the women he is paired with.

He find Susan Sarandon in a bar, she's drinking and they start off awkwardly but there is a palatable connection that these two actors have that is unmistakable. A quite sexy (in my opinion) love scene occurs and in the next morning while Spader is trying his best to be a gentleman but still get out of her home after what he believes is a one night stand there is something there that these two wounded people connect on.

The thing that I love about this movie is it's honesty. It doesn't go where you'd expect this movie to go. It is well directed and the story is quite compelling in addressing the needs to two adults to love and be loved. It's the theme of social expectations and the burdens they cause (rightfully or not) and the impact they can have on a relationship.

It really is a shame that films like this just don't get produced any longer as it's nice to see good actors bring interesting characters to life in a very well produced slice of life film.

When you have to be with someone, no one else's opinion matters.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 27 July 2023]

It's a pre-"Nanny" on-screen meeting for Rachel Chagal and Renee Taylor, in one scene together at Thanksgiving dinner where, as the mother of leading male character James Spader, Taylor makes a complete fool of herself, and it's apparent throughout this film in their scenes and phone calls together (most of which he ignores) that he's completely embarrassed by her. Taylor's character makes her Sylvia Fine from "The Nanny" seem the best TV mom ever.

He's been having an affair with White Palace cashier Susan Sarandon, definitely from the other side of the tracks, and what an affair it is. She has the sexuality of a man, providing pleasure to the unknowing Spader who wakes up during it, a situation that seems like a one night stand, but the lonely Spader, initially coming off as snobby, can't get enough of her.

As Spader and Sarandon spend time together, they find that in spite of a lack of things in common, they're not happy apart. But she's not going to be in a relationship where she feels disrespected, that he's ashamed of her, and that their affair is sexually based even though there's love present between both. Quite a unique way to present such a romance on screen, and Spader and Sarandon are terrific together.

Kathy Bates is amusing in a small role as Spader's unapolgetically misandrist boss who has a soft spot for him but no other men, and Eileen Brennan is a delight as Sarandon's older sister. As the tragic pasts of Spader and Sarandon bring them together, they also pull them apart, and by the time this is over, the viewer will begging for that happy ending. Like the juiciest burger ever made, this is like the cartoon dog floating in the air in delight over its bone, and the conclusion will bring on cheers from the perfect way all is resolved.

Good acting, but little else

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 6/10 · 7 March 2014]

It's often 3 things that make a movie: a story, interesting characters, and competent actors. One out of three ain't bad. Well, actually, one out of three is bad.

The one thing this movie has going for it is good acting. James Spader has always been a competent actor, and as he has matured his acting has improved to the extent that he is one of the best on the small screen. Personally, I've never cared much for Susan Sarandon, but that's not to say I don't think she's a talented actress. She is. I just don't often like the films she appears in. She does nicely here. There are some good performances (though not much screen time) by supporting actors -- Jason Alexander, Kathy Bates, and Eileen Brennan (perhaps the best characterization in the film). Most of the rest of the actors here play rather stereotypical Jewish people...like Jewish people are portrayed in almost every other film; not very imaginative.

The main characters here? Well, for me, relatively unlikable. People I would have no desire to associate with. So, where is the connection.

The story. Not really anything unique at all. Boy meets girl from different class and different age. Will their relationship survive? Ever heard that one before? Sorry, but the good acting wasn't enough to "save" this movie for me.

A unique relationship is put to the test

[Lady-Lee · 10/10 · 5 August 1999]

Wonderful romance and character study between two people who live on the opposite sides of the tracks.Two strong but stereotypical people pair up and evolve into very un-stereotypical unit and try to function in a hostile enviroment. The acting in the movie is so good it surpasses the diologue. The loss and love Spader communicates with just his eyes is a sight to behold and Sarandon projects a dichotomy of neediness and strength.

This movie contains one of the best endings in movie history, right up there with Green Card. A truly uplifting movie that conveys joy, hope, and victory. What more can a woman ask for? And James Spader is a hunk!!

Loved the team up!

[Irishchatter · 7/10 · 20 March 2016]

I really like the fact Susan Sarandon and James Spader teamed up together because they did make a good fine couple. I liked the fact they had steamy sex scene's, it reminds us regardless of age, you will always find love.

Now the reason why I gave this movie a 7/10 because, I didn't like how Sarandon's character Nora, was being a complete smart *** and just a slob. I would rather see the personality more calmer and more smarter, Sarandon should've been better off if she did act that way for the film!

Apart from that complaint, it was an alright movie!

Good performances, irritating story.

[chadvanwagner · 3/10 · 3 June 2014]

We're (justifiably) a little (or a lot) disgusted when a film blatantly panders to creepy old men: middle aged protagonist scores hot woman in her early 20s. Ew.

That's exactly what we're looking at here, except with swapped genders and an extra layer of obnoxiousness. Susan Sarandon and James Spader are excellent actors, and their performances *almost* save it from the source material.

Almost. I would have a hard time believing that ANY self respecting guy would put up with being treated like Sarandon's character treats Spader's. We're supposed to look at her as noble but unrefined, but honestly, she's just selfish, childish and manipulative. There's no sense that Spader's character has anything to learn from this experience, outside of how shallow his friends are. He could have learned that with any "unacceptable" woman: making the woman in question genuinely unappealing is silly.

When you add the younger man/older woman aspect to it, the movie gets downright creepy. We're clearly expected to think that Spader's character has come down to Earth and recognized what's really important, but the only thing the movie proves is that (maybe) he's a masochist in search of a sadist. If you removed Sarandon's character's difference in age, coarse language, and casual racism, you'd still have someone I wouldn't want to be in the room with: I'd have a difficult time believing that Spader would tolerate her character if if she were a hot 19 year old. If she HAD been a hot 19 year old, you could keep everything else and she'd be the spoiled child that the hero got AWAY from, not the one he runs TO.

There are only two explanations that make any kind of sense. One, the film wants to bash poor, middle aged women (no.) Two, it wants to feed a middle aged, female audience the same kind of obnoxious wish fulfillment that middle aged male audiences get with the four decade age difference between Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones in Entrapment. It's creepy there, and it's creepy here.

Every aspect of this film is based on seeing Sarandon's character's world as preferable to Spader's, and it absolutely is not...not because of disrespect to older women, poor women, or unrefined women, but because she's simply irritating. The fact that there is a 20 year disparity to Entrapment's 40 says more about Hollywood's tolerance of old men than it does about its condescension towards older women: this movie screws up so badly that in some scenes the shallow rich people are considerably more sympathetic than the "earthy" heroine.

I suppose that middle aged women are every bit as entitled to wish fulfillment as middle aged men, but creepy is creepy. When you spend more time thinking about the film's target audience than you do about the film, it's a failure (just like Entrapment, actually.)

A slight plot, but a film with many subtle and sensitive moments

[nickcgardner · 9/10 · 19 April 2007]

This is a straightforward and touching film, and a treat for anyone who enjoys watching actors - especially either of these two - playing small scale scenes recognisable from every day life. They play well together and I suspect the way the director enabled them to work had a hand in this. Unusually, the film is set in St. Louis.

The film is often under rated and its central relationship derided as implausible. I believe this is unfair and misses the point of the film.

It's a simple tale of class, differing social milieu and how people's social circles influence the choices we make in life. This couple resolve these issues by moving to another city, but not all of us can so readily choose this option.

Is their relationship implausible? Well aside from the obvious point that Susan Sarandon (Nora,) looks radiant most of the time, and probably never looked better on film, Spader's character (Max,) is not quite as preppy as he appears, and has more in common with Nora than first meets the eye. There is of course, their shared grief, but Max's mother(Edith,) appears in two scenes, and she is, I believe, a key to understanding their relationship.

Edith has a Brooklyn type accent which points to Max having something of a working class background himself, and further, he has ambivalent feelings towards her - for one thing, she is uncomfortable in formal social settings. I think these suggest that Max's attraction to Nora is not nearly as left field as it may appear. Further, I see a facial similarity between the actors, especially around the eyes and mouth, which social psychologists often cite as a predictor of couple attraction.

As to whether the film is any good...? I think it portrays the joys, tensions and compromises of the early stages of a relationship very convincingly. They have a lot of sex, they have rows, they make up, they meet each other's friends, they annoy each other, they work their way through issues. It's not War and Peace, but it does reflect every day life quite consonantly. It has some inspired comic touches - "the sandwich" springs to mind - a solid chemistry between the two stars, and some touching pieces of observation such as when Max tenderly explores Nora's belongings reminiscently of Garbo in Queen Christina.

If you fancy a touching love story, well acted, with stand back and don't get in the way direction, and with gentle undercurrents of social commentary, then The White Palace is worth a shot. If you check the voting for it, you'll see that quite a few people agree with me!

it won't be for everyone, but I liked it

[lee_eisenberg · 7/10 · 5 June 2022]

Luis Mandoki's "White Palace" is one of the rare movies that allows a man to be in a relationship with an older woman. And I mean that it leaves little to the imagination!

I'm sure that some people will be put off by the idea of a guy getting romantic with an older gal, but considering how many movies there are in which a man in his 40s or even 50s has a twenty-something woman as his love interest, is there a reason why we can't see James Spader getting slinky with Susan Sarandon? I wouldn't mind getting it on with her. Check it out if you get a chance.

Totally unbelievable

[joy314 · 3/10 · 12 November 2005]

Am I missing something here? A trashy 40-something waitress picks up a cute, drunk younger man in a bar. She takes him home, basically rapes him, ( I know, I know....he seemed to be enjoying it, didn't he?) and then all of a sudden he can't do without her? I'm not buying it. There is not one word - not one line - not one shred of respect, admiration, fondness, or friendship between them. There is not one scene that convinces you that they really are compatible in any way. You get the feeling he doesn't even LIKE her very much. They have great sex - no question. But this is supposed to be the basis of a life-changing relationship for him? It is so totally unbelievable. I like Susan Sarandon and I like James Spader. But they should have gone back to the drawing board on this one before they ever released it. The older woman/younger man story is great. But let's get some better dialog and at least a couple of scenes to convince us that there might be a real relationship here.

WILL MAKE YOU WANT TO GO OUT AND DATE AN OLDER WOMAN!

[newnoir · 22 March 2000]

This is a film a lot of people didn't see. It is just a simple tale of a younger rich man who shacks up with an older much poorer, working class woman who works at a hamburger joint called White Palace. The name is obviously taken from the East Coast burger chain White Castle. Susan Sarandon picks up a drunk James Spader in a bar and takes him home for a night of sweet lovin'. The love scenes that follow are actually very erotic and sexy, not dull like most Hollywood love scenes.

We need more stories like this. You always see movies with MUCH older men with MUCH younger women: Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones in Entrapment, Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt in As Good As It Gets...etc. Where are all the stories of younger men with older women? Welp, this film is one of 'em. And this is one younger guy who likes what he sees when he sees White Palace. Like it said on the poster of this movie: "The story of a younger man and a bolder woman."

Interesting drama & romance

[KingOfDreams · 6/10 · 13 September 2007]

This movie is interesting to watch if not particularly original. At its core is the relationship of a young man (Max, played by Spader) of high social standing with a poor, much older woman (Nora, played by Sarandon). Both of them have experienced loss (his wife died & her son died), and they waste their lives in self pity and mourning, not being able to let go. Being in a similar situation, they recognize each other for what they are and after a chance encounter develop a firstly sexual and then increasingly romantic relationship. But problems arise for them, because of the social and age differences, which are the main twists in the romance.

The White Palace is a basically a simple love story, with above average acting (Sarandon and Spader both have their high and low points) and moderately interesting characters. I gave it six stars, but in a good way, since the movie does well what it attempts to do, which is good, romantic entertainment without breaking new ground.

Brilliant Sarandon in a realistic common people drama

[malekith99 · 7/10 · 16 February 2004]

The couple Spader-Sarandon works well. Max (James Spader) is a 27 yrs old yuppie Jewish. He has recently lost his wife. He will get trapped by the mature but really attractive Nora (Susan Sarandon), who is not so sophisticated and educated than his family and friends, but she can conquer him with her rebel spirit, and wild nature. Nora shows to Max a new way to live the life based on her She has not an academic or professional background so impressive, but she has experience and intelligence. She resists everything except lies and hipocrisy. She show her pride, when Max try to give her a vacuum cleaner like a gift. The erotic scenes are a valuable part of the film. Nora will have difficulties with the friends of Max. The talks in the bathroom are very descriptive about how is she feeling that. Some political issues are pointed during the Thanksgiving party. Nora cannot control herself and standing up gives a speech in defence of the working class in front of that rich and powerful jewish family. The worst scene is almost at the end of the film, in a friend's house, when Max discovers the same model of vacuum cleaner without dust inside. (it's a bit pathetic) In fact it is a recommended film, specially for Sarandon fans (like me).

Engrossing but less than believable

[gloryoaks · 7/10 · 21 February 2004]

I had no trouble believing the May/October romance. It was Sarandon's rude, crude, arrogant, and tacky behavior at the Thanksgiving dinner that made me wonder how the hero could stand her. (Sarandon so often seems to play that kind of a self-righteous character.) Spader was compelling in this film--at least until the last ridiculous scene. That was too much, and killed the glow of the ending for me. Still...an engrossing movie.

An okay contemporary adult fairy tale of sorts

[=G= · 6/10 · 31 December 2001]

He's 27 and she's 43. He's white collar and she's blue. He's Jewish and she's not. He lives in the burbs and she's in Dogtown. He's neat and she's sloppy. Etc. As different as day and night and against all odds, Spader and Sarandon fall in love in "White Palace", a sort of misguided upside-down and improbable Cinderella story. Sarandon and Spader are good as usual and the film is artistically and technically up to snuff. None the less, there is a leap of faith required for the buy-in, especially if you include the part with the clairvoyant sister. A good watch for mature adults who are up for a Spring-Autumn romantic fable with a feel good end.

still one of my favourites

[willmurphy6663 · 9/10 · 1 November 2010]

i read the reviews of loved and hated this film, and as you can guess i am on of the ones that have loved it. I can understand that people find the story implausible, because of the age difference and the social and cultural differences of the love story. i suppose having been in a few love across the divide love stories myself i identify and understand the motivations of the two characters and what the director is trying to say. Both James Spader and Susan Sarrandon are lost in the film, James had lost his lover and all meaning in his life, and Susan has lost her son, and her self respect and is being self destructive to herself. She has a truth which she teaches him on their first meeting, where she accurately reads him, and shows him how to let go and have a good time and have contact. The original sex scene which some people hate in the reviews is my all time favourite. If the sexes were reversed it would verge on rape, but because it is female on male it doesn't feel that way. the way she holds him down catches him unawares and drags him into this sexual and emotional awakening is what makes it so electrifying for me. James spader's night after rejection of her rings true, and for most people it would end there....but he goes on and they really learn off each other...maybe as i have found in real life it would end, but i think that love is about two people coming together having contact being together loving and learning from each other.

So may people that i see staying together in so called sensible compatible marriages don't have what you see these two having together for however long.......

"I'll bet you don't"

[smatysia · 6/10 · 3 December 2012]

James Spader seemed to only play characters who behave in off-beat ways. I suppose that if everything was normal, then there wouldn't be anything to have a movie about, but he corners the the market on creepy obsession. Anyway, aside from that the film isn't particularly bad. And people do fall for spectacularly unsuitable matches all the time. When I first saw this film, I was closer to Max's twenty-seven than to Nora's forty-three, and I understood the characters in a different way than I did yesterday, when Nora is now a young woman to me. She loves Max, but makes no effort to fit in in his world. She is too angry about the class differences. It was/is the way of the world.

Interesting - Because I Saw a Part of It Filmed

[nimbus13 · 5/10 · 20 September 2011]

The film was not very impressive to me, but Susan Sarandon's characterization was interesting. The actual dialog was a little embarrassing, not the language, but the situations that sometimes take place between other people, that make you want to blend into the scenery and just get out of there.

I saw them film some of the outside scenes in St. Louis,including the "White Palace" which was leased from some small burger joint similar in format to the White Castle chain. I worked on the 4th floor of an office building (which apparently no longer exists) overlooking the "Palace".

About 3:00 in the afternoon when the sun and weather was just right,the film crew would shoot some footage in the vicinity of the "Palace". For several days all the staff would take a short break and watch.

At the director's signal all the period cars, buses, and taxis would start down the street. It was like stepping out of a time machine!

However, we never did see the two stars. I think this is what they call an establishing shot.

Outstanding but little known-just give it a try.

[triple8 · 9/10 · 1 February 2004]

Having already commented on this one once, I had to comment again as I just watched it again for the umpeenth time. I had rated this about an 8, it's actually more like a 9 and one of my top 50 movies ever. I know everyone has a right to their opinion but this movie is so little known I truly hope at least one person reads some POSITVE reviews on here and gives it a shot.

I do NOT think Sarandon looked unattractive here as people have said but if she did, it really doesn't matter because the focus of the story has little to do with physical attractiveness. The theme here is love-and loving who YOU want to love versus who your friends, family and society wants you to. It's also about identity and about finding out that the person you truly are maybe quite different then who you always thought you were. The film brings to life the characters in the amazing book(I'd recommend the book version of this as well, it's even better then the film). Sarandon gives a luminous performance as Nora, she's the only actress I could ever see in the role anyway. The film is tragic, touching, gloriously acted and brings up some interesting issues of love and identity. I'm amazed this pic isn't better known, I agree very much with Ebert's review particularly(SPOILER)

The last scene that kind of does take credibility away fro the rest of the pic but then again-it maybe a little to Hollywood but the movie did (somewhat) follow the book's ending which was also positive although nowhere near the film's last scene.

I would recommend this to everyone particularly Sarandon fans, fans of the romance Genre, fans of Dramas in General or just people who like to dig up films that are kind of little known. Every time I see this I like it just a little bit more.

The hump

[roedyg · 6/10 · 26 November 2007]

There is a huge hump to get over in this movie, suspending disbelief at the relationship between Max and Nora. It is just too ridiculous. Max is so pretty, rich, stable, tactful, considerate, laid back and clean and Nora is so filthy, a smoker, a drunk, tactless, inconsiderate, crude, rude, selfish and lightning quick to take offense. What on earth does he see in her? The problem is not just them coming from such different social backgrounds; it is she is such an unlikeable character.

The prolonged soft-porn scenes early in the movie made me squirm. I found them revolting. They went on and on and on, as if they were supposed to be some sort of eye candy for us to ogle. The movie degenerated into one of those late night soft porn flicks where the simulated sex goes on and on as if to give the viewer time to get off himself. I felt unclean spying for so long. I was screaming to myself "Enough already! I get the point. Please get on with the movie." I turned away until these scenes were over.

When you meet Max's mother, his shallow old girlfriends and friends you begin to see why Nora's shoot-from-the-lip directness could have some appeal (but certainly not enough for his obsessive sexual attraction.) Perhaps pity has some part of the appeal but again nothing to explain the obsession.

Spader is always a treat to watch and that applies to this film as well, even though he grossed me out with the sex scenes.

A comment from a mature female--read on:

[zollywog · 5/10 · 22 June 2002]

Maybe this will be the only negative commentary on White Palace anyone will ever read. Do we really believe that a 27 yr. old, handsome, upwardly mobile "fine Jewish boy" well educated and cool (albeit still grief-ridden over the death of his wife) will eventually remain in a long term relationship with a slovenly, brazen,, chain-smoking,hard-drinking waitress almost 17 years older than he? A couple of more summers maybe--and that doesn't jell as a "romance" for me. Susan Sarandon sums it up "I give a good blow job"( add some more years on her and she can take out her teeth??)---Who stands to end up heartbroken?? She does. Will she spend every day looking for more wrinkles, and feeling "unworthy"? The differences will become more and more unbearable for both and this "couple" will dissolve into thin air. Can we really accept that he(Spader) gives up a high paying career, and all the best in life and trade it for a walk-up "flat" and teachers pay for a woman so much older that he? That just isn't going to happen in real life. For one thing, James Spader is playing a very intelligent, very sexy man! Most critics are focusing on the cultural differences as the major problem. (And--how she is at such a contrast with his lifestyle and family and friends.)The nitty-gritty is--she cannot last due to her age. I am sure it is just a physical thing. We all know its going to be a downhill trip for this couple. All of these obvious conclusions were standing in the way of believing the film. It was great as a fantasy film, or maybe Disney could put a spin on it, and get by. The acting is terrific, and powerful! But I couldn't get White Palace 11 ( never to be made but in my imagination) out of my mind. Realism makes manifest; a doomed interlude. Everybody loved the movie, but I found it improbable as a true "love story". Two magnetic lovers, mesmerized by passion-- who will remain in each others dream life only a decade down the road, at best..

Maybe all women over 40 who saw the film are thinking what I'm thinking but didn't have a place to verbalize it. Thanks.