Here's to you, Mrs. Robinson!
I typically
would be a bit put off by a film such as this
one. I'm not really big on the whole "older
woman/young teen" theme, especially when the
older woman involved is a stepmother.
That said, this is a wonderfully acted, small
film that features a tightly scripted 78 minute
length shot directly to video. It features
excellent performances from Aaron Stanford,
Sigourney Weaver, Bebe Neuwirth (really
wonderful), Kata Mara and John Ritter.
I saw this film on video, and I doubt I would
have enjoyed it as much on a big screen. It just
has a "small" feel to it. I can't really put it
in an "A" category...quite honestly, the theme
alone drops it a grade for me.
Additionally, I think the performances shone
more than the script itself...which, quite
honestly, should have been a bit more inventive
considering the short length of the film.
However, for the performances alone, this is a
film worth catching if you can handle the
thematic issues.
©
Written by Richard Propes
TC Candler's Comment
One can't
help but feel that there was a better film to be
made here. Not that 'Tadpole' is a bad movie,
just a slight and inconsequential one. There are
a few good laughs and a number of giggles to be
had but, at its core, this is just the story of
a horny pseudo-intellectual teenager with a
fetish for older women.
Another thing that contributes to the
inconsequentiality of it all is the abbreviated
running time. After you lop off the opening and
closing credits, there can't be more than 70
minutes of movie. And there are some rather long
sequences of banality in the film too. There is
more going on in the average weekly episode of
your favorite TV drama. But all that being
said... what little 'Tadpole' does, it does
quite well.
Jacob
Hall's Comment
n/a
