Romy and Michele's High School Reunion [10]

This movie managed to score double digits because when it didn't take itself (or the plot) seriously, it was pretty funny. Perhaps my comedic hopes were set too high, because these two actresses are talented. Mira Sorvino has an Oscar to her credit (ref. The Mighty Aphrodite) and Lisa Kudrow has taken the likable but ditzy blond to new heights as Phoebe on the sitcom FRIENDS. The story revolves around two high school friends (Kudrow and Sorvino) who share an apartment together and work less than dazzling jobs--one works as a cashier at an auto dealership the other is unemployed--but believe their lives are fun and interesting and could make it big anytime they want if only they put a little more effort into it.

By a chance meeting at work Romy (Sorvino) meets Heather (an old high school friend played by Janeane Garofalo) and learns of their impending ten year High School Reunion. Somehow the invitations had slipped by them. Romy and Michele promptly pull out their old high school year book and wax nostalgic about those good 'ol days of high school and ask those questions we all ask "I wonder what they're doing now?" and "Do our lives live up to what our peers expect of us?". Of course they conclude that they don't and resolve to find good men and incredible jobs in the remaining two weeks before the reunion. Not an impossible task so they believe.

Romy and Michele are likable but pathetic. So too are the explorations of the secondary character's lives through the use of awkward flashbacks. This movie couldn't resolve if it was a comedy with a message or a message delivered with comedy. For this reason the movie wasn't funny when it should've been and the cleverly shallow charicatures of Romy and Michele just couldn't stand up to the serious roles they were too often asked to play. {JB}

Added: April 7th 2004
Reviewer: JB
29 Point Scale Score:    [10]

Related Link (IMDB): IMDB
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Language: english