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L.A. Story
A West Coast response to Woody Allen's Manhattan, LA Story is another love letter from a comedian to the city he adores
For Steve Martin, Los Angeles is more than a hot-house for odd balls and bizarre new age practices (although they're both well represented here.) For all its eccentricities, it's a place where miracles happen and it's possible to find true love. There isn't much plot to speak of. Martin plays Harris K Telemacher, the "wacky weatherman" who's looking for more from life. But anything's possible in the city of angels and he starts getting advice from an unusual source: a freeway sign. It steers him towards his true love, English journalist Sara (Tennant) via a twisty path that takes in drive-by shootings, fascist restaurateurs and dim valley girls. Like the earlier Martin-scripted film, Roxanne, this is a very gentle film. It's an affectionate portrait of a much maligned city. The English director Mick Jackson brings a fresh perspective to the metropolis and treats LA as a sort of abstract wonderland, emphasising the unusual locations. Unfortunately, he does this at the expense of the script and many of Martin's best gags fall flat because they aren't brought out more. Verdict It's consequently a rather slight film but there is enough charm and wit to make it a pleasant diversion. |
