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| Sandra Oh (left) and Kate Walsh (middle) play key characters as lesbian partners along for the ride with Diane Lane in ‘Under the Tuscan Sun.’ (Photo courtesy Buena Vista Pictures) |
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HOME > SOVO SCENE > FILM
By: STEVE WARREN
COMMENTS |
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Diane Lane follows her Oscar-nominated role in “Unfaithful” with
something lighter but still meaty, a comedy that calls for her to be depressed
much of the time.
Lane plays San Francisco author Frances Mayes, who gets screwed in a divorce
settlement. Tired of seeing her mope for months, her best friend Patti (Sandra
Oh), a pregnant lesbian, gives her a ticket for a gay tour of Tuscany that
she and her partner (Kate Walsh) were going to use.
After seeing Florence on the Gay & Away tour, Frances jumps off the bus
near Cortona and buys a 300-year-old villa, then hires an Italian contractor
with three Polish workmen to renovate it.
A day trip to Rome introduces Frances to Marcello (Raoul Bova). He lives in
Positano, which cues more sightseeing. There’s yet another side trip,
to Montepulciano for the annual flag-throwing festival, described by Patti
as “straight men — in tights — twirling flags.”
It’s hard to worry about Lane’s character, despite being devastated
by divorce and having to spend the rest of her life alone — whether she’s
in San Francisco, Tuscany or a phone booth. But once you buy the premise, the
rest of “Under the Tuscan Sun” goes down easy.
Lesbian friend Patti continues to play a role in Frances’ life, as does
Catherine (Lindsay Duncan), a campy diva who met Federico Fellini when she
was 18 and does an homage to the director’s “La Dolce Vita” when
she gets drunk.
Mayes’ book was freely adapted and directed by Audrey Wells (“Guinevere”). “Under
the Tuscan Sun” can’t escape the “chick flick” label,
but it can give chick flicks a good name.
They are no angels, and they don’t know Charlie, but Lynn (Shu Qi),
Sue (Zhao Wei) and Kong (Karen Mok) are three butt-kickin’ babes in “So
Close,” an eat-your-heart-out, Lara Croft movie directed by Cory Yuen
(“The Transporter”).
Kong is a Hong Kong cop chasing Lynn and Sue, who are sisters and hitwomen.
But when men start shooting at them, the sisterhood thing kicks in, and a temporary
alliance is formed.
Later Sue forms a crush on Kong, and they have to work together to defeat
the really bad guys.
“So Close” opens with a segment that sets the tone for one of
the year’s most beautiful films. In slow motion with people running through
a sea of broken glass shards, Lynn assassinates the head of a giant computer
company.
After this spectacular beginning, it’s about 45 minutes until the next
major action sequence. But things rarely slow down after that.
The film’s biggest shortcoming is the lack of a strong villain. The
bad guys are essentially faceless suits, none with a memorable personality.
The big martial arts catfight is between Lynn and Kong. In the midst of it,
they get handcuffed together and tear each other’s clothes. It’s
so sexy, we’re surprised when Sue turns out to be the one with a romantic
interest in Kong.
Sue begins flirting by having a birthday cake delivered to Kong’s office.
She becomes more blatant later, telling Kong, “We’re opposites,
but I think in some way you’re attracted to me.”
It’s nice to see action done right — and by a director who respects
women even as he exploits them.
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Oh’s role of the lesbian best friend is far from tokenism.
She receives second billing and continues to be important after setting the
plot in motion.
In wide release
One of the three female leads is lesbian, but her potential
romantic involvement proves to be a tease.
Landmark’s Midtown Art Cinema
931 Monroe Drive, NE
404- 872-6100
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