1995_09 The Daily Collegian September 1995

              Split
MOVIE   REVIEV
Decision
MOVIE   REVIEl
Jnstrung Heroes' directed
with a sure hand
By Draeger Martinez
Every moviegoer knows the
disappointment of viewing a
movie with high hopes initially,
having seen its thrilling trailer or
ads. only to have them dashed by
wooden acting or confused
directing. It's not so common to
come into a film without knowing
anything about it and leave
feeling uplifted and grateful for
time well spent. "Unstrung
Heroes" is exactly the latter kind
of pleasant surprise.
Welcome to the Lidz family,
living in suburban L.A. in the
early 1960s. The eccentric father,
Sidney (John Turturro), somehow
affords a lavish home while
tinkering away at assorted
inventions and experiments. His
wife Selma (Andie MacDowell)
doesn't mind that Sid sometimes
acts like "he's from another
planet," and loves him and their
children radiantly.
The relationship between
Selma and her older child Stephen
(Nathan Watt) glows with tangible
warmth. Together, they provide
the foundation for both the family
and the film.
The plot of "Unstrung Heroes"
is as simirhKas it is heartbreaking.
Selma becomes terminally ill. and
Sid copes by isolating himself
from Stephen and young Sandy as
he obsesses over the root of her
disease.
Feeling alone and fearful for
theMuture, Stephen runs away and
moves in with his'uncles. both of
whom make their brother Sid
seem well-adjusted.
Michael Richards makes like
UFeirf HEUU
his Kramer character on
"Seinfeld" on a double espresso,
playing the paranoid Uncle
Danny.
Here's a man who considers all
of eight people in the world
trustworthy, and who tries to use a
different pay phone every time
because "they" could be watching
and listening.
Serving as Costello to his
Abbott is Uncle Arthur (Maury
Chaykin), a heavyset slob who
nevertheless shows everyone a
couple things about compassion.
In the wake of trying to cope
with his mom's impending death,
Stephen learns about self-
acceptance from his uncles. He
changes his name to Franz and
studies earnestly for his bar
mitzvah. Danny and Arthur are
devout Jews, but Sid considers all
religion "superstitious nonsense"
next to science.
When Stephen has to face his
grief, he can now do so as a
mensch.
Based on the memoirs of one
Franz Lidz, "Unstrung Heroes"
serves as the feature debut for a
talented new director. Her name:
Diane Keaton, better known for
acting in the "Godfather" series
and numerous Woody Allen films.
Keaton must have paid close
attention to the great directors she
worked with, because she brings a
sure hand to guide things. Her use
of expansive panning shots and
home movie footage help brighten
. what could have been a gloomy
little flick, and she leads "Heroes"
to earn...   /
***
Mourning from his mother's illness, Steven Lidz (Nathan Watt, second from left) finds comfort with
uncles, Arthur (Maury Chaykin, left) and Danny (Michael Richards, second from right), and his
father Sid (John Turturro, right).
By Celeste Cox
Blood is thicker than water
— or at least it is in "Unstrung
Heroes."
"Heroes" is a heart-wrench¬
ing yet uplifting movie that
chronicles the life of a little
boy whose mother is terminally
ill.
It proves that no matter the
circumstance, the family will
and should always be'around
in times of need. It also proves
that the crazier the family, the
stronger the healing power.
Steven Lidz (Nathan Watt),
upon discovering his mother is
dying, runs away to the home
of his two uncles — the kind
everyone has. but no one talks
about. He is greeted at the
door by Uncle Danny (Michael
Richards) who promptly
disappears.
Steven wanders through an
©MS ggSSo
apartment much different
from his spacious home in
downtown suburbia, circa
I960.
In this apartment, there is
no furniture, there are only
newspapers. Thousands of
newspapers line the inside of
the apartment, eacft one just
as it was left by the paperboy.
The uncles were too busy to
read them. Uncle Arthur
(Maury Chaykin) explains.
In another scene outlying
the strange world Steven has
entered, he and his two uncles
bounce crazy balls off of one
anothers' foreheads. It doesn't
do much to help the plot
proceed, but it is a cute scene
that shows the bond between
the three.
The only problem with
"Unstrung Heroes" is that it
tends to buy into the stereo¬
types of the era and the
people.
At a reception early in the
movie, there are two obviously
Jewish womeri talking to the \
mother (Andie McDowell). They
are overbearing and highly
obnoxious, so much so that
viewers are uncomfortable.
Other than that, Diane
Keaton deserves many kudos in
her directorial debut. She hit
the bull's-eye on families in
crisis. The strong emotions, the
meaningless arguments, the
meaningful glances ... it's all
there.
just a warning, however:
take Kleenex. This movie will
break down even the toughest
individual: truly a must-see.
There was a lot of potential
for the film to get sappy, just
for sheer of it.
However, because it did not.
I freely give "Unstrung Heroes"
the ranking...
••• 1/2
A
Daily Collegian
Editor in Chief: Christine Malamanig
Managing Editor: Celeste Cox
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non Wentworth.
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