Reviews (31)

The Nightmare Divorce: A Dark Comedy
The 1989 film "War Of The Roses" was the product of Danny Devito who conceived the idea. He directed the film and it stars Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas. Their relationship in the film is nothing like their earlier partnership in Romancing The Stone. Here, the Roses are at war, in a modern parody of the historic British War Of The Roses, Tudors and Stuarts whose emblems were white and red roses. They are fabulously rich, they met traveling foreign lands and buying antiques. She's an experienced gymnist and he's a wealthy executive. Eventually, their love life and marriage falls apart and a divorce, long-lived and bitter, ensues.

The entire film is about that terrible divorce. It's a bit of a downer for happily married couples but it's still an enjoyable film as far as social satire and dark comedy. It's not really possible for any couple to conduct their divorce in the spiteful, nasty way these two go at it. Michael Douglas ruins his wife's dinner party, runs over her cat, and later Douglas eats his own dog which she had made into dinner. Their fighting becomes an all-out war, enacted inside their million dollar estate. At one point, they are hanging for dear life on a chandelier. Danny DeVito plays the lawyer and he is delivering absolute comedy. Remember, DaVito was a great choice for comic roles. Does anyone remember his partnership with Arnold Schwartznegger in the movie Twins ??

Terrific black comedy!
It`s a delight to see Michael Douglas,Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito for the third time (all 3 started before in ROMANCING THE STONE and THE JEWEL OF THE NILE) in this winning black comedy about a marriage that disintergrates at high speed.To elaborate,the plot consists of Oliver and Barbara Rose(Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner)a couple determined to make the best out of life.They marry,have kids and buy a nice home.After some time,little arguments begin to turn into BIG trouble.They both agree on a divorce.But there`s just a little problem.BOTH of them want their luxurious house!The fights are farfetched and Oliver and Barbara are very stubborn and will stop at nothing to win the house.Grabs your attention from start to finish.surprising .Danny DeVito is perfect as the lawyer who defends Oliver during the battle.As a director,DeVito is simply terrific.He did an amazing job with THE WAR OF THE ROSES.Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner deliver excellent performances as well.Good job!Simply a winner!

Good DVD of an under-appreciated film
While critics (and audiences) were somewhat lukewarm in their response to this film when it was first released, I enjoyed it. Although it's a "black comedy", it never veers too far into total comedy or total darkness. DeVito's narration helps to hold the film together and keeps it from degenerating into a series of mind-numbing retaliations. The film is visually appealing, with interesting camera angles and a solid sense of composition that is often lacking in comedies. The movie has held up well and does not appear as dated as many films from the same time.

Douglas plays his role of a rather self-important and arrogant know-it-all quite well, and Turner is equally convincing as she exhibits growing distaste for him.

The DVD has a very good video transfer. The sound is surprisingly good for a 2-channel source, with reasonably good directionality in the front speakers.

There's a montage of deleted scenes that are arranged in chronological order so that it's easy for the viewer to mentally insert them in their proper place in the film. Unlike some deleted scenes, these have the same video and audio quality as the film itself.

Overall, this is a nicely done DVD of an under-appreciated film.

4.5 stars, really. I love black comedies!
I won't rehash the plot. It's simply a wonderfully observed crumbling of a marriage probably never built on the healthiest of foundations in the first place. One could say that the movie is perhaps an indictment of materialism, where we see Kathleen Turner's character finally turning bitter when she's done all the decorating she can, and Michael Douglas is too busy earning money to care that his wife is feeling empty now. Whose fault is it that the marriage is a shambles? Did Douglas continue to quest for more and more money to make himself feel good about himself and to keep his wife happy...and did she encourage it but continuing to spend, spend, spend? And when the ruins are revealed, it isn't emotional territory, as such, that they fight over, but the material goods that have come to represent emotional attachment for them.

All that may be, but what is so great about the movie is its unrelenting viciousness once the barbs start flying. When Turner tells Douglas she had to pull off to the side of the road when she thought he might be dieing from a heart attack because "she was happy" he might pass away...wow, if that ain't a slap in the face??

It's interesting that Turner is really the hard case in this. Douglas keeps saying that he's still in love with her. He keeps softening towards Turner, and she rebuffs him with her jaw set more and more firmly. Yet, is he really in love with her, or just feels he can "get her back" to put back on his trophy case. He probably doesn't know either...combination of the two, I'd say.

The movie is keenly observed, and the lead performances are flawless,really. Our sympathies bounce back and forth, back and forth all the time. And because we're watching a glossy Hollywood movie, in the back of our minds, we're expecting it all to turn out OKAY. Sure, they say things and do things no human can be forgiven for, but what the heck...it's a movie. I congratulate all involved for having the courage of their convictions. This is a BLACK comedy in all the best ways. The final action Turner takes with Douglas, as they lay side by side, is PERFECT!! I hadn't seen the movie in years until the other day, but many of her comments and actions were burned in my memory. These two actors had such great chemistry. A reteaming, even after all these years, might be fun.

Anyway, my one gripe about the movie is the role of "narrator" that DeVito plays. He's an attorney (and partner of Douglas'), who, in his scenes WITH Douglas, is quite amusing. But he also interjects little comments from time to time as he is retelling the story of the Roses to a prospective client. The tone of these scenes is unconvincing, DeVito does a terrible job of smoking (don't ask), and they add nothing to our appreciation of the "message." Maybe the movie wasn't long enough without these scenes...but I could sure do without them.

By the way,the DVD has a montage of deleted scenes, "hosted" by DeVito. It's worth watching, right through to the end, because DeVito (and his wife, Rhea Pearlman) have a very brief but delightful "scene" at the conclusion.

This is a great movie, and a lost treasure, in many ways, because so few people gave it a try when it came out. It still holds quite true today, I think, and despite the slightly outdated fashions in the film, remains timeless.

Entertainingly Tragic Comedy of the Eighties
Excellent and entertaining comedy, packed in a good DVD (including over half-an-hour of cut-out material), but the end is rather tragic.

The movie abounds with implicit (but subtle) cliches such as :

- Women are usually more downright materialistic than men are, and also have a way of getting their fair advantage out of it.
- Husbands are often rude to their wives in public, without even taking the slightest notice of it.
- Sex is typically an object of pure consumption for males, whereas for women sex is more than often just one of many different ways to an end.
- Husbands often end-up as being dominant dog-people, whereas women ususally tend to become emancipated cat-people.
- Outbound marital faithfulness are typical male attributes, whereas down-to-earth conjugal opportunism and emotional realism are more feminine qualities.
- Love, pride and ego are things that cannot be parted in a husband's often confused and puzzled mind, whereas for a woman, a husband's love ususally remains a very abstract concept.
- Husbands are totally irrealistic about the emotional situation and level of personal satisfaction of their wives, like they were living or floating in a world of their own, in an abstract historic reality as to the present state of their marriage.
- For most if not all males, love implies appropriation and possession, and a married wife is most often like a personal investment, an item which cannot be lost under any circumstances, whereas for women, engaging in marriage most often just seems to be just the most attractive option amongst many others, that is at least at the time they want to, a.k.a. aggree to or consent to getting married.
- Whereas the sexual drive is usually sufficient to channel enough of the man's attention and concern to his wife in the early stages of marriage, this drive is usually quickly enough superseded by other things like a carreer, a hobby, which usually end up getting the best of a man's attention and energy. To this trend of things, the wife consents and even tries to collaborate, untill she realizes that she has absolutely no place in them, finds herself as being just another part of the home furniture, which tends to further exacerbate her materialism, and so forth, in a circle which you might call either vicious or virtuous...

Although these cliches make the movie likeable to a very wide (presumably male) audience, the movie is also an intelligent and realistic presentation of the different evolutionary stages of a married couple, i.e. meeting, getting married, having children, building up a carreer, buying a house, undergoing mid-life crisis, etc.

Marriage and divorce statistics amply prove that married couples seldom have the ressources to overcome the latter evolutionary stages of their marriages (grown up children, crippled libido, etc.), so this movie is another rather caustic, abstract and hyperbolic way of showing how far things can go wrong, when they go wrong, as they usually do, one way or another... De Vito's explicit commentaries are here very welcome, as they provide some kind of a flash-back through a third-party, allowing for a more distanced observation by avoiding a first-degree identification to participants and scenes which are often rather dark, and at times quite brutal. So keep in mind: ONCE IN A LIFETIME COMES A MOTION PICTURE THAT MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN. THIS IS NOT THAT MOVIE. The eighties was the decade of sweeping demystifications. This movie is part of it. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Christina Ricci had a great year in 1998. The young actress continued to cast off her youthful image from the Addams Family movies and made a big splash on the independent movie scene, especially in this scathingly witty comedy in which Ricci has the central role. Here she plays Dedee, a buxom, sexually precocious teenager who's pregnant, cynical, and looking for a volunteer father for her unborn child. This takes her to the home of her gay half-brother (Martin Donovan) whose current lover (Ivan Sergei) becomes Dedee's latest target for seduction. That's just the start of the mischief that Dedee so masterfully orchestrates, and Lisa Kudrow (from TV's Friends) is also on hand to deliver some of the movie's most quotable dialogue while fending off the affection of a local policeman played by Lyle Lovett. If all this sounds rather sordid, rest assured that the movie's got a warm heart (well, sort of) beating beneath all of its sharp-edged sarcasm. Writer-director Don Roos (Single White Female) injects most of the movie's appeal and humor through Dedee's voice-over narration, which constantly reminds us that even the most familiar movie clichés can be cleverly overturned. As a result, The Opposite of Sex is the opposite of boring. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (85)

Opposite Attraction
This Indie film from 1998 is a real winner. Deedee Truitt (Christina Ricci) pays a visit to her half brother, Bill (Martin Donovan), in Indiana. When she arrives, she turns everything upside down, with her tell it like it is style. Within in a short time, she seduces Bill's live in boyfriend, Matt (Ivan Sergei) and they run off to LA with $10,000 of Bill's money. At the same time, another of Matt's boyfriends (Johnny Galecki) blames Bill for Matt leaving with Deedee, and starts trouble with the town sheriff (Lyle Lovett). All of the performances are first rate, but Lisa Kudrow as Lucia, (she hates everything about Deedee) really is superb and makes you forget her role on T.V's "Friends".with her caustic characterization. Directed by Don Roos, OPPOSITE OF SEX, has a great understated tone that fits the film nicely. There are some genuine dramatic moments amid the chaos that will surprise you. When you are looking for a different kind of film to watch, you need look no further than this film. Just when you think you have it figured out, the storyline takes a few unexpected turns.

The DVD includes very few extras. There are a handful of deleted scenes with optional commentary from the director. The commentary will offer some great stories about filmming and trivia. Finally, viewers are given the choice of seeing the film in Widescreen or Pan and Scan. There's a lot to like about this movie, enjoy. Recommended

Ricci is peachy!
Ricci aside I thought Lisa Kudrow was a delight playing the oppisite of her well known ditzy blonde "Friends" type cast, which helps her to not become to much of a type casted actress. She does have range. I fully enjoyed this movie. I loved the characters, the offensive (to many) script, the well balanced comedy mixed with drama. This film moves you, makes you laugh, think, and truly has you wanting to reach into your television to strangle some if not everyone. Christina Ricci "She's the human tabloid." is all attitude and no graduate as DeeDee Truitt a 16 year old girl that refuses to grow a heart of gold even for us the veiwers. Thats cool we see that type of stuff everyday in the movies. After her stepfather kicks the bucket she decides to go and live with her brother. He, who is moaring his lovers death welcomes her. One might say that was a huge mistake on his part. She does little more than ruin his teaching career, steal his new boyfriend, gets him involved in a gay sex scandal involving a former student where he teaches (thus, the reason for his almost termination), okay what else... steals his dead lovers urn containing the mans ashes. Oh and thats just the half of it. Let's finish this... "The Oppisite of sex" is what DeeDee wants. SEX involves relationships, deceases, pregnanies and other complications in ones life. Who want's that? The film also addresses the survival of the species topic. It's true if we didn't love sex (complications aside) we would have died out aeons ago. Good move on God's part. This is a movie that can be enjoyed by adults that aren't easily offended.

A movie that sticks with you (if you like comedy black)
It's saying something about a movie when a friend asks you for a recommendation in 2004, and 1998's "The Opposite of Sex" is one of the first things that pops into your head. Christina Ricci - in her first real adult role - rips the paint of the walls with her performance as Dede Truitt, a one-woman hurricane. She wreaks havoc here in everyone else's life, starting with half-brother Bill, played by the always excellent Martin Donovan (see, among others, "Insomnia," in which he plays Al Pacino's doomed partner).

In fact, for all the attention garnered by what was essentially Ms. Ricci's very successful coming out party, the real news here are the excellent turns by Donovan, Lisa Kudrow (playing about as far from Phoebe as one can get) and Lyle Lovett. Mr. Lovett proves her that he doesn't need Robert Altman to transfer his charisma from his musical performances to film. [He had been essentially an Altman 'house player' up to this point in his career.]

The script is sharp and witty. We've got Don Roos (as writer and director) to thank for that. I'm a little perplexed by Mr. Roos' career since that point - 'Bounce' (a disappointing Affleck/Paltrow outing) came out in 2000. He did have a critical hit with 2000's TV summer replacement 'M.Y.O.B.'

Roos has proven himself to be a great writer who attracts quality stars and directs them to impressive performances. He does have 'Happy Endings' in production right now with Ms. Kudrow and other talented actors. As far as I'm concerned, his success with 'Opposite of Sex' will compel me to see anything that he creates.

SUCKs with a capital SUCK
It's billed as a comedy, but somehow it's just not very funny. The funniest part about it is the fact that you're actually sitting there, subjecting yourself to this. A 16 year old girl runs away from home, seduces a gay guy, exploits everyone she knows, kills the father of her baby... and you're supposed to laugh. I spent most of my time shaking my head in disgust, wanting to reach out and strangle the girl, and wondering who could possibly think it was funny.

The opposite of great
If you like your films to be fast food with extra fries, if you live in a trailer perhaps, or drink lots, perhaps get into fights and have the police around, swear like a trooper, didn't do too well in school, shout to your friends at the other end of the street, buy books at the supermarket, wouldn't know good dialogue from bad/great acting from not so great, think that gay men just need the right woman, think that vegetarians secretly lust after bacon sandwiches, think that National Enquirer is a serious newspaper... get this film because YOU ARE IN FOR A TREAT. ... Read more

Description

Early in the 1900s, a rural Indiana girl seeks to get an education and follow her dreams in spite of the obstacles that surround her.Elnora Comstock’s fascination with nature feeds her desire to get an education, but her widowed mother calls her goal of attending high school a foolish dream.Elnora finds comfort in the intricate world of the Limberlost and her friendship with wealthy naturalist, Mrs. Porter.When unexpected taxes come due on the farm, Elnora’s mother needs help bringing in the harvest.Elnora must give up school to save their home.As Elnora fights to rescue her dreams, she discovers a world of opportunity and learns truth behind her mother’s anger and her own mysterious past. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

This was GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!
We read this book years back,and was excited to see that it was made into a movie. As with most of the books made into movies-this was not exactlly as the book.But,we all cried throughout the movie.The valuable lessons portrayed and the beauty of music were excellent.Our daughter fell in love with the violin and music from that film.She is still music hungry and is learning to play an instrument.
If you have a child that desires to learn to play any instrument-or you want to teach some valuable life lessons here-buy this movie.It is a MUST have.Believe me,it will be replayed over and over again!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA++++++++++++++++++++++
From VA.

Horrible!
"A Girl of the Limberlost" is one of my favorite books. I was so happy when I discovered it had been made into a movie. How disappointed I was that the movie was just terrible! The movie ended in the middle of the book leaving me to say, "huh?" when the credits started to role. The movie illiminated three major characters crucial to the plot and the charm of the book and altered one character so badly that the essence of his personality was completed misinterpreted. The pacing of this movie was slow, slow, slow. I suffered through it. Save your money! It's not even worth renting. What a shame that a beautifully written book did not translate to video. A great opportunity was missed! Save your time and money!

Disappointed
I personally did not care for the video A Girl of the Limberlost. Although Elnora did persevere through hardships at school and learned some valuable lessons, I felt the movie did not stay true to the book. For example, instead of Freckles being a person, he was an owl. And the Bird Woman was Gene Stratton Porter, the authoress of the book, just to name a few. Moreover, Elnora was not the same type of person as she was in the book. In the book, she was a well rounded girl who was intelligent, beautiful, and who had grown and matured by the hard knocks given to her by her mother. In the movie she seemed whiny and sorry for herself all the time. If you have not read the book and want a country 1900s movie that has some good morals, this is for you; however, if you are looking for the movie to have the same magic and wonder of the book, you will be sorely disappointed.

A Girl of the Limberlost
Fantastic film. Great choices in casting the actors/actresses. I love anything that stars Annette O'Toole and I was not disappointed. Get your tissues ready because you will be needing them, as I soon found out.

thought provoking, appeals to both girls and boys
Excellent video. Great example of showing rather than telling a story. Characters demonstrate perseverance, dedication, forgiveness and striving for acceptance. Shows a turn-of-the-century farming community and environmental concerns from that time period. Kids who watched commented on Elnora's tenacity and curiosity. Their comments include: "The people were so real." "I think Elnora did a good job of helping her mom and growing up." "I liked the way Elnora wasn't afraid to touch things like snakes and bugs." It appeals to both boys and girls. ... Read more