Compromising Positions

Hard to believe it from this black comedy, but director Frank Perry used to excel with stories about headstrong women shaking off the chains from their men and finding answers on their own. Therefore, it's rather sad to see Susan Sarandon so open-mouthed and hesitant here, kowtowing to a perfectly dreadful Edward Herrmann in the opening scenes of "Compromising Positions". After her lascivious dentist is murdered, Sarandon goes against hubby's wishes and helps detective Raul Julia solve the case. It's too late; too much compromising has been done on Perry's part and whatever visual interest there is early on has sputtered. Is there nothing more depressing than a deadening plot taking place in dullsville surroundings? Perry used to stage high-wire acts in the hearts of high-strung, big city women. Here, he plants his camera on mowed lawns and points it at front doors. The dentist is the lucky one. *1/2 from ****

I liked the movie but not Edward Herman's chauvinistic role. What I really didn't like is Raul Julia aka Sgt Suarez constantly hitting on Susan Sarandon when he knew full well she was married, not to mention it was unprofessional. It just didn't make any sense or add to the plot since there was no way she would leave her husband even if he was a jerk.

It would have been better if Edward Hermann was in cahoots with the dentist Joe Montegna where he killed Montegna for whatever reason. Then her husband would go to jail and she could have an excuse to be with Suarez.

Nevertheless I loved her neighbor played by Judith Ivey. She stole every scene she was in.

A good script (with adult themes) and an excellent cast make this a most enjoyable caper-comedy about the secret life of an upscale dentist. What this one does with vegetables gives one pause about eating salads anywhere but home, as Judith Ivy (particularly good as an oversexed suburban housewife) dryly points out in one of the funniest lines in the film. The movie is fast-paced with very good direction and production values. Maybe not quite a "10," but close to it.

This is a movie that you will have fun watching, and you might find yourself watching it again and again. It is certainly throwaway, and will never show up on anyone's top ten list, but it works nonetheless. Like The Late Show with Lily Tomlin and Art Carney, it involves a woman investigating a mystery, a seasoned detective and humor evolving from the lead character being involved in something so over her head. Judith Ivey has some great moments as an artist/housewife who loves her husband but seeks out meaningless sexual trysts. Her pure hedonistic attitude toward her lifestyle, and unshakable lack of guilt make for some hilarious moments. Susan Sarandon plays a naive housewife who used to be a reporter. She longs for the excitement, but is hampered by a domineering husband who wishes for nothing else from her than a hot meal and clean underwear. It's no wonder she's ripe for an affair with the lead detective on the case, Raul Julia. He finds himself falling for her despite the fact that she's driving him crazy by horning in on the case.

I love this movie for the same reason that I love Six Days and Seven Nights with Anne Heche and Harrison Ford, it's funny and has a nice romantic plot that keeps me coming back again and again to experience it. This is Sunday afternoon fodder, lazy day entertainment that won't ruffle your feathers with too serious subject matter and objectionable content. It's just a fun movie.

I really enjoyed seeing Raul Julia pining over Sarandon. Too many times he was the heavy in a film, or being subjected to the machinations of one. Here he is just a man who happens to be a detective, and the only thing heavy about him is the change in his pocket. Sarandon plays her part well, acting oblivious to her growing interest in Julia, a point that Judith Ivey makes clear in blunt and humorous terms.

It's a little silly, and you can see things coming a mile away at times, but all in all you'll be glad you rented it. My wife liked it a lot as well, and it's always nice to find a movie that women like that doesn't smell like potpourri before you even get it in the DVD player. If you like movies like Fletch, The Late Show and Six Days, Seven Nights, you'll enjoy this.

Frank Perry, a middling director I know best for DAVID AND LISA, MOMMIE DEAREST, comes up with a far more comic product in COMPROMISING POSITIONS. A generally humorous screenplay by Susan Isaacs helps, especially with with some clever twists and the relationship between Julia and Sarandon; cinematography is competent enough, with some interesting angle shots in the tooth extraction room at the start; and some telling closeups of Susan Sarandon, whose eye-rolling greatly contributes to the film's offbeat oddball atmosphere. The church scene where many woman cry over the romeo dentist's passing is memorable.

Sarandon dominates the film - she is a real pleasure to watch - and Raul Julia, Joe Mantegna, Judith Ivey and Josh Mostel provide more than adequate support.

No masterpiece, but completely enjoyable until the final quarter, at which point it becomes rather bland. The scene where a cop car drives up and the cop distracts the baddie is just too pat and (in my opinion) does not fit in with the rest of the movie, but that scene is not enough to condemn the film. 7/10.