No Small Affair

Maybe I've begun to appreciate movies from the 70, 80, and 90's. It's probably they seem more emotionally realistic. In a time today high school aged children are often depicted as mature with all the answers. It wasn't true then and it isn't now. It's nice to see a movie where the intricacies of a relationship overwhelm someone that doesn't have the life experience to understand. Truly it takes a very long time and an ability to forgive and subordinate to each other at times.

John Cryer really nails his role and Demi is terrific. Even though Cryer's character in some respects is far more mature than his peers, he still has the excitement and awkwardness of a first love. You never forget your first love.

I just watched this movie today again after having it sit on my shelf for a few years. I don't remember if I thought it was such a hot movie when I first saw it, or that I bought it because it was just cheap and might come in handy some Saturday afternoon that I might be searching for a little 80s entertainment.

It's not a bad movie, don't get me wrong. And you're likely to enjoy it if you've been impressed with Jon Cryer's catalog of 80s movies, given that most of them were mediochre. And, you're likely to enjoy it if you like Demi Moore's early 80s films as well. She'll even sing you a number or two.

I find this movie to be charming as an 80s version of an old Judy Holiday/Jack Lemmon movie called 'It Should Happen to You' in which Lemmon plays a documentary filmmaker and Holiday plays a young woman looking to get famous by posting her billboards up around the city. It's not quite the same story exactly, but there are similarities. Nonetheless, 'No Small Affair' is a nice little love story. Not boom boom grand, but just a pleasant little film.

"No Small Affair" was a movie made at the height of the Brat Pack popularity. John Cryer and Demi Moore, two of the most prominent members of the group are showcased in this whimsical comedy about obsession. Jerry Schatzberg directed the film, which has a San Francisco setting.

The movie is in a way, the coming of age of Charles Cummings, a young amateur photographer who one day discovers a beautiful young woman while taking pictures at one of the piers. He will do anything in order to meet Laura, who at the beginning doesn't feel anything for him, but who is intrigued by his obsession, especially when he spends all his savings to have her face, and telephone number, plastered all over the tops of taxis. He was only trying to get Laura exposed to possible offers for a recording career, but the plan backfires and all she gets are sexual propositions.

John Cryer as Charles Cummings is charming. Demi Moore does good work as Laura. George Wendt, Peter Frechette, Ann Wedgeworth, Jeffrey Tambor, Jeniffer Tilly and Tim Robbings are seen in supporting roles.

The film is an entertaining way to spend a couple of hours.

John Cryer plays a young photographer who's older brother is intent on making him a man when Cryer's affections lay elsewhere.

Shot around San Francisco's more popular areas (there are no apartments on the aging SF docks, and never were) with some fictional locations, the film, to me, feels like a budget version of Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Cryer even feels and looks a little like Mathew Broderick, only the film with Broderick came out two years after this one.

The truth is it's a nice little film with some token nudity for the young male audience, and in spite of that it has charm, notably with the taxi add sequence.

For the geeky young photographers, gamers, science club and chess club types, this film is for us. It's designed to encourage the young shy types with solo shy oriented hobbies and pass to, as a fellow SF Studios intern once told me, "don't ever deny yourself to anyone..." I wish I had followed that advice thirty years ago, ah, but the Saudis and Turks had different plans, but I digress.

Anyway, it's a good hearted film that some of the more conservative might find ever so slightly offensive, but again the film means well.

Check it out on a weekend night if you have nothing better to do. If nothing else it'll remind you of how San Francisco used to be at one time.

Jon Cryer plays Charles a teenager more into photography than dating per say or things more "normal" teenagers are interested in. Until one day a beautiful very young Demi Moore happens to set in front of his lens for a picture and our hero falls in love and develops a big crush upon first site.

What actually interested me at first to check this film out was flipping channels I thought the young Demi Moore was Jennifer Connelly at first. I still kept watching the film out of curiosity and immediately liked it though. Pre social media and what not. It's a very cute coming of age film. I really liked Charles and actually Demi's character of Laura as well. Charles kind of reminded of myself in a lot of ways.

Its rare nowadays to see likeable movie characters.