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                      F  I  L  M  *  R  E  V  I  E  W  S

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                                  IN THE SOUP

                      A film review by James Berardinelli
                       Copyright 1993 James Berardinelli

Released:   varies
Length:     1:30
Rated:      15 (Nudity, language, mature themes)
Starring:   Steve Buscemi,  Seymour  Cassel,  Jennifer  Beals,  Pat  Moya, Will
            Patton
Director:   Alexandre Rockwell
Producers:  Jim Stark and Hank Blumenthal
Screenplay: Alexandre Rockwell and Tim Kissel
Music:      Mader Released by Triton Pictures


     Aldolpho (Steve Buscemi)  is  an  aspiring  movie  writer/director who has
penned the 500-page script to  a  film called UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.  Needing
money to pay the rent, Aldolpho  offers  to  sell  the script for a few hundred
dollars.  Enter Joe (Seymour Cassel), who,  much to Aldolpho's surprise, is not
so much interested in buying the  script  as  in producing the movie.  So, with
Aldolpho's help, Joe sets out to raise  the $250,000 budget - through a variety
of crimes, including theft and drug dealing.  While Aldolpho is uncertain about
Joe's methods, his desire to make  the  movie  overcomes his scruples, not only
because he wants to see  his  work  on  film  but  because  he wants to put his
beautiful next-door neighbor Angelica (Jennifer Beals) in a starring role.

     Obviously writer/director Alexandre  Rockwell  thought  this  was a clever
script.  I could not disagree more  vehemently.   I found the entire experience
of watching IN THE SOUP to be generally unpleasant. I can count on one hand the
number of scenes that were  inventive,  engaging,  and/or amusing.  Most of the
film is a lifeless muddle, as confused about  its characters as it is about its
plot.

     The initial premise of IN THE SOUP  -  an independent film maker trying to
get his movie made - has  promise.   Recent pictures like THE PLAYER, MISTRESS,
and THE BIG PICTURE have tackled  this  theme  with varying degrees of success,
but there's always room for  another  well-written, intelligent attempt at this
kind of satire.  For whatever reason,  however,  IN  THE SOUP quickly gets away
from this idea.  The making of the  film  becomes subordinate to the methods by
which the money is obtained.

     Characterization is abysmal.  Aldolpho is flat throughout the entire film,
and, while Joe is certainly a lively personality, he comes off as a caricature.
Jennifer Beals' Angelica is the only one with any degree at depth, but even she
is wildly inconsistent.

     The film was made in black-and-white, and  I spent a little time wondering
whether that was for cost or artistic reasons.  While I don't have a definitive
answer, given the general quality of the project, the former seems more likely.
This is an art film to  be  sure,  but  it's  plain  that  it was done on a low
budget.  Some of the comments in the  movie  about money and film technique may
be reflections of real-life difficulties encountered in filming IN THE SOUP.

     The ending is a real  let-down,  but,  considering  the rest of the movie,
it's not a great surprise.  Because of  the generally poor quality of character
development, I just didn't care about how things resolved themselves.  A strong
ending might have redeemed something from this mess, but it was not to be.

     It's hard to deny that there  was  potential  in  IN THE SOUP.  For a low-
budget film, the cast is surprisingly good and the story foundation is ripe for
a brilliant satire.  Beyond those  things,  however,  there's a virtual vacuum.
Excepting a few witty dialogue exchanges and  quirky  moments, IN THE SOUP is a
combination of a meandering script and rootless characters.

     The script-within-a-script, UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER,  is  a masterpiece of
worthlessness.  IN THE SOUP is a case of reality imitating art.

                            Rating: 5.1 (D+, *1/2)

                  James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)

