The Brat Pack
seems to have finally grown up and stopped all of the self-obsessed whining.
Although About Last Night is not
about completely wise, mature, or grown up adults, they are at least heading in
the right direction. We see them growing through the course of the plot, which
surprisingly dead-on in the honest portrayal of adjustments needed for any new
relationship. The film even takes into consideration the strain that comes with
the relationship from the view of the friends, based on a similarly smart stage
play written by David Mamet.
Although Mamet
did not write the screenplay for the film (instead adapted by Tim Kazurinsky
and Denise DeClue), there remains the biting humor from the play, as well as
James Belushi who played the same role in the film as on stage. The film
revolves around an impulsive sexual relationship that turns into a committed
relationship; and all of the pitfalls and dangers that come with the territory.
Danny Martin (Rob Lowe) and Debbie (Demi Moore) meet at a park softball game,
and when they see each other at a bar later the same night, they end up
sleeping together. After that they only have getting to know each other left,
and begin spending inordinate amounts of time together, as is common at the beginning
of a relationship.
Each is forced
to listen to the criticisms and complaints from their best friends, who are
feeling neglected at the sudden inclusion of a significant partner. When people
couple up, the friends are left solo. Joan (Elizabeth Perkins) finds many
reasons why Danny isn’t good enough for Debbie, none more important than her
own neediness. Bernie (Belushi) simply wants his friend to be around more, and
that becomes a problem with the amount of time that Debbie takes up, but even
more important is the hatred that Joan and Bernie immediately have for each
other.
The feature film
directorial debut of Edward Zwick was more than promising; About Last Night was
an honest romantic comedy which never chose sides between one sex or the other
in the portrayal of the rough journey. Even today the film doesn’t seem dated,
as long as you can ignore the clothes.
Entertainment Value:
7.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7/10
Historical
Significance: 7/10
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