Splendor Review
Although by no means a perfect resurrection of writer/director Gregg_Araki's beloved vintage screwball, Splendor is nonetheless an engagingly giddy picture. True, the tone is uneven and the plot haphazard even by less-than-realistic standards. And, yes, co-leading men Johnathon_Schaech and Matt_Keeslar are, respectively, blander and more boneheaded than one might expect from their resumés. But all of these faults can be forgiven for one simple reason -- and her name is Kathleen_Robertson. The camera loves this former Aaron_Spelling starlet, but her enormously personable lead performance is more than the sum of her admittedly attractive cheekbones and figure. Even when Araki saddles her with long stretches of monologue in which she must stare into the camera and narrate her own story, Robertson has a disarming charm and an ability to breathe life into even the most implausible line. And despite the shortcomings of her co-stars, she has real chemistry with both, as well as Eric_Mabius, who is delightfully banal as a plastically attractive stand-in suitor. Kelly MacDonald has fun with her supporting turn as a snotty, sapphic construction worker, but besides an unbilled bit part for Mink_Stole, the cameos this time out are far less copious. One-time jack-of-all-trades Araki does, however, employ a talented group of behind-the-scenes collaborators to give his film the same postmodern pop art aesthetic that colored previous outings Nowhere and The_Doom_Generation. Less distinctive than either of those efforts, Splendor is a modest film, but it's totally enjoyable within its self-imposed parameters. Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
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