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Sugar Town
Directed By Allison Anders/Kurt Voss
Sugar Town gives a close look at struggling in the entertainment industry in Hollywood. But instead of going for a dark melodrama, the film plays the irony and realism cards while preserving a sense of affection for its characters.
Sugar Town is the latest effort from Allison Anders, who also directed one strory for Four Rooms. Sugar Town might be a low-budget flick ($250,000) but it scores high in terms of providing the audience with fun. The movie has two main assets that are successfully used: cast and tone.
In this movie the cast provides an additional dose of realism to the script. Most actors are close to the characters they play. Rosanna Arquette plays an actress in her early 40's, too old for leading parts but who doesn't want to recognize it. Her husband is a guitarist, ex-symbol, perfectly played by someone experienced in that field: John Taylor, a former DURAN DURAN guitarist. He, and his fellow bandmates, whose fame has also faded (Martin Kemp from SPANDAU BALLET,Michael Des Barres from POWER STATION) are trying to make a come-back with their new band, what isn't that easy in an industry where young freaks like MARILYN MANSON rule. The film also features Ally Sheedy as a production designer with a loser sentimental life, John Doe (X) as a tour guitarist and a hilarious Jade Gordon in a JEWEL like character who knows her way to climb the ladder to fame. And what is even more surprising is that the ensemble of the cast finely acts, making its characters credible and amusing at the same time. And considering that most of them are amateurs, it's a big achievement compared to award-winning pseudo actors like Cuba Gooding Jr.
The tone is another strength of Sugar Town: It doesn't take itself too seriously. Instead of going for a melodrama or a too excessive dark comedy à la Hurlyburly, the film mixes a mocking irony with a true affection for its characters. Even if the characters are mocked and shown in a pathetic light, there is still some affection for their struggle to find success. For example, the band's music might be ridiculous and not trendy, but the musicians are still trying to make it and believe in what they do. In the same token, while the little go-getter played by Jade Gordon is undoubtly the naughtiest character here, the film doesn't judge her and even makes her sympathetic to the audience. On the contrary the nice but dorky character played by Ally Sheedy looks so ridiculous as a constant victim that you end up rooting for her Machiavellian acquaintances. Obviously, humour is omnipresent all along without ever falling for stupid jokes.
Sugar Town laughs about Hollywood without condemning: it successfully shows the delusion of that world without totally breaking the dream. A good surprise.
Fred Thom
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Sugar Town review
