Bebe-Neuwirth Movie Reviews

Robin Williams and Kirsten Dunst face bigger-than-life jungle dangers in the family adventure "Jumanji". Young Alan Parrish finds a mysterious board game and is vanished to an imaginable jungle realm. 26 years later, two unsuspected children (Kirsten Dunst & Bradley Pierce) freed the now adult Alan (Robin Williams) and unleash the jungle world of Jumanji upon their quiet town. Based on the best-selling children's book, "Jumanji" is an exciting and fast-paced thrill-ride. Director Joe Johnston combines elements of adventure, fantasy and humor to create an enchanting family spectacle. The story is original and the characters are appealing. It contains some great special effects and thrilling scenes but a few effects weren't quite polished.

"Jumanji: Collector Edition" is a vast improvement over the bare-bones original. The picture quality is impressive and detail and the sound is clear and engaging. Columbia/Tri-Star has really kicked in for special features in this new edition. Though it lacks the multiple audio aspects of the original, this new edition contains behind-the-scene and FX featurettes, trailers, cast bios and animated menus. Overall, this DVD earns a "B+".

I first saw this movie at the movie theatres when I was 7. Now I am 14 and I still like this movie. It is about a board game, when you play it real things from the jungle come to life from the game. Four characters must finish the game to make everything from the game go away. I am very impressed with the way the animals and the effects looked. The actors did an excellent job especially Bonnie Hunt and Robin Williams. The movie went by smoothly. I enjoyed the movie a lot. The movie may be a little dark because my little sister was scared the first time she saw it. Everytime she watches it more she gets less scared. I don't know why. I recommend this movie to anybody!

When Alan Parrish finds an old board game in a construction site, he has no clue what awaits him. When he and friend Sarah Whittle start to play, he is pulled into the game and she is chased from the house by bats. Fast-forward 26 years to when brother and sister Peter and Judy Shepherd start to play. They free a now grown Alan from the game, but in the process release monkeys, mosquitoes, and a lion. They realize they must finish the game to make everything return to normal. Reuniting with the adult Sarah, they attempt to stay alive long enough to do just that.

This movie is a fantastic fantasy/action movie. It starts out well, and the suspense continues to build until the climax. At the same time, it's got some great one-liners and funny scenes to break the tension. The entire cast does well with the material, including all the special effects. The special effects show their age today and are a bit more stylized then realistic, but they serve the movie well.

A word of warning to parents. This is a very intense movie. Even though it was marketed as a family movie, many small kids will be frightened by it. Keeping that in mind, you might want to preview it before you show it to them.

This DVD is a perfect showcase for the movie. The picture is sharp, and the surround sound puts you right in the middle of the action. There is a commentary and two documentaries from the special effects team that give you insight into how they brought the animals in the film to life. If you're looking to purchase this film, this is the version to get.

Jumanji is an action movie that gets it right. It has the perfect mix of character and story supported by special effects. Pick it up today and be prepared to leave your world behind.

Robin Williams and Kirsten Dunst face bigger-than-life jungle dangers in the family adventure "Jumanji". Young Alan Parrish finds a mysterious board game and is vanished to an imaginable jungle realm. 26 years later, two unsuspected children (Kirsten Dunst & Bradley Pierce) freed the now adult Alan (Robin Williams) and unleash the jungle world of Jumanji upon their quiet town. Based on the best-selling children's book, "Jumanji" is an exciting and fast-paced thrill-ride. Director Joe Johnston combines elements of adventure, fantasy and humor to create an enchanting family spectacle. The story is original and the characters are appealing. It contains some great special effects and thrilling scenes but a few effects weren't quite polished.

"Jumanji: Collector Edition" is a vast improvement over the bare-bones original. The picture quality is impressive and detail and the sound is clear and engaging. Columbia/Tri-Star has really kicked in for special features in this new edition. Though it lacks the multiple audio aspects of the original, this new edition contains behind-the-scene and FX featurettes, trailers, cast bios and animated menus. Overall, this DVD earns a "B+".

I first saw this movie at the movie theatres when I was 7. Now I am 14 and I still like this movie. It is about a board game, when you play it real things from the jungle come to life from the game. Four characters must finish the game to make everything from the game go away. I am very impressed with the way the animals and the effects looked. The actors did an excellent job especially Bonnie Hunt and Robin Williams. The movie went by smoothly. I enjoyed the movie a lot. The movie may be a little dark because my little sister was scared the first time she saw it. Everytime she watches it more she gets less scared. I don't know why. I recommend this movie to anybody!

When Alan Parrish finds an old board game in a construction site, he has no clue what awaits him. When he and friend Sarah Whittle start to play, he is pulled into the game and she is chased from the house by bats. Fast-forward 26 years to when brother and sister Peter and Judy Shepherd start to play. They free a now grown Alan from the game, but in the process release monkeys, mosquitoes, and a lion. They realize they must finish the game to make everything return to normal. Reuniting with the adult Sarah, they attempt to stay alive long enough to do just that.

This movie is a fantastic fantasy/action movie. It starts out well, and the suspense continues to build until the climax. At the same time, it's got some great one-liners and funny scenes to break the tension. The entire cast does well with the material, including all the special effects. The special effects show their age today and are a bit more stylized then realistic, but they serve the movie well.

A word of warning to parents. This is a very intense movie. Even though it was marketed as a family movie, many small kids will be frightened by it. Keeping that in mind, you might want to preview it before you show it to them.

This DVD is a perfect showcase for the movie. The picture is sharp, and the surround sound puts you right in the middle of the action. There is a commentary and two documentaries from the special effects team that give you insight into how they brought the animals in the film to life. If you're looking to purchase this film, this is the version to get.

Jumanji is an action movie that gets it right. It has the perfect mix of character and story supported by special effects. Pick it up today and be prepared to leave your world behind.

Robin Williams and Kirsten Dunst face bigger-than-life jungle dangers in the family adventure "Jumanji". Young Alan Parrish finds a mysterious board game and is vanished to an imaginable jungle realm. 26 years later, two unsuspected children (Kirsten Dunst & Bradley Pierce) freed the now adult Alan (Robin Williams) and unleash the jungle world of Jumanji upon their quiet town. Based on the best-selling children's book, "Jumanji" is an exciting and fast-paced thrill-ride. Director Joe Johnston combines elements of adventure, fantasy and humor to create an enchanting family spectacle. The story is original and the characters are appealing. It contains some great special effects and thrilling scenes but a few effects weren't quite polished.

"Jumanji: Collector Edition" is a vast improvement over the bare-bones original. The picture quality is impressive and detail and the sound is clear and engaging. Columbia/Tri-Star has really kicked in for special features in this new edition. Though it lacks the multiple audio aspects of the original, this new edition contains behind-the-scene and FX featurettes, trailers, cast bios and animated menus. Overall, this DVD earns a "B+".

I first saw this movie at the movie theatres when I was 7. Now I am 14 and I still like this movie. It is about a board game, when you play it real things from the jungle come to life from the game. Four characters must finish the game to make everything from the game go away. I am very impressed with the way the animals and the effects looked. The actors did an excellent job especially Bonnie Hunt and Robin Williams. The movie went by smoothly. I enjoyed the movie a lot. The movie may be a little dark because my little sister was scared the first time she saw it. Everytime she watches it more she gets less scared. I don't know why. I recommend this movie to anybody!

When Alan Parrish finds an old board game in a construction site, he has no clue what awaits him. When he and friend Sarah Whittle start to play, he is pulled into the game and she is chased from the house by bats. Fast-forward 26 years to when brother and sister Peter and Judy Shepherd start to play. They free a now grown Alan from the game, but in the process release monkeys, mosquitoes, and a lion. They realize they must finish the game to make everything return to normal. Reuniting with the adult Sarah, they attempt to stay alive long enough to do just that.

This movie is a fantastic fantasy/action movie. It starts out well, and the suspense continues to build until the climax. At the same time, it's got some great one-liners and funny scenes to break the tension. The entire cast does well with the material, including all the special effects. The special effects show their age today and are a bit more stylized then realistic, but they serve the movie well.

A word of warning to parents. This is a very intense movie. Even though it was marketed as a family movie, many small kids will be frightened by it. Keeping that in mind, you might want to preview it before you show it to them.

This DVD is a perfect showcase for the movie. The picture is sharp, and the surround sound puts you right in the middle of the action. There is a commentary and two documentaries from the special effects team that give you insight into how they brought the animals in the film to life. If you're looking to purchase this film, this is the version to get.

Jumanji is an action movie that gets it right. It has the perfect mix of character and story supported by special effects. Pick it up today and be prepared to leave your world behind.

Robin Williams and Kirsten Dunst face bigger-than-life jungle dangers in the family adventure "Jumanji". Young Alan Parrish finds a mysterious board game and is vanished to an imaginable jungle realm. 26 years later, two unsuspected children (Kirsten Dunst & Bradley Pierce) freed the now adult Alan (Robin Williams) and unleash the jungle world of Jumanji upon their quiet town. Based on the best-selling children's book, "Jumanji" is an exciting and fast-paced thrill-ride. Director Joe Johnston combines elements of adventure, fantasy and humor to create an enchanting family spectacle. The story is original and the characters are appealing. It contains some great special effects and thrilling scenes but a few effects weren't quite polished.

"Jumanji: Collector Edition" is a vast improvement over the bare-bones original. The picture quality is impressive and detail and the sound is clear and engaging. Columbia/Tri-Star has really kicked in for special features in this new edition. Though it lacks the multiple audio aspects of the original, this new edition contains behind-the-scene and FX featurettes, trailers, cast bios and animated menus. Overall, this DVD earns a "B+".

I first saw this movie at the movie theatres when I was 7. Now I am 14 and I still like this movie. It is about a board game, when you play it real things from the jungle come to life from the game. Four characters must finish the game to make everything from the game go away. I am very impressed with the way the animals and the effects looked. The actors did an excellent job especially Bonnie Hunt and Robin Williams. The movie went by smoothly. I enjoyed the movie a lot. The movie may be a little dark because my little sister was scared the first time she saw it. Everytime she watches it more she gets less scared. I don't know why. I recommend this movie to anybody!

When Alan Parrish finds an old board game in a construction site, he has no clue what awaits him. When he and friend Sarah Whittle start to play, he is pulled into the game and she is chased from the house by bats. Fast-forward 26 years to when brother and sister Peter and Judy Shepherd start to play. They free a now grown Alan from the game, but in the process release monkeys, mosquitoes, and a lion. They realize they must finish the game to make everything return to normal. Reuniting with the adult Sarah, they attempt to stay alive long enough to do just that.

This movie is a fantastic fantasy/action movie. It starts out well, and the suspense continues to build until the climax. At the same time, it's got some great one-liners and funny scenes to break the tension. The entire cast does well with the material, including all the special effects. The special effects show their age today and are a bit more stylized then realistic, but they serve the movie well.

A word of warning to parents. This is a very intense movie. Even though it was marketed as a family movie, many small kids will be frightened by it. Keeping that in mind, you might want to preview it before you show it to them.

This DVD is a perfect showcase for the movie. The picture is sharp, and the surround sound puts you right in the middle of the action. There is a commentary and two documentaries from the special effects team that give you insight into how they brought the animals in the film to life. If you're looking to purchase this film, this is the version to get.

Jumanji is an action movie that gets it right. It has the perfect mix of character and story supported by special effects. Pick it up today and be prepared to leave your world behind.

I dunno. This movie made me think of something George Carlin said: "Wherever ideas are concerned, Americans can be counted on to do one of two things: Take a really good idea and run it completely into the ground, or take a really bad idea and run it completely into the ground."

Part of the appeal of the first movie was the dark theme, the lovable characters, and the bittersweet story. In other words, it was the kind of movie that, when you were done watching it, you didn't know how to feel about the ending. Mixed emotions.

Remember reading "Where the Red Fern Grows," and feeling that same way at the end? Part of the reason that book was so good is because it makes you feel that way.

I believe the people who wrote this sequel wanted to do two things: They wanted to make a quick buck, sure... but not only that, they wanted to continue the story with a script designed to negate those mixed emotions the first movie produced. They were soft and weak, and couldn't stomach a movie that didn't have a clear-cut happy ending. So they produced something inferior that completely destroyed the magic of the original story, all in an effort to set things straight.

I gave it two stars for it's good-hearted (yet lame) attempt to reach out to the children of divorced parents, but as far as I'm concerned, this sequel never happened.

More than Fifty Years later... When a nasty bulldog named Scarface (Voiced by Ernest Borgnine, Replacing by Vic Tayback from the Original-Who Died in 1990) to Steal Gabriel`s Horn, which allows entry through Heaven`s gates. When the Horn falls into Earth. Charlie (Voiced by Charlie Sheen, Replacing Burt Reyonlds) and his best friend Itchy (Voiced by Dom DeLuise) are sent back to earth to get back Gabriel`s Horn to stop Scarface and Prevent the Evil Red from turning Alcatraz into a dark, eternal Dog Pound!

Directed by Larry Leker & Paul Sebella made an light, entertaining Sequel to the Original but The only thing missing in this film is the Great Lush Animation of the Superior Original. This Sequel is Decent and often Very Funny. Some might love this over the Original. It`s only depend of your tastes. But Burt Reyondls, who voiced in the Original-All Dogs Goes to Heaven is sorely missed. A film for all ages. Grade:B+.

I liked the first All Dogs Go to Heaven movie, but the sequel was even better! Go Don Bluth! The characters, both old and new, were wonderful and the music was fantastic. I grew up watching both movies constantly and it is truly a beautiful work of art.

I dunno. This movie made me think of something George Carlin said: "Wherever ideas are concerned, Americans can be counted on to do one of two things: Take a really good idea and run it completely into the ground, or take a really bad idea and run it completely into the ground."

Part of the appeal of the first movie was the dark theme, the lovable characters, and the bittersweet story. In other words, it was the kind of movie that, when you were done watching it, you didn't know how to feel about the ending. Mixed emotions.

Remember reading "Where the Red Fern Grows," and feeling that same way at the end? Part of the reason that book was so good is because it makes you feel that way.

I believe the people who wrote this sequel wanted to do two things: They wanted to make a quick buck, sure... but not only that, they wanted to continue the story with a script designed to negate those mixed emotions the first movie produced. They were soft and weak, and couldn't stomach a movie that didn't have a clear-cut happy ending. So they produced something inferior that completely destroyed the magic of the original story, all in an effort to set things straight.

I gave it two stars for it's good-hearted (yet lame) attempt to reach out to the children of divorced parents, but as far as I'm concerned, this sequel never happened.

More than Fifty Years later... When a nasty bulldog named Scarface (Voiced by Ernest Borgnine, Replacing by Vic Tayback from the Original-Who Died in 1990) to Steal Gabriel`s Horn, which allows entry through Heaven`s gates. When the Horn falls into Earth. Charlie (Voiced by Charlie Sheen, Replacing Burt Reyonlds) and his best friend Itchy (Voiced by Dom DeLuise) are sent back to earth to get back Gabriel`s Horn to stop Scarface and Prevent the Evil Red from turning Alcatraz into a dark, eternal Dog Pound!

Directed by Larry Leker & Paul Sebella made an light, entertaining Sequel to the Original but The only thing missing in this film is the Great Lush Animation of the Superior Original. This Sequel is Decent and often Very Funny. Some might love this over the Original. It`s only depend of your tastes. But Burt Reyondls, who voiced in the Original-All Dogs Goes to Heaven is sorely missed. A film for all ages. Grade:B+.

I liked the first All Dogs Go to Heaven movie, but the sequel was even better! Go Don Bluth! The characters, both old and new, were wonderful and the music was fantastic. I grew up watching both movies constantly and it is truly a beautiful work of art.

The woman cannot sing, she is trying to sound like striesand and there is only one person that even comes close and that is Barbara herself. Stop trying to be something your NOT !

Sure The Leading Ladies Broadway was pure delight, but! what great moments there are on this DVD; Heather Headley singing "He Touched Me" was so powerful(my husband and I usually replay this song several times before going forward); then the amazing tenors are so intouch with each other and then to beak into the upbeat stuff was a treat; plus, there is the overwhelming duet of Headley and Pascal (how much would we pay for that moment?); Marin Mazzie and Linda Eder are great to hear again; Pascal's joining with the choir was also an unexpected pleasure; and then there is the awesome Nathan Lane, Robert Goulet, and Michael Crawford are part of this musical soul food; even Barry Manilow singing from his musical was completely stirring--besides, I'm glad to know that someone cares enough to still be writing musicals (could anyone have delivered this moving song any better?); and lastly, the most spectacular event was Michael Crawford with Julie Andrews as she is finally, finally heard again! Judging from the crowd's reaction in the theater, my husband and I were and are not alone in basking in the sound of her voice; it was a moment.

Perhaps I have caused you to get sick to your stomach from too much cotton candy, perhaps you may think this review is too sweet or to upholding and praising for the singers and the wonderful Amercan Orchestra, but what if? Can't we use some more beauty in this world? Wouldn't we be better off if we applauded those who seek to share the overwhelming gifts of their voices and talent? Obviously, I loved it, and if I may speak for my husband, so did he. We have watched this DVD over and over, and we have shared it with many of our friends who have been delighted in this performance. Five stars? You bet!

Whatever you love about music- passion, rousing chorus numbers, or just plain fun- is demonstrated in this enchanting concert. Broadway veterans such as Chita Rivera, Robert Goulet, and Nathan Lane share the evening with newcomers Adam Pascal, Heather Headley, and many others. It's a delightful evening of music that demonstrates what Broadway is all about. It captures so many human emotions (Bebe Neuwirth's delight that "Someone Loves Me!" to Michael Crawford's musings that "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face"). The climatic ending with Julie Andrews singing with Crawford completes a truly enchanted evening.

This could have been an interesting little movie had it not focused on a pretentious, unlikeable poser. I knew in the first 5 minutes (after Oscar has criticized a young woman's *hands* for lacking wit and experience (!)) that I was not going to like this guy....and moreover, I couldn't understand what made him such a chick magnet. I'm a 35 year old woman and didn't understand the appeal of such a transparently self-obsessed, self-important boy.

I also found his interactions with his father unreal - and I'm the daughter of an academic, so I know how academics are. But if I lived in NYC (or anywhere else, really) and my 15-year-old son disappeared into the night, never came home, and didn't call as to his whereabouts, you can bet I wouldn't be all nonchalant about it in the morning. Oscar's obvious disrespect towards his dad really bugged me - he fancied himself as the great sophisticate, but he was just a whiny spoiled brat underneath the French trappings. Just once I would've liked to see a character put him in his place, like during the excruciating dinner at the French restaurant, and no one raised an eyebrow at Diane's announcement that "Oscar and I are lovers." (Father's reaction: "Well, Oscar is an adult now...." Aren't we all incredibly enlightened and civilized!) Hello? Parent much?

Other (very small) gripe: Sigourney Weaver was 53 when this movie was made, not 40. I love her and think she looks great, but I couldn't help but be distracted by "Isn't Sigourney Weaver closer to 50?!"

The best thing in this movie was Bebe Neuwith...but she couldn't save Tadpole for me.

Summary:
Oscar Grubman (Aaron Stanford) is a 15-year old high school sophomore who is deeply interested in literature and has lately been reading Voltaire. Perhaps in conjunction with or more likely as a result, Oscar has developed a very deep romantic and sexual interest for older women and one woman in particular, his stepmother, Eve Grubman (Sigourney Weaver). When Oscar comes homes for Thanksgiving with his father and stepmother, Oscar has committed himself to break the news to Eve. Before he gets a chance, he gets drunk and, imagining Eve's best friend, Diane Lodder (Bebe Neuwirth), to be Eve because she is wearing Eve's scarf, Oscar has sex with her. Perhaps it wouldn't be a problem except, remember, Oscar is 15 and Diane is over 40 and Eve's best friend. Now Oscar has to convince his dad, Stanley Grubman (John Ritter), that he is a normal 15 year-old and also explain to Eve why he slept with her best friend when he actually wanted to be sleeping with her.

My Comments:
I don't know that my summary did the movie justice. I think I may have made it out to be more malicious than humorous and if that's the case, then you'll just have to see this movie to understand how what might be a seen as disturbing situation is actually a very funny comedy.

The story is superb and the acting is pretty good overall. Bebe Neuwirth and Aaron Stanford are very convincing and Sigourney Weaver is only slightly less so. The only problems with this movie, and I hate to make this criticism because I really do advocate a change from film to digital, are the picture quality and the cinematography. I'm guessing the movie was filmed using lower quality digital cameras. The cameras have a hard time focusing at times and a lot of quick motion turns into blurred motion. I believe digital is the way of the future, but perhaps the technology for anyone to make a major motion picture using their Circuit City bought digital camera isn't quite there yet.

Despite the picture problems, the movie is loads of fun and lots of laughs. I should also point out that young men sleeping with much older women, in case you haven't already realized this, is going to be very disturbing to some people. Well, if you find it very, very disturbing, you may want to skip this one. If you think you can look past that to be entertained by a very enjoyable movie, then you should definitely see this film.

I attended a college prep school, but don't remember anything like what happens in the comedy TADPOLE. Perhaps I should have read more of the French philosophers.

Aaron Stanford has his debut acting role as Oscar Grubman, a 15-year-old boarding school student returning to his father's NYC home for the Thanksgiving holiday. Oscar's (divorced) mother is French, so he speaks the language and is heavily into French literature, especially Voltaire. Oscar isn't interested in girls his own age, and a peer remarks that Oscar is a 40-year-old trapped in a teenager's body. Oscar carries a heavy weight - he's got a serious crush on his 40-something stepmom, Eve (Sigourney Weaver). Though Oscar has eyes only for Mrs. Grubman, his mental maturity combined with boyish enthusiasm attracts Eve's female friends, who press their phone numbers on him - and more. Eve's best friend, Diane (Bebe Neuwirth), seduces him one evening after finding him wandering drunk and lovesick (for Eve) on the street. The morning after, Oscar is horrified.

This was Stanford's first role after graduating from Rutgers University where he studied theater. Simply put, he's terrific. Neuwirth is positively delicious as the mischievous Diane who toys with the lad as a cat with a mouse. (Any teenage boy should be so lucky!) There's one scene after Oscar's one-night tryst where Oscar, Diane, Eve, and Oscar's father Stanley (John Ritter) go out to a restaurant dinner, and which had the audience almost rolling in the aisles. It alone was worth the price of admission.

Sigourney Weaver is radiant as the unsuspecting Eve, and one can understand why Oscar is attracted. I know I was. John Ritter does well enough as Oscar's college professor father, though my opinion is undoubtedly unfairly skewed towards the negative by the fact that I've never gotten over the actor's relentlessly obnoxious character in television's THREE'S COMPANY.

TADPOLE is short at 77 minutes, and I was left slightly dissatisfied as the film rolled into the credits after what I thought was a too abrupt ending. Perhaps it's because the Diane/Oscar relationship was so richly humorous and fraught with awkward possibilities, and I wanted more of it. However, that said, this is a delightful, must-see movie.

This could have been an interesting little movie had it not focused on a pretentious, unlikeable poser. I knew in the first 5 minutes (after Oscar has criticized a young woman's *hands* for lacking wit and experience (!)) that I was not going to like this guy....and moreover, I couldn't understand what made him such a chick magnet. I'm a 35 year old woman and didn't understand the appeal of such a transparently self-obsessed, self-important boy.

I also found his interactions with his father unreal - and I'm the daughter of an academic, so I know how academics are. But if I lived in NYC (or anywhere else, really) and my 15-year-old son disappeared into the night, never came home, and didn't call as to his whereabouts, you can bet I wouldn't be all nonchalant about it in the morning. Oscar's obvious disrespect towards his dad really bugged me - he fancied himself as the great sophisticate, but he was just a whiny spoiled brat underneath the French trappings. Just once I would've liked to see a character put him in his place, like during the excruciating dinner at the French restaurant, and no one raised an eyebrow at Diane's announcement that "Oscar and I are lovers." (Father's reaction: "Well, Oscar is an adult now...." Aren't we all incredibly enlightened and civilized!) Hello? Parent much?

Other (very small) gripe: Sigourney Weaver was 53 when this movie was made, not 40. I love her and think she looks great, but I couldn't help but be distracted by "Isn't Sigourney Weaver closer to 50?!"

The best thing in this movie was Bebe Neuwith...but she couldn't save Tadpole for me.

Summary:
Oscar Grubman (Aaron Stanford) is a 15-year old high school sophomore who is deeply interested in literature and has lately been reading Voltaire. Perhaps in conjunction with or more likely as a result, Oscar has developed a very deep romantic and sexual interest for older women and one woman in particular, his stepmother, Eve Grubman (Sigourney Weaver). When Oscar comes homes for Thanksgiving with his father and stepmother, Oscar has committed himself to break the news to Eve. Before he gets a chance, he gets drunk and, imagining Eve's best friend, Diane Lodder (Bebe Neuwirth), to be Eve because she is wearing Eve's scarf, Oscar has sex with her. Perhaps it wouldn't be a problem except, remember, Oscar is 15 and Diane is over 40 and Eve's best friend. Now Oscar has to convince his dad, Stanley Grubman (John Ritter), that he is a normal 15 year-old and also explain to Eve why he slept with her best friend when he actually wanted to be sleeping with her.

My Comments:
I don't know that my summary did the movie justice. I think I may have made it out to be more malicious than humorous and if that's the case, then you'll just have to see this movie to understand how what might be a seen as disturbing situation is actually a very funny comedy.

The story is superb and the acting is pretty good overall. Bebe Neuwirth and Aaron Stanford are very convincing and Sigourney Weaver is only slightly less so. The only problems with this movie, and I hate to make this criticism because I really do advocate a change from film to digital, are the picture quality and the cinematography. I'm guessing the movie was filmed using lower quality digital cameras. The cameras have a hard time focusing at times and a lot of quick motion turns into blurred motion. I believe digital is the way of the future, but perhaps the technology for anyone to make a major motion picture using their Circuit City bought digital camera isn't quite there yet.

Despite the picture problems, the movie is loads of fun and lots of laughs. I should also point out that young men sleeping with much older women, in case you haven't already realized this, is going to be very disturbing to some people. Well, if you find it very, very disturbing, you may want to skip this one. If you think you can look past that to be entertained by a very enjoyable movie, then you should definitely see this film.

I attended a college prep school, but don't remember anything like what happens in the comedy TADPOLE. Perhaps I should have read more of the French philosophers.

Aaron Stanford has his debut acting role as Oscar Grubman, a 15-year-old boarding school student returning to his father's NYC home for the Thanksgiving holiday. Oscar's (divorced) mother is French, so he speaks the language and is heavily into French literature, especially Voltaire. Oscar isn't interested in girls his own age, and a peer remarks that Oscar is a 40-year-old trapped in a teenager's body. Oscar carries a heavy weight - he's got a serious crush on his 40-something stepmom, Eve (Sigourney Weaver). Though Oscar has eyes only for Mrs. Grubman, his mental maturity combined with boyish enthusiasm attracts Eve's female friends, who press their phone numbers on him - and more. Eve's best friend, Diane (Bebe Neuwirth), seduces him one evening after finding him wandering drunk and lovesick (for Eve) on the street. The morning after, Oscar is horrified.

This was Stanford's first role after graduating from Rutgers University where he studied theater. Simply put, he's terrific. Neuwirth is positively delicious as the mischievous Diane who toys with the lad as a cat with a mouse. (Any teenage boy should be so lucky!) There's one scene after Oscar's one-night tryst where Oscar, Diane, Eve, and Oscar's father Stanley (John Ritter) go out to a restaurant dinner, and which had the audience almost rolling in the aisles. It alone was worth the price of admission.

Sigourney Weaver is radiant as the unsuspecting Eve, and one can understand why Oscar is attracted. I know I was. John Ritter does well enough as Oscar's college professor father, though my opinion is undoubtedly unfairly skewed towards the negative by the fact that I've never gotten over the actor's relentlessly obnoxious character in television's THREE'S COMPANY.

TADPOLE is short at 77 minutes, and I was left slightly dissatisfied as the film rolled into the credits after what I thought was a too abrupt ending. Perhaps it's because the Diane/Oscar relationship was so richly humorous and fraught with awkward possibilities, and I wanted more of it. However, that said, this is a delightful, must-see movie.