Stephen-Tobolowsky Movie Reviews

Love Liza, written with Philip Seymour Hoffman in mind, is a showcase for arguably one of the greatest contemporary actors working in film. Hoffman portrays Wilson, whose wife unexpectedly took her own life, leaving him with only memories and a suicide note he is too afraid to read. Unable to cope, Wilson turns to huffing gas to dull his senses, and it is a move that plunges his life further into ruin. Along the way, the film explores the friendships Wilson has forged with his mother-in-law and an unusual RC toy enthusiast.

With each cleverly-framed shot, director Todd Louiso effectively portrays the sense of isolation and solitude that the film's protagonist must be experiencing, and Hoffman's characterization of Wilson is absolutely devastating in its effectiveness.

However, on some level, Love Liza fails. Obviously meant as a character study, Love Liza loses a great deal of its effect in the fact that the supplementary characters don't really possess a lot of depth, nor do they help elucidate much depth in Wilson's character. The plot is rather thin at times, and doesn't really explain how Wilson gets hooked on huffing. Was this something he did before his wife's death, or something new he does to cope?

However, the movie is redeemed in part by the denoument, which ends in a way both predictable and unexpected, though I won't divulge any details.

All in all Love Liza, is an excellent showcase for Hoffman's talents, but it falls a little flat by underplaying its potential for emotional effect.

Highlights: Yet another incredible performance from Phillip Seymour Hoffman; poignant script; darkly hilarious moments; good maintaining of a pessimistic atmosphere.

Lowpoints: It is evident that it's the director's, Todd Luiso's, debut - the film seems to avoid subjects that get excessively intricate, and bombards the audience with pompous, supposedly meaningful subtlety - in other words, Love Liza is pretentious at times; the film supplies its audience with no resolution, though foreshadows one throughout, which might leave some agitated; Love Liza's perpetual pessimism might upset viewers.

Conclusion: Though ostentatious at certain points, Love Liza is a worthy little addition to any indie DVD collection. It will dazzle with its central performance, and astound with some incredibly nuanced scenes.

SEE THIS IF YOU LIKED: Magnolia, Punch Drunk Love, Wings of Desire, About Schmidt.
DON'T SEE THIS IF YOU LIKED: Maid in Manhattan, any Julia Roberts film.

Love Liza is a cinematic masterpiece that takes us into the lonely world of a man consumed with guilt over the suicide of his wife. Phillip Seymour Hoffman gives a stunning and brilliant performance as Wilson. Not long into the movie we find that Wilson's wife Liza left him a suicide note that he cannot bring himself to read. Constantly hounded by his mother-in-law, played to perfection by Kathy Bates, he searches for any kind of release and finds it in an odd form, huffing gasoline fumes. Penned by Hoffman's brother Gordy, this film places us in a position most of us can relate with, the loss of a loved one. Phillip Seymour Hoffman delivers an Oscar calliber performance in a role that seems tailor made for him. Hoffman is strikingly believable and a pleasure to watch. He delivers every emotion and movement in just the right places and with great percision. He is truly one of the greatest actors that Hollywood houses today. I recommend this film to anyone who is a fan of excellent films and actors. Carried by a terrific screenplay and brilliant performances by both Hoffman and Kathy Bates, Love Liza can't miss.

Love Liza, written with Philip Seymour Hoffman in mind, is a showcase for arguably one of the greatest contemporary actors working in film. Hoffman portrays Wilson, whose wife unexpectedly took her own life, leaving him with only memories and a suicide note he is too afraid to read. Unable to cope, Wilson turns to huffing gas to dull his senses, and it is a move that plunges his life further into ruin. Along the way, the film explores the friendships Wilson has forged with his mother-in-law and an unusual RC toy enthusiast.

With each cleverly-framed shot, director Todd Louiso effectively portrays the sense of isolation and solitude that the film's protagonist must be experiencing, and Hoffman's characterization of Wilson is absolutely devastating in its effectiveness.

However, on some level, Love Liza fails. Obviously meant as a character study, Love Liza loses a great deal of its effect in the fact that the supplementary characters don't really possess a lot of depth, nor do they help elucidate much depth in Wilson's character. The plot is rather thin at times, and doesn't really explain how Wilson gets hooked on huffing. Was this something he did before his wife's death, or something new he does to cope?

However, the movie is redeemed in part by the denoument, which ends in a way both predictable and unexpected, though I won't divulge any details.

All in all Love Liza, is an excellent showcase for Hoffman's talents, but it falls a little flat by underplaying its potential for emotional effect.

Highlights: Yet another incredible performance from Phillip Seymour Hoffman; poignant script; darkly hilarious moments; good maintaining of a pessimistic atmosphere.

Lowpoints: It is evident that it's the director's, Todd Luiso's, debut - the film seems to avoid subjects that get excessively intricate, and bombards the audience with pompous, supposedly meaningful subtlety - in other words, Love Liza is pretentious at times; the film supplies its audience with no resolution, though foreshadows one throughout, which might leave some agitated; Love Liza's perpetual pessimism might upset viewers.

Conclusion: Though ostentatious at certain points, Love Liza is a worthy little addition to any indie DVD collection. It will dazzle with its central performance, and astound with some incredibly nuanced scenes.

SEE THIS IF YOU LIKED: Magnolia, Punch Drunk Love, Wings of Desire, About Schmidt.
DON'T SEE THIS IF YOU LIKED: Maid in Manhattan, any Julia Roberts film.

Love Liza is a cinematic masterpiece that takes us into the lonely world of a man consumed with guilt over the suicide of his wife. Phillip Seymour Hoffman gives a stunning and brilliant performance as Wilson. Not long into the movie we find that Wilson's wife Liza left him a suicide note that he cannot bring himself to read. Constantly hounded by his mother-in-law, played to perfection by Kathy Bates, he searches for any kind of release and finds it in an odd form, huffing gasoline fumes. Penned by Hoffman's brother Gordy, this film places us in a position most of us can relate with, the loss of a loved one. Phillip Seymour Hoffman delivers an Oscar calliber performance in a role that seems tailor made for him. Hoffman is strikingly believable and a pleasure to watch. He delivers every emotion and movement in just the right places and with great percision. He is truly one of the greatest actors that Hollywood houses today. I recommend this film to anyone who is a fan of excellent films and actors. Carried by a terrific screenplay and brilliant performances by both Hoffman and Kathy Bates, Love Liza can't miss.

This isn't your typical "stoner" movie. Its still a stoner movie, but its deeper than any stoner movie I've seen. Around the Fire is the story of a young man away from his family for the first time that experments with drugs for the first time in his life and realizes that when he's high, he no longer thinks about the torment memories from his childhood that fill his head. Maybe it is your typical "tennager doing drugs to escape personal problems" movie, but its diffently one you should rent. Most people like myself will find themselves drawn to his movie, somehow reminded of a certain time in their lives.

i gotta say, i don't watch a whole lot a movies, but this is by far the best movie i've ever seen. in fact, i kinda detest movies and tv, but this isn't like others. this is a must see, actually kids, its a must have. i'm not one to help these big companies gain business, but seriously kids, you got to see this. its written and produced by dead-heads, and i don't know if most of the cast are, but their still chillin heads, you can tell. i can totally relate to this movie, and anyone whose been on tour can either relate it to themselves or thier friends, definately. i know many many kids who got too caught up in working and doing drugs, who become too selfish and greedy and forget what the fam's and tour's and the music is really about, and thats whats this movie's all about. they do a very good job of duplicating the lot scene, of course the don't get every little detail, but trust me kids, you'll be suprised. just see it, rent it at the least, then you'll want it. i just rented it today, just chillin out with my parents and sister, and they asked me to go get some movies. and this caught my eye. you won't be disappointed. peace and love kids

I first heard of this movie while sitting in my friends garage passing around a bowl and watching the movie grass. I beleive around the fire was the second preview on this movie. I headed to the video store and picked up this movie right away. I watched it 4 times in the 2 days that i had it and then went out and bought it. It is a gem, this movie is a tale of a young man who discovers the joy and happiness of life on the road with your favorite bands. the soundtrack is amazing (features bob marley, phish, grateful dead and more). I watched this movie with my uncle, who was a "dead head" (which means he followed the grateful dead on tour) and my cousin who works with the band phish as a roadie. they both said that this movie is the real deal. it made me laugh, it made me cry and it made me think, not many movies have done all of that for me. rent this movie!!!!!

This isn't your typical "stoner" movie. Its still a stoner movie, but its deeper than any stoner movie I've seen. Around the Fire is the story of a young man away from his family for the first time that experments with drugs for the first time in his life and realizes that when he's high, he no longer thinks about the torment memories from his childhood that fill his head. Maybe it is your typical "tennager doing drugs to escape personal problems" movie, but its diffently one you should rent. Most people like myself will find themselves drawn to his movie, somehow reminded of a certain time in their lives.

i gotta say, i don't watch a whole lot a movies, but this is by far the best movie i've ever seen. in fact, i kinda detest movies and tv, but this isn't like others. this is a must see, actually kids, its a must have. i'm not one to help these big companies gain business, but seriously kids, you got to see this. its written and produced by dead-heads, and i don't know if most of the cast are, but their still chillin heads, you can tell. i can totally relate to this movie, and anyone whose been on tour can either relate it to themselves or thier friends, definately. i know many many kids who got too caught up in working and doing drugs, who become too selfish and greedy and forget what the fam's and tour's and the music is really about, and thats whats this movie's all about. they do a very good job of duplicating the lot scene, of course the don't get every little detail, but trust me kids, you'll be suprised. just see it, rent it at the least, then you'll want it. i just rented it today, just chillin out with my parents and sister, and they asked me to go get some movies. and this caught my eye. you won't be disappointed. peace and love kids

I first heard of this movie while sitting in my friends garage passing around a bowl and watching the movie grass. I beleive around the fire was the second preview on this movie. I headed to the video store and picked up this movie right away. I watched it 4 times in the 2 days that i had it and then went out and bought it. It is a gem, this movie is a tale of a young man who discovers the joy and happiness of life on the road with your favorite bands. the soundtrack is amazing (features bob marley, phish, grateful dead and more). I watched this movie with my uncle, who was a "dead head" (which means he followed the grateful dead on tour) and my cousin who works with the band phish as a roadie. they both said that this movie is the real deal. it made me laugh, it made me cry and it made me think, not many movies have done all of that for me. rent this movie!!!!!

I enjoyed this movie a lot more than the critics. Maybe because I love goldie and mel, both of whom have been known to sign autographs for fans.

I think that Bird on A Wire was a brilliant movie because the Writers and Producers brought 2 wonderful actors together to make the stunning movie it is. With the comedy of Goldie Honking the BMW Horn and driving crazy to the suspense of the story of her old boyfriend Rick(Mel Gibson) who was supposed to have gotten killed years and years before.
This movie is one of my family's favorites and they have rented it and watched it more than 8 times! I think that Bird on A Wire is very good Classic and even though it was made in 1990 it is still a huge hit for the young and old.
In fact if you can I would say first before buying it you should rent it at your local movie renting store and watching it before buying it so you can see just how funny, suspenseful and Story-packed this movie is.
I rate this movie FIVE STARS because of this great combination to make this movie the most undescribable and fun movie in years that I have seen as a 'Classic'.

Considering what Mr. Maltin has to say in his review, I wonder if he ever bothered to watch this movie to the end. It is a fine-line satire of our society as it was in the late eighties and still is to this day. The action scenes force the hero through a lot of adventures and make him face the past. But all he can see is pretense. It is yes, an action-comedy movie, but if one would bother to look between the lines, he would see the irony of our own society. Despite the fact that Gibson and Hawn are stars, they work well together and gave us probably the comedic performances of their lives. David Carradine is top shape and delivers. In its genre, I would recommend it to anyone. There is humour, drama, action and spice in this little movie. All the ingredients that, in other times, made a great movie.

O.K.-- Steven Seagal was not considered for a Best Actor award for this movie (nor for any of this other flicks). This is, however, an enjoyable little movie -- you just have to get past Seagal's wooden acting, his love beads, and the huge holes in the plot. Keenen Ivory Wayans' character worked well -- he gets credit for all of the intentional humor, including one particularly funny line.

I like this movie, its not Seagals best but it got mucha humour and good fight scenes. Steven Seagal being a buddhist is in itself cool(therefor my name). What else can I say?

A movie for those who like Steven Seagal!!

This is one of Segal's better movies. I would rate it with Under Siege in quality. Good plot, great supporting cast. He does not inject the PC [stuff] that many of his later movies seem to have.

O.K.-- Steven Seagal was not considered for a Best Actor award for this movie (nor for any of this other flicks). This is, however, an enjoyable little movie -- you just have to get past Seagal's wooden acting, his love beads, and the huge holes in the plot. Keenen Ivory Wayans' character worked well -- he gets credit for all of the intentional humor, including one particularly funny line.

I like this movie, its not Seagals best but it got mucha humour and good fight scenes. Steven Seagal being a buddhist is in itself cool(therefor my name). What else can I say?

A movie for those who like Steven Seagal!!

This is one of Segal's better movies. I would rate it with Under Siege in quality. Good plot, great supporting cast. He does not inject the PC [stuff] that many of his later movies seem to have.

O.K.-- Steven Seagal was not considered for a Best Actor award for this movie (nor for any of this other flicks). This is, however, an enjoyable little movie -- you just have to get past Seagal's wooden acting, his love beads, and the huge holes in the plot. Keenen Ivory Wayans' character worked well -- he gets credit for all of the intentional humor, including one particularly funny line.

I like this movie, its not Seagals best but it got mucha humour and good fight scenes. Steven Seagal being a buddhist is in itself cool(therefor my name). What else can I say?

A movie for those who like Steven Seagal!!

This is one of Segal's better movies. I would rate it with Under Siege in quality. Good plot, great supporting cast. He does not inject the PC [stuff] that many of his later movies seem to have.

One person who reviewed this film asked the question, "where are the black voices?" I think there were black voices in this film. The problem is that those voices were weak, cowardly and ineffectual. It's as if black southerners had no part in the struggle for their own freedom. Freedom and equal rights could only be obtained by the good will of northern whites and the united states government. In some way this white liberal racist attitude isn't much better than the low life klansmen.

The best way to view this movie is from the perspective of good versus evil. Good does win out and the evil klan is brought to justice. That does mean something. The production is good and the performances are too. Gene hackman gives an oscar caliber performance and willem defoe is convincing. Certainly an entertaining film but it doesn't reach it's potential as a great film.

...............socks

I remember watching this movie in a Florida movie theater when it first came out (I was stationed at Orlando Naval Base back then). Watching the movie was an overwhelming emotional experience, and many scenes shook me to the core with their raw emotional power. Mississippi Burning is THE definitive movie about the atmosphere of racism and violence that pervaded the Civil Rights era, with its dead on accurate portrayal and recreation of a small 60's Southern town. We get to intimately know the kinds of places where 3 young men, or any individuals interested in the plight of the oppressed, might disappear or get killed in the 60's South. We understand what it was like to be Black and live in such a divided society. Most important, we know that evil racism has no logical explanation save for the fact that it is taught and learned from one generation to the next.

This movie has been unfairly and recklessly attacked by overeager movie critics and experts on social affairs, all of whom feel guilty about praising such an important and powerful piece of film making (they don't DARE want to be called racist for praising the film!).

The most common criticism is that this movie doesn't have any strong Black characters. This is absolutely false. There are several strong Black characters in this movie. There is a scene where a Black preacher gives a strong condemnation about the killings of the young men. There are several scenes with a brave young Black child, deeply religious, who somehow manages to find courage amongst his tears and fright (in one exceptional scene, he doesn't run away during a Klan disruption of a church gathering, instead, he kneels and prays). And in the most controversial and powerful scene in the entire movie, a strong Black father (father of the previously mentioned young boy), fed up with the racists, goes out into the night with a shotgun shouting that he will not take this abuse anymore.

The other major criticism is that the movie focuses on White characters. This is not valid. I do certainly agree that many Hollywood movies tend to center the action around White actors, even if the story is about minorities (i.e., Come See the Paradise, Windtalkers, etc. etc.) However, this is one case where it was absolutely necessary for the story to be seen through the eyes of two White FBI agents. The two White agents (Gene Hackman in one of the greatest movie performances of all time) represent the opposite spectrum of the evil Southern racists. Just as the Southerners see the world in their segregated view, the two FBI agents see the world in their enlightened and open view, and in fact they stand for many White people that not only gave their lives for the cause of Civil Rights, but made their voices heard and actions seen so that segregation would one day end. The Civil Rights era is as much a story about White Americans as it is Black Americans, so I applaud the filmmakers for being courageous about this.

I recently watched the DVD version and it affected me as much as when I first saw it, and I make it a point to see several times a year. There are scenes that are so heartbreaking they will leave you in tears, and moments of beauty and power so self assured that you know you are watching a masterpiece that will one day stand the test of time. This movie is required viewing for all of the youth in America today, many of whom are clueless as to the Civil Rights period (and others simply do not care).

A gut-wrenching thriller from start to finish, the movie's breakneck pace is akin to any topnotch suspense movie of our time, while managing an excellent depiction of the 1960's civil rights struggle in the US as well.

Despite its theme's sombre contours the film never gets all preachy about the subject. Gene Hackman is picture perfect although his vigilante FBI loose-cannon role occasionally gets a bit far-fetched. A salon scene between him and one of the rogue cops who moonlight as members of Ku-Klux-Klan will remain in your memory for a long time.

The racism theme may appear a bit dated to viewers of this generation, but it is integral to the theme (as it was to the actual civil war.) Plus, let's not forget that the movie was made in 1988, and watching it now I still couldn't help getting touched by the identifiable theme. Frankly, I don't really understand what racially oriented quibbles reviewers have with the movie -- this is not some drummed up theme, this is ACTUALLY what happened in Mississippi.

A taut, absorbing, and worthwhile film that you must watch if you haven't already.

Single White Female for most of its running time evolves into a truly creepy, menacing little thriller laced with moments to make the skin crawl. However all the psycholgical elements that are cleverly thrown into the mix, get flushed down the tube in it's final half hour. Fonda, after finding out that her boyfriend cheated on her, promtly boots him out of her flat and takes on a roomate in the form of Jennifer Jason Leigh. At first she seems sweet, kind and gentle natured but things start to change dramatically as Leigh transforms from a mousy, incredibly shy introvert to a total psychopath (to put it lightly). It seems Fonda's new roomate has ideas of not only borrowing a few items of clothing but taking over her life for herself completly. Both leads are convincing enough given the rather irrational screenplay and there are times when the film has it's inceredibly dark moments but it all ends up in typical slasher style somewhat butchering a half well made movie.

Jenninfer Jason Leigh is totally out of control while Bridget Fonda fears for her life in this psychological thriller. Allie Jones (Fonda) puts an ad in the newspaper for a room mate wanted, a single white female. She quickly gets a response from Hendra Carlson (Leigh) and has Allie convinced. She moves in and seems like the perfect room mate. But Allie begins to notice some of her belongings missing and Hendra's style and personality changing. Before long, Hendra's obsession with Allie's life proves it's self when Hendra gets a complete make over and looks exactly like Allie. This is where the terror and violence begins. This movie is somewhat similar to the Lifetime Network thriller "Total Stranger" about a lonley woman that offers a room in her home for rent. She allows a pleasent college girl to move in and she turns out to be a violent schizophrenic and takes over the woman's home and terrorizes her. This movie was just as good.

If you're looking for a truly creepy thriller than look no further than this one, containing flawless acting by actresses Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh. For those reviewers who say the film is let down by the final half hour I have to say: pah! That's the best part! The half hour climax where Ally (Bridget Fonda) desperately fights off a now totally psychopathic Hedra (Jennifer Jason Leigh) makes the film in my eyes. The basic film premise is this: Ally's live-in boyfriend cheats on her and is shown the door, not used to living alone, Ally advertises for a room mate, enter Hedra, a shy quiet librarian. The two become friends but Hedra's envy and awe of her new best friend's style and beauty leads her to begin to emulate her and become her twin (the reason for her obsession is revealed in full in the film but I won't spoil it for those who might want to see the film). When Ally makes peace with her boyfriend and wants him to move back into the apartment, Hedra grows jealous and incredibly vindictive at being asked to move out and begins to become obsessive, culminating in her offing a few characters (including one hapless soul having a stiletto stabbed through his eye in a very original and memorable murder scene). The final battle between the two ladies is nothing short of gripping, and the scenes incredibly convincing as they wrestle, shoot and stab their way through the apartment complex in an edge of your seat fight for survival finally ending down in the creepy shadowy basement in the belly of the building. A slew of these type of psychological thrillers followed after the success of this film (The Crush, Deadbolt, The Babysitter, Mother's Boys, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle etc) but none besides the latter of course being up to SWF's standard. High points of the film include the creepy somewhat infamous scene where Hedra emerges from the hairdressers, her hair cut from long and dark to short and auburn in an exact imitation of Ally's, and Hedra's violent disposal of a newly bought puppy that won't come to her. The film was adapted from an average novel titled 'SWF Seeks Same' but in it's adaptation to the big screen became a very stylish thriller. A hit at the box office when released it is well worth seeing and is a guaranteed tense and nail biting viewing experience for any fans of a good thriller. Five stars.