January-1999

REVIEWS Review Digest
"Ringmaster" is that it sugarcoats
the truth. Why do we reacters
look and talk like high-
and Beil's college student charally
need to know about f)eople schoolers, and the script,
who want to marry their pets? peppered with obvious and/or
How is it uplifting for people falsely-ringing pop-culture references,
is built on fantasy and
poor or otherwise— to be
treated as circus freaks on national
television? And why is it prepubescent entertainment.
improbabilities common in
never mentioned that the person — Karen Achenbach
Genre key: (Ac) Action; (Ad) Adventure; (Ani) Animated; (C) Comedy;
RINGMASTER ^1/2 who actually benefits from all
(D) Drama; (Doc) Documentary; (F) Fantasy; (Hor) Horror;
of these public shenanigans is
Starring Jerry Springer,
(M) Musical; (My) Mystery; (R) Ronumce; (Sat) Satire;
Jerry himself?
Jaime Pressly, Molly Hagan
(SF) Science Fiction; (Sus) Suspense; (Th) Thriller; (W) Western.
This is not to say that Jerry
and Michael Jai White. Directed
by Neil Abramson. Writ-
does not have a right to have his
television show; moreover,
ten by Jon Bernstein.
those who find Jerry entertaining
Produced by Jerry Springer,
Gina Rugolo-Judd, Brad
on the small screen will
probably find fiction Jerry just
Jenkel, Steve Stabler and Gary
as stimulating. But to
W. Goldstein. An make a
Artisan release.
Comedy. Rated R movie saying his show serves
for
Afirica's Elephant
a deeper purpose is insulting.
strong sexual content and language.
Running time: 90 Kristan Ginther
Kingdom (Dsc)
—
min.
Jerry Springer. Even if you
have never seen his wildly popular
self-titled show, you know CHRISTMAS ^^
I'LL BE HOME FOR
who he is. He's brought sleaze
to the mainstream and made Starring Jonathan Taylor
chair-throwing, fisticuffs and Thomas, Jessica Bieland Gary
lurid confessionals acceptable Cole. Directed by Arlene Sanford.
Written by Tom Sursall
behavior. So just who is Jerry
Springer really? "Ringmaster," & Harris Goldberg. Produced
a semi-fictionalized vanity by David Hoberman and
movie a la Howard Stem's Tracey Trench. A Buena Vista
"Private Parts,"
release. Comedy.
Rated PG
purports to answer
that question,
for mild lan-
but instead
guage and some
provides more
rude humor.
ofthe same nonsense
Running time:
featured
86muu
on his show.
Likable Jonathan
In "Ringmaster,"
Taylor
Springer
Thomas ("Wild
plays bemused
America") stars
talk-show host
as Jake, a
Jerry Farrelly, a
schemingly entrepreneurial
guy who wonders
how he
college student
went from an
\\ ho wants to fly
Emmy-award
with his girlfriend
winning journalist
Allie
to the butt
CUlee's Gold's"
of jokes. Jerry
Jessica Biel) to
Jonathan Taylor Thomas
feels his mission
in Buena Vista's Til Be Home Cabo San Lucas
in life is to let
For Christmas." for Christmas
the nation's
vacation. But
poor and desperate population Allie opts for a family Christmas
instead, and Jake's dad ("A
spill their guts on TV about
such topics as having sex with
a step-parent, having sex with a
transvestite and having sex with
a friend's boyfriend. Notice a
trend here? According to Jerry,
Very Brady Sequel's" Gary
Cole) offers Jake a Porsche ifhe
gets home in time for Christmas
Eve dinner. Jake's attempts to
do so are complicated by contrivedly
wacky circumstances
if you don't like his show,
you're an elitist—he's just letting
which find him glued into a
disadvantaged p>eople tell Santa costume and left penni-
the same stories that rich people less in the desert by rival Eddie
tell everyday. And besides, nobody
(Adam La Vorgna).
gets hurt by appearing on This film might appeal to
Jerry's show; they just get their Thomas' core of preteen fans,
allotted 15 minutes of fame. but will likely not play well
The problem with this weak with the teenaged and
justification and hence the main twentysomething markets it's
problem (among many) with also trying to target. Thomas