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REVIEWS<br />
phrases, vvliich are the crux ot the Stuart<br />
gag. (Among the more memorable here<br />
are "trace it, face it and erase it" and "it's<br />
easier to put on slippers than to carpet<br />
the world," though those are hardly destined<br />
to come on par with Gumpisms.)<br />
Overall, though, "Stuart Saves His Family"<br />
is a disappointment from director<br />
Harold Ramis of "Stripes, " "Ghostbusters"<br />
and "Groundhog Day" fame. As for<br />
Franken's performance, one would feel<br />
guilty picking on the hapless Stuart— and<br />
if Franken can evoke pathos for a silly<br />
spoof of a character he must be doing<br />
something riglit. — C/insri»c James<br />
JURY DUTY •1/2<br />
Stoning Pnitlij Shore, Tici Carrerc<br />
and Shelley Winters.<br />
Directed hi) John Fortenherty. Written<br />
by Neil Tolkin, Barbara Williams<br />
and Samantha Adams. P)odiiccd by<br />
Yoram Ben-Ami and Peter Lenkov.<br />
A T}iStar release. Comedy. Rated PG-<br />
13 for crude sex-related humor. Running<br />
time: 86 min.<br />
Tommy Collins (Pauly Shore) has been<br />
summoned to serve "Jury Duty." He's<br />
unemployed and on the lookout for the<br />
longest trial he can land— all the better to<br />
have his needs cared for during sequestration.<br />
When he falls for fellow juror<br />
Monica (Tia Carrere), he aims to draw<br />
out deliberations even longer to give him<br />
more time to win Monica's affection. For<br />
everyone else involved in the case,<br />
Tommy becomes Public Enemy #1<br />
Once a big-screen staple (e.g., "Twelve<br />
Angry Men," the Henry Fonda film from<br />
which this off-kilter variant borrows, in<br />
one scene literally), courtroom drama is<br />
now available any hour of the day. It's not<br />
first-time director John Fortenberry's<br />
fault that "Jury Duty" arrives when audiences<br />
are watching for free pretty much<br />
what this film asks them to pay for. At<br />
least it asks them to laugh, not weep.<br />
And there the movie is only marginally<br />
successful. Its uncourtly antics are<br />
clearly inadmissible, and Shore's odd and<br />
improvised humor is but fitfully entertaining.<br />
The former MTV star is even<br />
overshadowed by his canine companion<br />
(played by Gizmo from "True Lies"), a<br />
chihuahua obsesssed with the game<br />
show ".leopardv." — Dn'niyjie E. Leslie<br />
THE PEBBLE AND<br />
THE PENGUIN ••1/2<br />
featuring the voices of Martin Short<br />
and James Belushi.<br />
Written by Rachel Korelsky and Sieve<br />
Whitestone. Produced by Russell Boland.<br />
An MCi\t/UA release. Animation.<br />
Rated G. Running lime: 74 min.<br />
Better than ime would expect of an<br />
animated movie for which no one claims<br />
a directing credit, this birds-ol-no-feathers<br />
tale oig Martin Lawrence, Will Smith<br />
and Tea Lconi.<br />
Directed by Mieahcl Bay. Written by<br />
Michael Banic, Jim Mulholland and<br />
Doug Ricliardson. Produced by Don<br />
Simpson and Jeny Bruckheimer.<br />
A Columbia release. Action /comedy<br />
Rated R for intense violent action and<br />
pervasive strong la)iguagc. Running<br />
time: 117 min.<br />
Comedic actors Martin Lawrence<br />
(TV's "Martin") and Will Smith (TV's<br />
"Fresh Prince of Beverly Hills") make for<br />
an explosively funny combination as<br />
Miami police detectives bungling their<br />
way through life-and-death dilemmas.<br />
Backed by blockbuster producers Don<br />
Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer (the<br />
duo behind "Beverly Hills Cop" and "Top<br />
Gim"), "Bad Boys" also dishes a generous<br />
dose of high-octane action.<br />
Lawrence plays Det. Marcus Burnett,<br />
a neurotic married cop; Smith is his antithesis,<br />
Det. Mike Lowrey, who's rich,<br />
sinooth and all ego. The duo is constantly<br />
engaged in a battle of wills as they try to<br />
solve a high-profile drug heist from police<br />
headquarters and find themselves in<br />
over their heads. Like "Beverly Hills<br />
Cop," "Bad Boys'" humor is often selfdirected,<br />
spoofing other police shows<br />
with cliche lines and stealing an opening<br />
shot from "Miami Vice." In proving<br />
they're "tough enough" by taking swipes<br />
at each other's manhood, Lawrence and<br />
Smith provide well-placed laughs to relieve<br />
the tension built during action sequences—some<br />
of whose drama comes<br />
credit of Oscar-winning stunt coordinator<br />
Ken Bates {"Dk: Hard," "Dcmiolition<br />
Man"). Even when excessive, the action<br />
keeps the plot moving, giving the characters<br />
const.uU challenges. As Julie, a sexy<br />
witness to ,i crime, Tea Leoni adds extra<br />
chemistry to the mix— especially because<br />
Julie's arrival in the plot necessitates<br />
a role reversal by the detectives that<br />
is the movie's strongest element.<br />
With the talents of Lawrence and<br />
Smith, the film hardly needs quite its<br />
number of overblown explosive scenes,<br />
which compromise the film's believability.<br />
Nonetheless, "Bad Boys" is extraordinarily<br />
entertaining. —Pflf Kramer<br />
A GOOFY MOVIE •••<br />
\'oiees by Bill Fanner and Jason<br />
Marsdeii.<br />
Directed by Kevin Lima. Written by<br />
Jymn Magon, Chris Matheson and Brian<br />
Pimental. Produced by Daji Rounds.<br />
A Biiena Vista release. Animation.<br />
Rated G. Running time: 76 min.<br />
Perhaps ultimately better suited to<br />
home video's small screen, this toon for<br />
tots is kinetic enough for kids yet comical<br />
enough for parents. Here, Goofy— who<br />
first appeared as Dippy Dawg in a 1932<br />
short, "Mickey's Revue"— makes his bigscreen<br />
starring debut as a single dad to<br />
son Max, who believes that his pater's<br />
goofiness is making it all the harder for<br />
him to fit in with the cool crowd at school.<br />
Just as Max makes a social breakthrough<br />
by landing a date with the lovely Roxanne.<br />
Goofy decides to establish a bond<br />
with his distant-seeming teenager by taking<br />
him on a cross-country fishing trip—<br />
trip that takes the duo to unexpected<br />
geographies and emotions.<br />
Debut director Kevin Lima keeps the<br />
onscreen commotions inventive with<br />
wry angles and lots of action. The script's<br />
three writers are surer with wit (which<br />
rarely flags for long) than with depth,<br />
settling for homily andbromide. Both the<br />
story and potential audience could have<br />
been broadened by adding a Mrs. Goofy<br />
(whose absence is unexplained) and a<br />
daughter. Six songs, including ditties<br />
from Tom Snow ("Footloose"), have an<br />
agreeable zest —Kiiii Williamson<br />
ROB ROY •••••<br />
starring Liam \ces()}i, Jessica Ijingc<br />
and Tim Roth.<br />
Directed by Michael Caton-Jones.<br />
Written by Alan Sharp. Produced hy<br />
Peter Broughan and Richtird Jackson.<br />
A VA release. Romance advcniurc.<br />
Rated R for violence aiul se,\uality.<br />
Running lime: /.W min.<br />
This epic transports audiences to the<br />
beautiful Scottish highlands in the early<br />
17()0s, the era of the legendary Robert<br />
Roy MacGregor, A cattle drover for the<br />
Marqius of Montrose (John Hurt), Rob<br />
Roy (Liam Neeson) borrows 1,000<br />
pounds from his employer to buy a herd<br />
of cattl(^ which he will tr.msport anti sell<br />
to iK^lp stipport his fannly ,md his village.<br />
Fouling his plan is Archibald C'lumingharn<br />
("Pulp Fiction's" Tim Roth), tmderneath<br />
whose dry wit and penchant for fey<br />
fashion is a letlial socio|ialh. To iielp pay<br />
his tailoi hills. Ciumingh.un conspires to<br />
R-50 Boxonicic
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