Boxoffice-June.1995

REVIEWS
ROOMMATES ^1/2
Stani)ig PctcT Folk, D.B.
Swecjicy and /idimnte Moore.
Directed by Peter Yates.
Written by Max Apple and
Stephen Metealfe. Produced
by Ted Field, Scott Kroopli
and Robert W. Cort.
A Biicim Vista release. Comedy/drama.
Rated PG for tlicnmtic
clctntnits, and for some
scnsiwdity atid language. Run-
MiHg time: 109 min.
Manipulative from start to
finish, this Interscope production
aims for a "Terms of
Endearment" mix of soap and
spice, but comes off closer to
the unrestrained mawkishness
of "Beaches." Despite a
typically winning performance
from Peter Falk,
"Roommates" quickly crosses
over from cute to cloying.
With its
paint-by-numbers
plot (based on a story by coscripter
Max Apple) about a
grandfather who raises his
grandchild, it relies perhaps
unfairly on the performances
of its leads. Falk is charming,
but his character has no arc;
as his grown charge, D.B.
Sweeney shows little depth;
and Julianne Moore as the
love interest is hopelessly
mannered.— Sean O'Neill
THE HUNTED ^1/2
Starri}ig Christopher
Lambert and John Lone.
Directed arid iinittcn by J.F.
Laiiton. Produced by John
Dains and Gary \V. Goldstein.
A Universal release. Action.
Rated R for strong
bloody ninja violence and
some sexuality. Running
time: 110 min.
For a ninja action movie,
"The Hunted" suffers from an
acute identity crisis. On the
one hand, writer-turned-director
J.F. Lawton ("Under
Siege") wants to deliver a
movie of texture; on the
other, he wants to thrill audiences.
He fails in both.
As a New York businessman
who becomes the target
of a ninja assassin (John
Lone), Christopher Lambert's
character fades into the
background as the action
switches to an internecine
war between two ninja clans.
Straitjacketed by Lawton's
one-note conception, Lone's
bad guy seems a parody —but
not camp enough to be memorable.—
R/cfc Schultz
MAN OF THE HOUSE •
Starring Chevy C'/irtse,
Fanah Fawcctt and Jonathan
Taylor Thomas.
Directed by James Oit.
Written by James Oit and
Jim Cndckshank. Produced
by Bonnie Bruckheimer and
Martij Katz.
A Bucna Vista release.
Comedy. Rated PG for mild
thematic elements. Running
time: 96 min.
hi the old days, Disney's
live-action movies rarely
dealt with any subject stickier
than flubber. With "Man of
the House," Walt's successors
have attempted to construct
a lighthearted romp around
the sticky modern topic of
how children cope with divorce
and remarriage. But
the results remain lighter
than air. Director James Orr
and his co-writer Jim
Cruickshank, best known for
"Three Men and a Baby,"
quickly back away from anything
hard-edged, instead devoting
most of the film to soft,
"Afterschool Special" sentiments.—
Eric Williams
BILLY MADISON 1/2
Staning Adam Sandler,
Bridgette Wilso}i and
Darren McGavin.
Directed by Tamra Davis.
Written by Tim Herlihy and
Adam Sandler. Produced by
Robert Simonds.
A Universal release. Comedy.
Rated PG-13 for language
and crude humor.
Running time: 88 min.
A comedy about adult education
that fails on all counts,
"Billy Madison" lacks the
traits that make "Tommy
Boy" a modest winner:
laughs, plausibility and
screen presence. As a lazy
young man on the mend,
Adam Sandler (who cowrites,
badly) exhibits none
of the magnetism and attention
to character that made
his supporting performance
in "Shakes the Clown" memorable.
The film's romanceeven
judged by the easy
standards of this genre — is
bungled, with an acceptable
turn by Bridg(;tte Wilson as
the title character's favorite
teacher made ludicrous by
how her heart is won. But the
central prohU'm remains the
humor: There isn'l anv— at
all.— KiKi Williamson
^
Stcry-type key: (Ac) Action: lAtl) Adveniure: lAn) Animaled:
fO Comedy: iD) Drama: iDoc) Documentary: (F) Fantasy:
iHor) Honor: (M) Musical: {My) Mystery: (R) Romance:
(SF) Science Fiction: iSus) Suspense: (Th) Thriller: IW) Western.