Sleepless in Seattle * ~ *&
(Tristar) Rated Mature (at the
Park & Tilford, Granville,
Oakridge, Coquitlam, Scott 72,
Richpori, Clearbrook and Sta-
tion Square cinemas)

UICK, HOW far is
Baltimore from
Seattle?

if you were as prepared as ar-
chitect Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks),
you'd keep a map of the continen-
tal U.S. on hand to point out to
your son, Jonah (Ross Malinger)
that it’s ‘one, two, three ... 26
states” away (give ortakea ”
dozen).

Sam complains about education
today but his eight-year-old knows
enough to call a doctor when his
father is unable to sleep after iis
wife's death. Only Sam doesn’t get
a private consultation.

2 ~~.

CLINT EASTWOOD...
forget Dalles,

can’t

The doctor runs a national radio
talk show and all of Amecica hears
how Sam and his wife shared a
love that was enchanted.

_. Twenty-six states away (give or
take a dozen), Annie Reed (Meg
Ryan) cries over his loss and the
realization that her relationship
with a dull nice guy lacks magic.
She writes a letter. Of the hun-
dreds who write to ‘Sleepless in
Seattle,” only one attracts Jonah.
(Maybe because it’s the only one
that’s addressed to *‘Sleepless
and Son.”’)

A gulf of 4,000 miles, Sam’s
disbelief in predestined romance
and Annie's engagement are
minor hurdles to a determined
boy. °

Yeah, that's right, guys — it’s a
“women’s” film. No screeching
tires. No stomping genetic ex-
periments. There is some sports
talk, though. And a charismatic
performance from Tom Hanks.
There’s also a strong chemistry be-
tween Hanks and Ross Malinger,
the eight-year-old who acts like an
eight-year-old and not some ob-
noxious Hollywood pod-kid.

Meg Ryan offers more of her
trademark winsome kookiness.
However, her scenes without
Hanks seem to be a different
movie, bordering on Toontown.
For example, her fiance (Bill
Pullman) suffers from constant

allergies and her relatives are just
flat comic relief.

While the plot is threadbare and
the outcome inevitable, there is
still enough magic to keep us
entertained.

In the Line of Fire % % 14(Col-
umbia) Rated 14 years (at the
Park & Tilford, Granville, Co-
quitiam, Oakridge, Scott 72,
Station Square and
Willowbrook cinemas)

FILM REVIEW

Employrrent opportunity:
Human shield wanted. Sunglasses
and rubber-soled shoes provided.
Must be willing to take a bullet for
the president. :

Frank Horrigan (Clint Eastwood)
thought he was up for the job. But
as John F. Kennedy’s favorite
secret service agent, he froze at a
crucial moment that November
o2y in Dallas.

Vhirty years later, he's stifl with
the secret service. Getting 100 old
for the 3cb and becoming a pain in
the posterior, he witnesses a lot of
changes in his little world. Women
are allowed in the force. The
weapons are a lot more
sophisticated (on both sides). And
the agents in charge of the teams
are getting younger and more ar-
rogant. (Though not nearly as ar-
rogant as Horrigan was in his
pre-dinosaur days.)

The only thing that hasn’t
changed is the president as a
target for assassination.

And to be assassinated, you

“ must have an assassin. And, boy,

do we have one here. Meet Mitch
Leary John Malkovich). An ex-ClA
agent, Leary wants to kill the most
powerful man in America and he
wants Frank there to witness
another president's death.

Playing a tense cat-and-mouse

me with Horrigan (one was
trained to kill; the other to pro-
tect), Leary devises an ingenious
plan to carry out his intention,
proving over and over just how
ruthless an assassin is.

John Malkovich really shines as
the man who wants to be revered
as the man who terminated the
president's term. And Clint is
equally compelling. In fact, the
best scenes in the movie occur

_when both these rather soft-
spoken guys thrust and parry on
the zhone.

For once, both black hat and
white hat are well matched —
both are very clever. And both are
determined that the other one
won't win.

{t's with the secondary
characters the movie slips. Fellow
agent Lily Raines (Rene Russo)
doesn’t really get to do too much
except serve as an object for Hor-
rigan’s clumsy flirting (which does
lead to a funny scene of lust
amidst the gadgetry).

And Horrigan’s young partner
Al (Dylan McDermott) should
have watched the Dirty Harry
‘films to find out what always hap-
pens to Clint’s sidekicks.

Weak supporting characters and
a routine plot aside, In the Line of
Fire is still worth catching just to
watch Clint, the original and best
action hero. :
Free Willy * (Warner Bros.) | |
Rated G (at the Capitol,
Esplanade and other Famous
Players theatres)

Love is strange. How about a
12-year-old street kid and his Or-
ca? Well, if Lyle Lovett and Julia
Roberts can get together ... -

Caught defacing a marina, Jesse
(Jason James Richter in a definitely
uncutesy performance) quickly
makes friends with another unwill-
ing captive named Willy. Jesse
mistrusts all adults, including his
foster parents, the Greenwoods
(Jayne Atkinson, Michael Madsen).

Good thing too, since he’s right
about the whale’s owner (perpet-
ual bad guy Michael Ironside),
who is determined to make a buck
out of Willy, dead or alive.

The story drags its heels when
concentrating on jesse aggravating
his elders. But the great
photography, enthralling music
score and seamless blend of real
and fake whale ultimately make
this an enjoyable family film.
Murder of a Moderate Man
& * 4% (Prime Video) Unrated

Now for assassination continen-
tal style.

Denis Quilley stars as an Inter-
pol agent on an international
manhunt after a series of
assassinations dot the English
countryside.

This mystery gallops across
Europe offering picture postcard
views, an intelligent script and
well-defined characters.

1629 Lonsdale Avenue

Wednesday, July 14, 1993 —- North Shore News ~ 25

MEG RYAN, Tom Hanks and child actor Ross
Nora Ephren’s Sleepless in Seattle.

So this summer, why not have
all the thrills of Europe without
any of the expense.

NTHAS MOR

"PEOPLE & MORE GREAT VALUES!

Across from Extra Foods

N. VANCOUVER 985-6815

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