(1989) After 15 years playing together in Seattle and on the road, classical jazz pianists Jack (Jeff Bridges) and older brother Frank Baker (Beau Bridges) need a new act: "Two pianos isn't enough anymore, Jack."

Married with two kids, Frank, the responsible sibling who handles the business side, decides they need a female singer; cynical with a chip on his shoulder, Jack, hip and cool and uncommitted (sleeps on a couch in young Nina's mother's apartment with his black lab Eddie), has good hands and a terrific memory for places, times, and tunes.

After auditioning 37 girls, beginning with Monica "Blanche" Moran (Jennifer Tilly) singing a woeful version of "Candy Man" - "Not one can carry a tune," Frank laments - sexy Susie Diamond (Michelle Pfeiffer), having no experience other than escort services, shows up an hour and a half late, but otherwise her timing is great.

Slow and measured as the music - soundtrack by David Grusin who along with John Hammond performed keyboards for the Bridgeses while Pfeiffer sang for herself - director/writer Steve Kloves's smoky, syncopated cinema creates volatile human chemistry among the vulnerable characters. Where there's smoke, there's ardency.

Impressed with the new act, Lloyd at the Starfire Lounge offers the brothers advice: "The smaller the dress, the bigger the crowd." Listening to younger musicians in the clubs and bored with the old repertoire, Jack says to Frank: "The game is changing." On the road for the first time with Susie, making a reference to Oz, the boys inform Dorothy that she's about to lose her virginity.

She calls Frank "Egghead" behind his back; Frank warns Jack to keep away from Susie: "Stick to cocktail waitresses." Nevertheless, as the antagonism festers, Frank for the first time misses a New Year's Eve performance, having to return home for an emergency, leaving Jack and Susie to perform "Making Whoopee" with her in a red hot dress on top of Jack's piano.

Later when Susie says she's considering leaving the act, Jack replies indifferently: "There's always another girl." Soon after the boys split up as well. The scintillating sum of the trio's performance far exceeds their elemental - a chanteuse singing jingles for cat food and vegetables, a lonely man with magic fingers, and the bonding agent - individualities.

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Copyright © 2009 Patrick Ivers. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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