June 2, 1997 -- "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion" is an over-the-top farce about a couple of valley girls trying to impress their friends at their 10th reunion.

Romy White (Mira Sorvino) and Michele Weinberger (Lisa Kudrow) are getting nowhere fast in L.A., so they decide to pretend they've been successful when they return to Arizona for their reunion.

Unfortunately, their plan falls apart when they run into a classmate, Heather Mooney (Janeane Garofalo of "The Truth about Cats and Dogs") who knows the truth. The story, however, is much more than a situation comedy.

The story is about growing up, being successful, being true to yourself and overcoming the hideousness of the high school experience for those who are not among the "A" group. The film takes a number of unexpected turns. Including a very wild dance scene near the end.

Garafalo is hilarious as a chain smoking, high-intensity woman so filled with bitterness and rage that she can't enjoy her own success. There's an interesting scene near the end of the film when Garafalo finds happiness in finding out she inflicted pain on someone else.

Sorvino and Kudrow are also quite effective together on the screen, but the sheer stupidity of Kudrow's character wore me down after a while. Although the story was funny, there was also a lot of pain in it, as well as a hefty dose of strangeness.

The cinematography by Reynaldo Villalobos is exceptional, as is the editing by David Finfer and the soundtrack is memorable. The costumes designed by Mona May are far out. It is certainly not a bad movie, but it certainly misses the mark of being a great one. It rates a C+.

Click here for links to places to buy this movie in video and/or DVD format, the soundtrack, books, even used videos, games and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 1997 Robert Roten. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.