Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageKissing a Fool (1998)
Director: Doug Ellin
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Romantic casualty and first time novelist Jay (Lee) sets up his best friend, ladies' man and TV sportscaster Max (Schwimmer), with his editor Sam (Avital). He won't date her himself, since she knows everything about him from his confessional memoirs ('Here's to You, Bitch Slut'). Sam hates sports, Max hates books, and with sickly sweet rapidity they announce their engagement. Whereupon Max's primitive anxieties surface, and to Jay's horror he asks his friend to put Sam's fidelity to the test. A women's movie for men (it takes up the implications of the two boys' neuroses, while Sam remains the luckless object of their affection), this could have used a shot of the raucous mischief Lee sported as Banky in Chasing Amy. But there's a sense of rising damp as Jay's dilemma rambles on and he falls sick at any sign of trouble. The framing device - Jay's publisher (Hunt) unfolding the narrative at the wedding, as if omniscient matchmaker - is also a distraction.Author: NB
Cast & crew
Director: Doug Ellin
Producer: Tag Mendillo, Andrew Form, Rick Lashbrook
Cast: David Schwimmer, Jason Lee, Mili Avital, Bonnie Hunt, Vanessa Angel, Kari Wuhrer full cast
Genre(s): Comedy
Duration: 94 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Has David Cronenberg turned tame?
Has director David Cronenberg veered too far from his radical and bloody roots with new film 'A Dangerous Method'?
The 10 worst date movies
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present ten of the least romantic films ever made
Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films
Find out where to watch 2012's Oscar-nominated films in London cinemas
10 unlikely badboy biopics
Featuring Phil Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Nick Clegg, David Starkey and a host of other unlikely subjects
Interview: Sean Durkin on 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'
The first-time director of the brilliant new thriller discusses religious cults and robot boxing
Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day
Side-step romantic clichés with some alternative Valentine’s viewing
What do you think?
Post your review now