In and Out (1997, PG-13)

The one thing that I’d like to know about In & Out is whose idea was it to make a story that tries to be everything? It’s the same question I asked myself after watching Independence Day and The Fifth Element.

The story starts trying to be funny, fails at that. Then it tries to take on issues of stardom and how it affects people’s lives. Fails again. Of course it tries to tackle the gargantuan issue of in-the-closet homosexuality but fails at that one too.

Truth to be told, if it weren’t for the fact that I long ago vowed to never fall asleep or walk out on a movie, I wouldn’t have made it through the hour and forty minute film. I found myself yawning, scratching my eyelids, looking towards the exit sign and pondering leaving, moving around in my chair constantly just trying to find that perfect position that doesn’t exist.

Anything to avoid the movie.

What was even more disappointing was the failure to live up to the good hype that the movie received. And what was worse than that was the fact that I expected more from every member of the cast and crew. Director Frank Oz did What About Bob? which is one of the funnier movies I have seen. Kevin Klein did Dave. Joan Cusack as been in things like Adams Family Values, Grosse Pointe Blank and Nine Months, each one funny in there own right. Yet the combination of all of these ends up less than zero.

If you want to see something completely stupid, that’s your own fault.