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 "10
Things I Hate About 'Down to You'"
by Scott Mantz
"Down to You"
Freddie Prinze Jr., Julia Stiles
Directed by Kris Isacsson
A while ago,
I wrote that the period right after Labor Day was the worst time
of the year as far as quality movies were concerned. I mentioned
that the Hollywood studios use this time as a veritable dumping
ground for movies that they have little hope for, and the release
of films like "Chill Factor" and "Stigmata" pretty much echoed this
sentiment. Well, boy, was I wrong. The fact of the matter is, while
the post Labor Day slump is bad, the entire month of January is
even worse. After suffering through "Play It to the Bone" and "Supernova",
now there's "Down to You". The teaming of heartthrob Freddie Prinze
Jr. and sophisticated beauty Julia Stiles should have been a sure
thing, but even they're adorable smirks and infectious charm can't
save such a ridiculously abysmal script. Cool soundtrack, though!
When New York
City college students Al (Freddie Prinze Jr.) and Imogen (Julia
Stiles) meet at a bar, it's love at first sight. Al is studying
to be a chef like his dad (who's got his own cooking show on TV),
and Imogen is an artist who designs album covers in her spare time.
Al and Imogen experience the bliss and the bust when their relationship
goes too fast. After a summer studying abroad, Imogen returns home
to find her relationship with Al in trouble. Will they stay together?
Save your money.
It's hard to
determine exactly where I gave up on "Down to You", but I'm pretty
sure it was right after the opening credits. When Al and Imogen
meet at a bar, their instant attraction is laughable. Everybody
knows that bars are the worst place in the world to meet anybody
(unless you're hammered). The films starts off as a light comedy,
but melodrama ensues when Imogen experiences a pregnancy scare.
It's obvious that Al and Imogen are meant for each other, but when
they experience their first argument, Imogen finds comfort by jumping
into the sack with another guy. When the lovebirds finally split,
Al downs half a bottle of Imogen's shampoo as a way of purging the
pain (huh?).
As if that wasn't
enough, we're privy to not one, but two, genuine "Ally McBeal" moments.
One scene has Stiles lip-synching to Al Green's "Let's Stay Together",
while another has Prinze doing the white man's overbite to Barry
White's "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe". I half expected Calista
Flockhart to jump out and start singing "ooga chaka" with the dancing
baby (or maybe she was there, and I just couldn't see her). In any
case, both actors look understandably awkward and uncomfortable.
Stiles and Prinze
take turns addressing the audience in a way that made me think I
was watching "When Harry Met Sally...in College". Julia Stiles,
who was immensely charming as the rebellious feminist in "10 Things
I Hate About You", attempts to bring her intelligence and sensitive
wit to "Down to You", but there's only so much she can do with such
a poorly written script. The same goes for Freddie Prinze Jr. How
many times can he give that sad puppy-dog-eyed look before it gets
old?
Last year was
not a good one for the Weinstein brothers over at Miramax Pictures.
After 1998 gave them "Shakespeare in Love" and "Life is Beautiful",
they ended 1999 with the teen comedy "She's All That" as their highest
grossing film of the year. What a difference a year can make! Ironically,
this movie also came out right after the holidays and also featured
Freddie Prinze Jr. Maybe Bob and Harvey were hoping that lightning
would strike twice. Well, everybody knows that doesn't happen, and
the proof is in "Down to You".
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