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"What
a 'Town'"
by Scott Mantz
"Sugar Town"
Rosanna Arquette,
Ally Sheedy, John Taylor
Directed by Allison Anders and Kurt Voss
There have been
many films that have traced the intertwining lives of lost and lonely
Los Angelinos, the most recent being "Short Cuts" and the under-appreciated
"Playing By Heart". When you set an ensemble piece against the backdrop
of the music industry, the result is the engaging, desperate, and
bittersweet "Sugar Town".
Co-directors
Kurt Voss and Allsion Anders are following Hollywood's golden rule,
which is "write what you know". Anders especially knows a thing
or two about the music business, having directed the underrated
and excellent "Grace of My Heart". That took place in the music
industry of the 60's and early 70's, but times have changed. The
biz is less forgiving now than it was back then. What's impressive
is how fast the project came together. Voss and Anders wrote the
screenplay in 8 days and filmed it in 3 weeks.
Summarizing
the film won't do it justice, but let's give it a try. Liz (Ally
Sheedy) is a production designer who takes time off to focus on
her love life (or lack of it). She learns the hard way that dating
others in show biz is a bad idea. Clive (John Taylor) and Eva (Rosanna
Arquette) are a couple trying to get back into their respective
careers when Clive's demonic love child shows up at the door. Clive's
band mate (Michael Des Barres) has to decide whether sleeping with
a sultry investor (Beverly D'Angelo) is worth the price of getting
her financial backing for their new album. Gwen (Jade Gordon), a
dead-ringer for alternative rocker Liz Phair, is a mean-spirited,
aspiring musician who will do anything to anyone to get her singing
career off the ground.
Since the focus
is on aging 1980's has-beens, what better way can you cast your
film than with aging 1980's has-beens? It's no accident that John
Taylor plays a rocker who used to be in a multi-platinum 80's band
(Duran Duran anyone?). Since he's pretty much playing himself, he's
pretty good! Formerly hip 80's actress Rosanna Arquette plays, what
else, a formerly hip 80's actress who took time off to tour with
Taylor. Arquette took time away from Hollywood to focus on her then-relationship
with Peter Gabriel, so this must hit close to home. Ally Sheedy
is making a good name for herself with independent film, and she
puts in a good turn as a woman who's worked so hard she forgotten
all about her personal life.
This is not
the kind of film that ties up all its lose ends by the climax (something
"Playing By Heart" did just a little too nicely). That works in
it's favor, because let's face it--things can never be wrapped up
that soon. It just doesn't happen. Taylor and his bastard child
have a long way to go before they play catch, but at least they're
on their way. Sheedy is the victim of her sadistic kleptomaniac
housekeeper Jade Gordon. Not only does she rip Sheedy off so she
can pay for her songwriter's heroin habit, but she goes out of her
way to scare the pants off of her. Does she get hers in the end?
We'll never know.
While these
people may seem like a bunch of losers, they're not. Whether they're
on their way up or on ther way down, it's inspiring as they get
back into the rat-race that has viciously written them off. That
takes a lotta guts and ambition. In a town where traffic problems,
gang shootings, and unhealthy air are covered by a mask of paradise,
"Sugar Town" takes a peek under the mask at the bruised and weathered
faces of its dysfunctional, but determined, inhabitants.
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