Sandler's dumb cajun schtick only a mild success

in The Waterboy. Sandler lends his by Kathy Jay Trinnaman limited acting range to the role of Bates as Mrs. contributing writer Bobby Boucher, a perpetually Boucher, harassed 31-year old football Fairuza Balk Ever since Saturday Night Live waterboy raised by his over- as Bobby's burst onto the comedy scene in protective Mama in the Louisiana bad-girl love the '70s, the groundbreaking show bayou. The mild-mannered interest and has been an assembly line for "water distribution technician" H e n r y comedic film stars with varying discovers that all his suppressed Winkler (yes, degrees of success. Unfortunately, anger from years of ridicule The Fonz for every Steve Martin there has creates a talent for bone-rattling himself) as been a Joe Piscopo. tackles. Bobby's has- Lately, the Not-Ready-for- He is immediately offered a been coach. Prime-Time Players have lived up spot as the starting linebacker on (Perhaps to their dubious name. (As the the awful Southern Central Winkler's Louisiana State Mud Dogs and appearance FILE PHOTO joke goes, in light of the numerous Henry Winkler and Adam Sandler star in The Waterboy. cinematic miscues of Chevy embarks on a savage tackling against type Chase, John Belushi currently has rampage that turns the team into will have the the better career of the two.) unlikely winners. The success sets s a m e southern culture, Burt Reynolds, Despite the occasional gem, the the stage for the climatic Big resurrecting effect on his career as in the Smokey and the Bandit erratic ex-SNL Game (a cornerstone of most Pulp Fiction did for his ex-'70s trilogy.) These outrageous cast members every sports film) against the arch sitcom comrade, John Travolta.) stereotypes, however, provide h a v e rival University of Louisiana The Waterboy pulls no punches much of the low-end humor, inundated the Cougars in the Bourbon Bowl. with its portrayal of the South and proving once again the old movie-going Underdog losers vs. obnoxious certainly will not garner any comedy adage that there is public with favorites. Let the cliches ｢ ･ ｾ ｩ ｮ Ｎ awards from the Louisiana Board nothing funnier than a drunken A mostly such lame fare The film exists basically as a of Tourism. The locals are college mascot and hicks with bad silly movie as Wayne's vehicle for Sandler to trot out the portrayed as inarticulate cross- teeth. - that does World II and A latest variation of his patented eyed yahoos with an inclination While Sandler doesn't make Night at the silly-voice I funny-face schtick: a for swilling booze and gnawing any attempt to go beyond the Roxbury. Cajun doofus that seems to be on grilled alligator. To add to the adolescent humor that made him The latest mildly brain-damaged. While at authenticity of the rural setting, a star, The Waterboy is a mostly SNL alum to times funny, this one-dimensional the corrupt coach of the Cougars silly movie that does have its · test the fickle routine eventually becomes a bit is played by a drawling Jerry occasional sparkling moments. box office grating. Reed. (For those of you · And although it is far from waters is Fortunately, Sandler's screen unfamiliar with the glorious perfect, it's at least better than Adam Sandler time is balanced by an eclectic cast career of Reed, he played the being subjected to The that includes strong performances trucker sidekick to the icon of Coneheads, Part II. A terrible mocl< of glam rock quality in this movie), is a prototype Iggy Pop. its extrava- Stars John Zeiss As the movie opens, it is 1974. Slade suddenly gantly over- Christion Bole, contributing writer fakes his own murder while performing on t he - top Ewan stage. Jump ahead to 1984, where journalist production McGregor, The poster for the new Arthur Stuart (Christian Bale) is assigned to numbers. Toni Collette movie Velvet Goldmine find out what has happened to Slade and And you makes it look very where he is, what with it being the ten year thought '80s anniversary of his mock death. Stuart's m u s i c appealing, especially with FILE PHOTO the caption: "Style counts interviews with three people provide the story videos were Christian Bale stars as Arthur - even when it comes to of Slade's sordid life. The first one to tell all is bad! This Stuart in Velvet Goldmine. murder." One would expect his former manager, who had more than just a will make a murder-mystery set financial interest in the seductive young lad, you glad against the glam rock scene and therefore was heartbroken when Slade MTV wasn't around in the '70s. And the lyrics of the early '70s, no? Well dropped him for a manager who could get him are even worse, with Sesame Street rhyme there are much more laughs more money and fame. Next is Slade's ex-wife sequences like "cheeky I sneaky." As a whole, in this movie than there are Mandy (Toni Collette), who over a long, Goldmine is somewhat like a Boogie Nights of chills and thrills, and it is drawn-out bar room discussion, details the the early '70s since it has the same "star living definitely a case of ravages that living life on the edge brought. extravagantly then going into a terrible laughing at, not laughing with. And finally Stuart is reunited with the faded downward spiral" vibe, but the latter was a Goldmine centers around two rock stars. star that is Curt Wild, which brings back much better movie. Goldmine does the glam One, the English Brian Slade (Jonathan Rhys- repressed memories for the journalist who ten rock movement a disservice because artists Meyers), is a prototype David Bowie. The years ago was a closet fan of glam rock and its like Bowie, Pop and Brian Eno were very other, American Curt Wild (Ewan McGregor, beautiful boys. talented, not hilariously awful. Avoid this whose performance is the only redeeming What makes Goldmine hilariously awful are movie like the plague!

arcade november 13, 1998 13