ArtsSEntertainment
Nebraskan
Tuesday, February 8,1994
Courtesy of Columbia Pictures Industries
Nick Nolte and Whittni Wright star as father and daughter Matt and Jeannie Hobbs in “I’ll
Do Anything.”
Nolte’s character deals
with daughter, Hollywood
By Joel Strauch
Senior Reporter_
At first glance, “I’ll Do Anything”
looks like another dumb kid movie.
But because of its realistic slant and
some superior acting, it turns out to be
a really good film.
The movie deals with the roller
coaster life ofMatt Hobbs (NickNolte),
a talented character actor who can’t
seem to get a break. Even with an
Emmy nomination on his resume, he
is unable to land any big roles.
He manages to get a part-time job
as a driver for the big-time producer of
Popcorn Pictures, Burke Adler (Albert
Brooks).
He forms a relationship with one of
Adler’s executives, Cathy Breslow
(Joely Richardson), who tries to get
him the acting roles that he deserves.
Suddenly, he is forced to take cus
tody of his six-year-old daughter
Jeannie (Whittni Wright) when his
ex-wife, Beth (Tracey Ullman) is tak
en to jail.
He tries to devote time to his daugh
ter and still continue his relentless
pursuit of his acting career.
His ego is dealt an intense blow
when Jeannie is “discovered” and giv
en a starring role in a television series.
But he swallows his pride and fulfills
his duty as a supporting parent.
The acting is great all-around. Nolte
is exceptional, as always, as an inex
perienced father who struggles with
his incorrigible daughter.
Brooks plays the egocentric pro
ducer to near perfection. He is very
convincing in his portrayal of a man
who is driven to the brink of insanity
by the stresses of Hollywood.
Wright, as Jeannie, doesn’t bring
bile tothebackofamoviegoer’s throat.
This is no small compliment as far as
most child actors are concerned.
But the best acting comes from
Julie Kavner who plays Nan
Mulhanney, a movie pollster whose
daily vitamins combine to form a truth
serum, forcing her to be bluntly hon
est. Kavner performs beautifully in
this difficult role.
The f lm gives the viewers a glimpse
of the inner workings of Hollywood,
from the struggling actors up through
the conceited hierarchy to the produc
ers and directors, some of whom are
shown to be too callous and self-ab
sorbed to be considered human.
Originally planned as a musical
(thankfully, it didn’t happen), “I’ll Do
Anything” is successful as a musicless
feature film about the trials of parent
hood.
MUSIC REVIEWS
LflANTSCHAIftJ
from wearing thin after seven years of exist
ence.
In fact, these two new tracks expose the
band’s edgiest writing yet. “Rust” and “Face
Foot Ladder” easily make Sideshow’s cult
punk classic “Kick In The Teeth” seem
emotionally subtle. This release not only
captures the talents of guitarist Rich H iggins
and vocalist Bemie McGinn, but also Side
show’s evolution to continuously changing
melody weaves.
McGinn’s stylistic lyrics and the band’s
music-writing abilities are rarities that ele
vate Sideshow’s music above the misplaced,
East Coast-emotion-core comparisons that
have always read like the reaching realiza
tions that they are.
“Hot Boy”
Giants Chair
“Frontier Trust”
Frontier Trust
“Rust,” “Face Foot Ladder”
Sideshow
Caulfield Records
ms>
New shipments are in for anyone with a
chronic itch for new seven-inch vinyl. Lin
coln-based Caulfield Records once again
supplies local and national turn-table nee
dles with a debut release from Giants Chair,
as well as two fresh releases from Frontier
Trust and Sideshow.
Giants Chair, Caulfield’s third out-of
state feature, brings two songs that rhythmi
cally bounce like a bare foot stick man on hot
beach sand. The Green Bay, Wis., group
offers original song arrangements with
smooth, almost soothing vocals reminiscent
of Firehose. “Hot Boy” is a record that
sounds like it was recorded in a dirty farm
house basement, not in a white room with too
many light bulbs.
Omaha’s chisel-and-plow punk heroes
Frontier Trust follow up their “Highway
Miles” EP with three more songs of Rustler
jeans charm. “Untitled,” “Swimming Hole,”
and “Another Song About Failure" probably
have too much in common musically to keep
most critics from barking, but listeners must
realize that diversity and evolution are un
doubtedly sacrilegious in some musical states
of mind.
Singer-lyricistGary Dean Davis provides
enough entertainment with his George
Thorogood-meets-Mark Twain persona to
make any three-dollar record worth the mon
ey.
The members of Sideshow are the undis
puted kings of longevity in the hard-edged
sector of Nebraska’s original music. Howev
er, the Lincoln band’s speedy follow-up to
their well-acclaimed “Eggplants and Sun
spots” album indicates the threesome is far
—Chris Heine
“Ring”
The Connells
TVT Records
jtm
If you’ve heard The Connells’ latest al
bum, “Ring,” for the first time, chances are
it won’t be the last time you’ll hear it. And if
you’ve never heard of The Connells, a six
man college band all grown up, then you
might be surprised to learn four albums
precede “Ring.”
Although originally from the homeland
of Otis Redding, Little Richard and The
Allman Brothers, The Connells fail to rock
southern style, but there’s nothing wrong
with that.
When the two Connell brothers, David on
bass and Mike on guitars and vocals, formed
the band in 1984, their sound crossed classic
British pop with alternative college rock,
resulting in the debut album “Darker Days,”
followed by three other releases and “Ring.”
“Ring” is pure melody and a good mixture
of acoustic guitar and electric Slash-type
runs bridging chorus to verse. Melody spills
onto track after track, beginning with
“Slackjawed,” an ear-catching radio hit.
“Slackjawed” rocks the listener, implanting
high expectations for the rest of the album—
expectations The Connells easily meet.
Yet, not all the tracks rock like
“Slackjawed” and “Hey You,” a collabora
tion between the brothers and guitarist Doug
MacMillan, who wrote five 9ongs. Most
“Ring” songs sway with laid-back rhythm
accompanied by brother M ike ’ s soft soprano
voice.
Mike’s cleverness for composing lyrics
surfaces on the song “’74-*75,” a nostalgic
look at a relationship on the verge of revival.
In spite of repetition, few listeners will tire of
the chorus.
“I was the one who let you know/1 was
your sorry-ever-after. ’74-’75/ Giving me
more and I’ll defy/ ‘Cause you’re really only
after ’74-’75 ”
While Mike has a hand in writing nine of
the 13 album songs, credit should also be
given to guitarist and singer George Huntley.
Huntley not only plays a woefully sweet
mandolin on “Running Mary,” but he also
wrote “Doin’ You.” His lyrics take a dig at
incompatible relationships.
The compositions veer from the beaten
track of clichfed love lyrics, although the
theme of incompatibility keeps recurring
and is best summed up by Mike in “Disap
pointed.”
“If I disappointed you, I’m so sorry./
You’re a disappointment too.”
Listeners won’t be disappointed by this
album, the lyrics or instrumentals.
—Jill O'Brien
t classic
v own
New videos don t
deserve screening
Overwrought emotions and gritty style fill
this week’s video releases.
“Poetic Justice." Director John Singleton
returns after his critical and commercial smash
“Boyz ‘N the Hood.” This time his tale is told
from the point of view of South Central’s wom
en — specifically a hair stylist named Justice.
Musical superstar Janet Jackson is Justice, a
young woman living in the aftermath of L.A.’s
violence. After a lifetime of disappointment,
Justice turns herself off to emotion after her
boyfriend is shot down in front of her.
That is until she meets a mailman (Tupac
Shakur, another music sensation) and takes a
road trip up California’s Highway 1. The story,
co-written by Singleton, should have and could
have been powerful, but instead it became both
a road trip movie and a trite romance.
Jackson has substantial star power, but she
lacks the intensity for this role. What could have
been an introspective look at the troubled life of
one woman instead became too many brooding
looks and overwrought angst.
Rap star Shakur shows some true star poten
tial, but his personal life and constant battle
with the law may keep him from realizing it.
Maya Angelou wrote the poetry that Justice
endlessly writes and recites in voice-over after
voice-over. Even with that literary weight be
hind him, Singleton misses the mark with this
one.
“Kaliforaia.” Misspelled words forempha
sis is one of the more annoying tricks the
entertainment business overuses.
Now playing at the Starship 9 theater and
coming out on home video simultaneously,
“Kaliforaia” is a road movie with a serial killer.
Brad Pitt (“A River Runs Through It") and
Juliette Lewis (“Cape Fear”) star as a modem
day Charlie and Carol Ann. Michelle Forbes
(Ensign Ro from “Star Trek: The Next Gener
ation”) and David Duchovny are hip artists
writing a book about America’s own serial
killers, who give the two nasty hitchers a lift.
Pitt is always worth watching, although the
premise and buzz on this flick don’t make
r‘Kalifomia" an appealing choice.
Also this week, “Indochine,” an Oscar-nom
inated film from last year starring Catherine
Deneuve, and “Trancers 4: Jack of Swords.”
—Anne Steyer
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