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All-Reviews.com Movie/Video Review
Sugar & Spice
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 out of 4
| *Also starring: | Marla Sokoloff, Alexandra Holden, Marley Shelton, Rachel Blanchard, Sara Marsh, Melissa George, Nate Maher, Sean Young |
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 Review by Susan Granger 2½ stars out of 4
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Cheerleaders become bank robbers...that had to be the sales
pitch for this off-beat, teen crime-caper comedy that inexplicably
tickles the funny bone. To begin with, there are these five
cheerleaders at Lincoln High School. They're best friends, bosom
buddies, golden girls. So when their perky, relentlessly optimistic
A-squad captain (Marley Shelton) gets pregnant by the simpleminded
star quarterback (James Marsden) and discovers the Beatles were wrong
- "Love isn't all you need!" - they decide to rob a bank. After all,
that's where the money is, right? At least according to Keanu Reeves
in "Point Break," the vintage surf 'n' heist film, with specifics
supplied by the rebellious daughter (Mena Suvari) of a convict (Sean
Young). While the wholesome, devout Christian (Rachel Blanchard) and
fantasy-ridden Conan O'Brien fan (Melissa George) take a bit of
convincing, the Harvard-bound brainchild (Sara Marsh) opts out. But
the human pyramid doesn't collapse, since she's quickly replaced by a
munitions dealer's daughter (Alexandra Holden). There's a slight hitch
when a jealous member of the B-squad (Marla Sokoloff) squeals to the
police but she's quickly appeased. Sure, it's shallow. It's supposed
to be. What do you expect from a fizzy, pop culture send-up, complete
with red-white-and-blue pom-poms and Madonna lyrics recited as
inspirational poetry? Director Francine McDougall, writer Mandy Nelson
and cinematographer Robert Brinkmann share the same vision: taking
"girl power" to outrageous extremes. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1
to 10, "Sugar & Spice" is a sassy, irreverent, saucy 6. Despite
memories of the tragedy of the Columbine shootings in 1999, this
satirical dark comedy about girls and guns offers more giggles than
one might expect. "Cheerleaders kick...!"
Copyright © 2001 Susan Granger
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