Reviews
Little Voice (1998)
Hilarious, touching and smart..."Little Voice" is a big winner.
Based on Jim Cartright's play "The Rise and Fall of Little Voice", this screen adaptation is a testament to what small town stories (and independent filmmakers) can accomplish. Driven by an hilarious and very intelligent script, the seasoned cast digs deep into these characters and comes through with some fantastic performances. Blethyn, Caine and McGregor are all wonderful, but the spotlight absolutely belongs to Jane Horrocks. Her vivid, fleshed out, three dimensional "Little Voice" character is the ultimate underdog, but she plays her with such pathos and charm that she never enters the maudlin, hackneyed territory that might have come easily to other actors. And most impressive is her amazing singing - Horrocks herself sings every note of every song in the film, and the impersonations/tributes to the likes of Billie Holiday, Shirley Bassey and Judy Garland are jaw-dropping. "Little Voice" is one of those rare films that allows the viewer effortlessly to enter this little world that the characters live in, laugh and cry with them, and pull out again with that glorious warmth that a fully realized piece of art leaves in one's belly.
With Friends Like These... (1998)
Witty, charming and incisive...a refreshing industry comedy.
This original, warm, funny and biting satirical comedy shows us the ups and downs of four character actors in Los Angeles. Their friendships are tested when Martin Scorsese comes to LA to cast "Capone" his new (and fictional) project. A lively, hilarious script is balanced by full, three dimensional performances from the well known faces (particularly the always brilliant David Strathairn), and there are some great cameos to boot.