Most
of the comedies out nowadays fall into one of two categories:
(1) romantic comedies, and (2) slapstick comedies. "Maid
in Manhattan" and "How
to Lose A Guy in 10 Days" are examples of the
first genre, while "Old
School" and "Boat Trip" are examples
of the latter. "View from the Top", however, does
not safely fit into either one of those categories. Why?
Because it has a heart.
Gwyneth Paltrow stars as Donna, a young woman from meager
beginnings who wants to break out and explore the world. She
figures that becoming a flight attendant is a sure-fire way of
accomplishing that task. First, she takes on a job at Sierra
Airlines, which confines it's flights, essentially, to Fresno and
immediately surrounding areas. However, she meets some
friends there (Kelly Preston and Christina Applegate), who
accompany her as she embarks to Royalty Airlines, one of the
larger airline companies around. The film follows Donna as
she tries to become a flight attendant, as she embarks on a
romantic journey with Ted (Mark Ruffalo), and as she goes
toe-to-toe with the head of the flight attendant program, John
Whitney (Mike Myers), a bitter man whose cross-eyedness prevented
him from becoming a pilot.
This
film works for three reasons: (1) the performances.
Gwyneth Paltrow is wholly engaging and completely charming as
Donna, a girl who just wants to make it on her own. Mike
Myers shows once again why he is one of the greatest comedians
around, and Mark Ruffalo is also compelling as the stereotypical
love interest. Rob Lowe also makes a rather humorous
cameo; (2) the storyline. Most comedies either come on too
strong or not strong enough. "View from the Top"
avoids this mistake. There are no gross-out jokes (i.e.
"The Sweetest Thing"), no incoherent comedy sequences
(i.e. "Kung Pow: Enter the Fist"), and there are no
totally misplaced and totally inappropriate sight gags (i.e.
"Shallow
Hal"). What you get with this
film is a funny, charming, and all too accurate depiction of the
life of a flight attendant, shown expertly through Candice Bergen,
who inspires Donna to seek her career.
So,
finally, we have a comedy that--like "Bringing
Down the House"--manages to offer more than
vomit-inducing sketches and incoherent ramblings. This has
substance. It is rare nowadays that the general public finds
that appealing. With the ongoing war, "View from the
Top" might manage to slip through the cracks and turn into a
fan favorite. If not, then I know where our tastes really
reside.
-- Matt
( 2 out of 4 pops )
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