Review Copyright Rose Cooper, 2002

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At times like this, I recall a great line by Kevin Kline in A Fish Called Wanda: "Disappointed!!!" THE STORY (WARNING: **spoilers contained below**) Wild child Suzette (Goldie Hawn) and Vinnie (Susan Sarandon) were The Banger Sisters, a nickname late rocker Jim Morrison gave the two wild and crazy groupies who were voted Most Likely To Screw You by the Rock 'n Roll Hall Of Fame. That was then; this is now. Suzette is still stuck in those halcyon days; at the end of her rope, she goes cross country to seek out her old friend Vinnie, picking up Harry (Geoffrey Rush), a oldish guy with Issues, along the way. But Vinnie has become Responsible. She's become Lavinia, doting mother of Hanna (Erika Christensen) and Ginger (Eva Amurri), wife of Raymond (Robin Thomas), and all-around Upstanding Community Member. And in her community, wild and crazy groupies just aren't embraced in their diversity. THE UPSHOT I really have no business being disappointed in The Banger Sisters. After all, this movie telegraphed its (lack of interesting) story in the pre-release trailers I saw over and over (and over) again. Truly, this is a case where if you've seen the previews, you've seen it all. And unfortunately, "it all" wasn't worth the price of a ticket. Actually, I was surprised to find myself liking Goldie Hawn in this movie. Yes, I'm hanging my head in shame, but she wasn't half bad. Faint praise, I know; but since Hawn generally grinds my gizzard, that's the best I can do. And if Hawn's having perked this flat, dull, predictable bit of pablum up, surprised me, Geoffrey Rush being even more interesting, damn near wrecked me. Don't get me wrong: I think Rush is a fairly good actor, though I haven't liked most of the movies I've seen him in. But though his American accent was bloody awful, I found Rush's "Harry" to be quite charming in his pathos; certainly, deserving of better than that poor sap got from the slutty but candid Suzette. Past that, there was little of interest going on in The Banger Sisters. I wept for Susan Sarandon. Not just because she was trapped in this movie, but because she was actively bad, of her own accord. She neither fit in the uptight Lavinia's clothes, nor the almost-loose Vinnie's duds. Apart from a funny scene with Sarandon and Hawn near the end of the flick ("rock cock collection", har) that was made less funny in the way writer/director Bob Dolman needlessly stretched out, there was no reason at all for Sarandon to have been present on the set. Or, for that matter, writer/director Bob Dolman, or actors Thomas, Christensen, or Amurri. Sure, I longed to smack Lavinia's dreadful family upside the head - especially the bratty Ginger (of whom I'll say nothing more, lest I be accused of being a Dangerous Child Abuser); but there should've been much more to these background characters than just being easy targets of my wrath. There is a bright side, though. As disappointed in this flick as I was, I'm heartened to know that Sarandon has two more movies due out by the end of 2002; two more chances to make up for her lack in The Banger Sisters. Fingers crossed... BAMMER'S BOTTOM LINE The Banger Sisters delivers little bang for your movie buck. THE BANGER SISTERS:   back to top And that's the way I see it. Rose "Bams" Cooper 3BlackChicks Review™ Copyright Rose Cooper, 2002 EMAIL: bams@3blackchicks.com    ICQ: 7760005 http://www.3blackchicks.com/