This Review Reveals Minor Details About the Plot.
Hello, I Love You,
Won't You Tell Me Your Name?
Plot Overview
Jack Jericho
(Robert Downey Jr.) (21) has lived with
his grandmother since he was nine. At nineteen he made
the transition to being the breadwinner and care provider. She
still has one foot in the old country and had not inculcated in him
the American dream: though he's bright and energetic he's settled
on being a low paid elementary school teacher, what was once the
province of women before making their feminist strides. He's a
great teacher in math, gym, history, and social studies, though
he's a bit rusty in art appreciation. Word is his contract is not
to be renewed next year. His ambition now is to find another grade
school. The school secretary Pat (Polly Draper) is sympathetic
along the lines of author Arthur Schnitzler:
With a growing sense of well-being he walked on among the people who passed him by with all the casual nonchalance of a Sunday. Many a glad glance from a woman's eye met his own, and seemed as though it would have liked to console him for strolling about alone and with all the external appearances of mourning on this beautiful holiday afternoon. (11–12)
Jack's main focus is on picking up
women while cruising downtown NYC in his 1968 Camaro convertible, which his light
schedule permits him to do more than would any other job. Some
objects of his passes will put him off, others will game him right
back with no real intention of delivery, others will be charmed
into giving him their phone number only to have forgotten him when
he calls, and a small but significant fraction will yield a
score. In this last category is picky redhead Randy Jensen (Molly
Ringwald) whom he woos with a posy.
Randy is a tour
guide at the conveniently located American Museum of Natural
History and at nineteen still lives with her carney father
Flash (Dennis Hopper.) She would need to develop some personal
independence before moving on to any kind of boyfriend. Her
father is a lush, overly dependent, and more a hindrance than a
help. Jack uncharacteristically falls for her and elicits
guidance from his older friend Phil (Danny Aiello) on how to proceed.
Ideology
Herein we find generational wisdom on both sides. (Prov. 30:7) "Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:"
(Prov.
30:8-9) “Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me
neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I
be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.”
It's good to avoid extremes. We see characters being fed
“with food convenient for me:” Jack provides toast,
OJ, and fruitful bran for
his grandmother's breakfast. He and Randy share
cheeseburgers for lunch. Flash prepares omelettes for dinner.
“Vanity and lies” is the promise of quick wealth as in
games of chance. Flash was famous for a half million winning
streak, but he couldn't keep it and became a lush vulnerable to
extortion by gangsters. Jack doesn't gamble but was willing to take
up 25¢ throws for Randy at Coney Island, then he got sucked
into high rolling with her in Atlantic City. Win or lose, there are
downsides. The vice of the diabetic grandmother was
chocolate candy bars, which she tries to hide from Jack the way a
desperate thief might have sworn falsely in God's name he didn't
take what he'd needed.
The
grandmother seemed to have the right idea when she accepted a
dinner date with well-dressed Serge Handel from Vienna whom she met
in Central Park. Their gaming won't be any more extreme than
checkers. Jack and Randy could take a lesson.
Production Values
“” (1987) was written and directed by James Toback. It stars Molly Ringwald, Robert Downey Jr. and Dennis Hopper. Downey as a romantic was quite a charmer. Ringwald displayed a surprising depth of character. A lot of great actors played their parts well here.
The movie was rated PG–13. Various styles of
music were blended in nicely. There was a lot of running around
focused on the pickup artist who was not aware what he was getting
into. Kept the audience on their toes with whatever happens
taking place in all of two days. Runtime is 1 hour 21 minutes.
Review Conclusion w/a Christian's Recommendation
Serge Handel bore a passing resemblance to Sigmund Freud (1856–1939.) If he were to analyze the characters here, he'd be famous. “The Pick-Up Artist” is a cult classic. I rather liked it, but those looking for regular fare may be less impressed. It doesn't have any obvious flaws to disappoint unless one is put off by a convent “sister” signing the cross and blessing Jack. The sole sex scene is audio only.
Movie Ratings
Action factor: Decent action scenes. Suitability for children: Suitable for children 13+ with guidance. Special effects: Average special effects. Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day. Suspense: Keeps you on the edge of your seat. Overall movie rating: Four stars out of five.
Works Cited
Scripture quoted from the Authorized King James Version. Pub. 1611, rev. 1769. Software.
Schnitzler, Arthur. The Road to the Open. English translation copyright © 1922 by George Allen & Unwin, Ltd. Evanston, Illinois: Northwest University Press, 1991. Print.
bibles.n7nz.org