Themes: Opposites Attract, Crumbling Marriages, Looking For Love
Main Cast: Parker Posey, Jeremy Northam, Craig Chester, Elizabeth McGovern, Brooke Shields
Release Year: 1998
Country: FR/UK
Run Time: 105 minutes
Plot
In this British-French comedy of manners, Parker Posey stars as Margaret, an award-winning writer of bawdy novels who's grown vaguely dissatisfied with her life in Manhattan -- and her marriage to Edward (Jeremy Northam), a junior poetry professor. Engrossed in the sexually charged 18th century French diary she's adapting for her next book, Margaret heads on a research trip to France only to discover that the chateau at which the diary was written has been turned into a nunnery full of singing sisters. Nevertheless allowing her fertile imagination to get away from her, Margaret experiences the events of the diary as a series of naughty daydreams, simultaneously becoming besotted with Martin (Patrick Bruel), the French music producer who's currently cutting an album with the nuns. When Margaret returns to New York, Martin follows, setting the stage for all sorts of romantic entanglements in Margaret's lofty social circle, which includes Till (Elizabeth McGovern), her playwright sister, and Lily, a bisexual socialite. The feature debut of documentarian Brian Skeet, Misadventures received only a belated video release in America, excised of much of its overt sexuality, including a full-frontal shot of an entire soccer team. What remained, however, was still quite sexy and grown-up. London pop combo Saint Etienne's music didn't fare as well. Although the group's 20-song soundtrack eventually came out in Japan under the title The Misadventures of Saint Etienne, only a few tracks made it into the actual film; in fact, a different subset was included in the American and continental releases. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
Review
Although it was skewered by most reviewers as an incoherent mess, this uneven but highly entertaining film updates the literate screwball comedies of Hollywood's golden age with risque sexuality and a modern indie sensibility. As the witty title character, Parker Posey proves adept at flashing her dark eyes flirtatiously, oozing upper-crust ennui, and tossing off high-speed bon mots -- often at the same time. Fans of the indie darling's performance in Party Girl and other films will recognize Margaret's sardonic humor, but Posey invests the character with a comic sophistication and an emotional resonance lacking in some of her previous roles. The bizarre story line, which involves extended fantasy sequences that recall Dangerous Liaisons in both bawdy plot and aristocratic setting, takes some getting used to, as does the fast-moving, tongue-in-cheek dialogue. But the film's modern take on timeless sexual questions -- coupled with fine supporting turns from Brooke Shields, Jeremy Norhtam, and the underrated Elizabeth McGovern -- help Misadventures live up to its hyper-verbal comedic antecedents rather than collapsing under the weight of its literary and romantic pretensions. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
Corbin Bernsen - Art Turner; Justine Waddell - Young Girl; Patrick Bruel - Martin; Stéphane Freiss - The Philosopher; Alexis Denisof - Dr. Lipi; Amy Phillips - Sarah from Brighton
Credit
John McFarlane - Art Director, Didier Naert - Art Director, Charlotte Watts - Art Director, Andrew Holmes - Associate Producer, Simone Ireland - Casting, Vanessa Pereira - Casting, Eric Altmayer - Co-producer, Nicolas Altmayer - Co-producer, Edi Giguere - Costume Designer, Simon Moseley - First Assistant Director, Jude Gorjanc - First Assistant Director, Dominique Delany - First Assistant Director, Brian Skeet - Director, Clare Douglas - Editor, Pippa Cross - Executive Producer, Dominique Green - Executive Producer, Andy Harries - Executive Producer, Jan Sewell - Hair Styles, Edith Colnel - Line Producer, Mark Cooper - Line Producer, Saint Etienne - Composer (Music Score), Jan Sewell - Makeup, Martin Childs - Production Designer, Romain Winding - Cinematographer, Ian Benson - Producer, Jennifer Halpern - Set Designer, Peter Glossop - Sound/Sound Designer, Brian Skeet - Screenwriter, Mark Taylor - Re-Recording Mixer, Cathleen Schine - Book Author
