FROM THE HIP

US, 1987, 95 minutes, Colour.
Judd Nelson, John Hurt, Elizabeth Perkins, Nancy Marchand, Darren Mc Gavin, David Alan Grier, Ray Walston.
Directed by Bob Clark.

From the Hip is an entertaining legal film - and a focus on mid-80s yuppies and their strategies for promoting themselves, especially in the legal profession.

Judd Nelson (Making the Grade, St. Elmo's Fire, Breakfast Club) is full of energy as Robin Weathers (Stormy Weathers) who is full of ingenuity for stunts to promote his career. However, he comes up against a very difficult case and his conscience is stirred. The focus of the film at the end is on his questions of integrity. Elizabeth Perkins (Big, About Last Night) is the attractive heroine. But the film is stolen by John Hurt as an egocentric elitist English professor.

The film was co-written and directed by Bob Clark, the originator of the Porky's series and director of such films as A Christmas Story, Murder by Decree and Rhinestone.

1. An entertaining drama? Focus on the law? Yuppies?

2. The Boston settings, the city, the courtrooms? Musical score, songs, variations on Tchaikovsky themes?

3. The title and its reference to Stormy Weathers, comedy, firing for truth?

4. Yuppies and ambitions, the law, money, lifestyles, strategies and tactics?

5. Robin and the law and his career, just out of law school? His relationship with Jo Ann? His techniques for waking her up in the morning? His friends and their plans? The office and his performance on the phone during the party? With the document fallen between shelves? Taking on the case, the tactics in court, the reaction of the judge, his winning, darling of the media, the nickname? The reaction of the firm? Their getting more business because of him? His becoming a partner? The celebratory party, the attitude of the defendant, the prosecutor and the challenge to the fight, the irony of their colluding and promoting their careers?

6. The Benoit case and the firm taking it on, his wanting Weathers? Duncan's plan to humiliate Weathers? Robin's discussion with his friends, the interview with Benoit, reaction to his personality, admission of guilt or not, the challenge? His talking candidly to Jo Ann, thinking she was asleep? A sign of his conscience? Checking for the witnesses, preparing the case? The three young men and their lifestyle, in the sauna, their hopes? The trial, the judge, the introduction of the case, his dramatising by hitting the hammer on the table, etc? His partner in collusion becoming the D.A's assistant and his being off-guard? Defeated in court? Jo Ann persuading him to be Stormy? His bringing back the expert and ridiculing the prosecutor's denunciation of his expertise? The technique of getting everybody to wait for the victim to enter the door and thus showing the jury that. there could be a doubt about her death? The audience applause?

7. Benoit and his not looking for the victim? The three partners talking with Benoit? Benoit's melodrama, elitism, arrogance, attitude towards women, towards Moses the pimp? His threatening them? His verbal re-enactment of murdering the victim and his praising such a person for their skill in cruelty? The dilemma for Robin?

8. Talking to Roberta, the emphasis on the truth? The argument with Benoit about putting him on the stand, tricking him into going? The prosecutor, Robin intervening, using Benoit's weaknesses and dramatising them, Benoit's reaction, frantic outburst and taking the hammer? The case continuing the difficulties for the firm, the jail sentence - but his integrity?

9. Benoit and John Hurt's characterisation, the crime, admissions or not, personality, teaching English, arrogance, intellect, playing with Robin, patronising him, the dramatisation of the attack as if Robin were the prosecution, his behaviour in court, not turning to see the victim enter, his wife, his rehearsal with Robin of the crime, going to the stand, his pride, the outburst and his withdrawing mentally?

10. Jo Ann and her support, character, work, integrity?

11. The friends, their strengths and weaknesses as young lawyers, their lack of experience, ethics?

12. The firm and its attitude, Duncan and his practicality, Roberta and her idealism, her experience, supporting Robin?

13. The sketch of the judges, the behaviour during the case, reaction to Robin? Benoit's trial judge and her reaction to his stunts, the hammer, the vibrator? The prosecutor and his techniques, his assistant knowing Robin's methods?

14. A blend of the serious and the comic? Contemporary law story? Young careerists? Conscience and integrity?