THE REAL BLONDE

US, 1997, 101 minutes, Colour.
Matthew Modine, Catherine Keener, Maxwell Caulfield, Daryl Hannah, Bridget Wilson, Marlo Thomas, Steve Buscemi, Elizabeth Berkley, Denis Leary, Kathleen Turner, Christopher Lloyd.
Directed by Tom Di Cillo.

The Real Blonde was directed and written by Tom Di Cillo. He had made quite an impact in the early 90s with such films as Johnny Suede and Living in Oblivion as well as Box of Moonlight. After The Real Blonde he went on to make only Double Whammy.

Di Cillo has an eye for the satirical. This time he focuses on the world of television, auditions for stage and screen, photo opportunities, photo shoots for commercials. While all the characters are satirised, he also makes some of them quite human and his themes become serious, especially about love and relationships. The symbol for all of this is the male fantasy of the real blonde. Several characters are blondes in the film - some real, some artificial. It is ironic, at the end, when the hero who has seen the various blondes, stays together with his brunette girlfriend.

The cast is strong, Matthew Modine having a good role as the would-be actor who has to work as a waiter. Catherine Keener appeared in Living in Oblivion and is an excellent actress, sometimes appearing in independent films, but in later years moving into the mainstream. Regular friends of Di Cillo like Steve Buscemi and Denis Leary also appear. There is a good performance by Elizabeth Berkley and guest performances by Kathleen Turner and Christopher Lloyd. Bridget Wilson is the model who pretends to be a real blonde but finds she has to give up on that and go back to her normal self.

Some comic matters, some serious matters - but with the light touch.

1. A pleasing comedy, serious undertones? Satire? Dreams, fantasy, reality?

2. The theme of the real blonde, as a dream? Mary as a brunette, the model as not a real blonde, the actress in the soap opera as a real blonde? The dream and the male fantasy? Tina as the fantasy - and not a real blonde?

3. The satire on the thirtysomethings, their life, ambitions, relationships? The satire on soap operas, the dialogue, the actors and their lives, auditions? The world of music videos? Commercial photo shoots?

4. Joe and Mary, six years together, the relationship, in love with each other, the sexual relationship, the criticisms about lack of spontaneity? Mary and her job as the make-up artist for the model? Her support of the model, listening to her, support of the photographer? Her skills? At home, tired, not wanting any children, the arguments with Joe? Her martial arts and defence class, the teacher, the demonstrations? The reason for going because of the man on the street and his harassment - and her violent fantasy? The teacher, driving her home, his advances? Her really attacking him physically and being applauded at the next class? The sessions with the psychiatrist, his explanation of his fantasies and his advances? Her changing, being freer, arguing and fighting with Joe but feeling freed and relating well to him? Joe, the contrast, not having a regular job, getting waiting jobs, seeing him at work, Ernst and the various men doing the waiting jobs, Ernst and his being so particular? Friendship with Bob? His going to the audition, Deedee and her boredom with him? Her irony and his missing it? The despising of soap operas? The phone call with Madonna's number, his ringing? Seeing Tina in the window, his fantasy, passing her by in reality? Going to the Madonna video, wearing his boxers, being pushed to the back row, overhearing the assistant and his denial of the Holocaust, his ironic argument that slavery didn't exist, his being fired but feeling better? Meeting Tina as Madonna and their conversation? Fighting with Mary? Late for the audition, his rendition of the scene with Tina, the excerpt from Death of a Salesman - and its ironic comment on what was going on around him? In the bar with Tina, his going home, spontaneous, lovemaking - and the possibility of a family?

5. The blonde model and her insecurity, her night with Bob, his escape? Seeing her at work, Mary making her up, her seemingly profound statements and then references to such films as The Little Mermaid and to astrology? Her posing for the photos? Her being battered, the photographer taking advantage of this? Bob and his contact, his needs? The Italian model, his breaking wind and his being upset? Her decision with Bob to go back to not being a blonde?

6. Bob, sexual relationships, his work as a waiter, his audition for the soap opera, his success, with the actress on-screen, on the set, off-screen, their relationship, his impotence? Her relationship with him, mocking him, wanting to ring up someone else? His plan to kill off her character, the discussion with the writer? The old lady watching the soap?

7. The soap opera itself, the cast, their mannerisms, the nature of the dialogue, the preposterous situations, the heroine's suicide attempts? The director, the writer? The old lady with the dog, losing the dog at the beginning, watching the soap opera, getting the dog again at the end?

8. The photographer, her dominating style, the design of her commercials? Her behaviour on-set? Exploitative?

9. The director of Madonna's video, his assistant, Steve Buscemi's comic style, the men and their comments, Joe in his boxer shorts, being relegated? The assistant and his book about the denial of the Holocaust? Joe and his taunting him about slavery not existing?

10. Tina, seeing her at first, Joe's fantasy of meeting her? Her standing in for Madonna? Their discussions? Her turning up at the audition, her acting with him, being moved? Realising that acting wasn't for her? Her letting Joe go?

11. The defence skills instructor, his classes, his seemingly gentle discussions with the women, advising them, enacting the harassment? His advances on Mary, her physical attack on him in the class?

12. Ernst, the waiters at the hotel? His meticulous manner? His genial attitude towards Joe, giving him the tie, the extra work?

13. The agent, her busyness, disdain of Joe, the remark about the serial killer? The Madonna video? The suggestion that he play the killer - the success of his audition, her being moved and applauding, her instincts always being right?

14. A cross-section of young people, age, hopes, needs, love?