BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY

US, 1988, 110 minutes, Colour.
Michael J.Fox, Kiefer Sutherland, Phoebe Cates, Dianne Wiest, Jason Robards, Tracy Pollan, John Houseman, Charlie Schlatter.
Directed by James Bridges.

Bright Lights, Big City is based on a popular American bestseller by Jay McInerney?, who wrote the screenplay for the film. What was a study of the downfall of a yuppy in novel form does not translate well in this version for the screen. Rather, it seems a diary of a downfall week - and the audience is not particularly involved in the soul-searching of the central character.

Michael J. Fox is unusually cast as Jamie Conway, the yuppy who aims to be a success, especially as a writer, in New York City. He seems too young for the part. However, he gives an intense performance. There is a very strong supporting cast including Kiefer Sutherland as a fun-loving but sinister influence on his life, Phoebe Cates as his glamorous but empty ex-wife model. There are also good cameo roles by Frances Sternhagen as a demanding editor, John Houseman as an elderly editor, Jason Robards as an alcoholic writer, Swoozie Kurtz as a sympathetic secretary. Charlie Schlatter appears as his brother and Diane Wiest appears, convincingly, as his dying mother.

The film was directed by James Bridges, who had been responsible for a number of striking films in the '70s, including The Babymaker, 30/9/55, The Paper Chase, Urban Cowboy. Later films include Perfect.

1.The film based on a bestseller, an autobiographical story? Translation of novel to film by its author?

2.The opening credits, the motif of the bright city lights at night, the buildings, the subway trains? New York City, its style? Office, apartments, clubs and homes? The musical score and the range of songs?

3.The title, the song and its lyrics? The theme of Jamie Conway's life? Hopes, the special effects? The ending and Jamie beginning again?

4.The structure of the screenplay, the days and times, the subtitles and their ironic comment on Jamie's life? The continuing image of the coma baby and its difficult birth with the death of its mother?

5.Jamie and his biography, his hopes for being a writer, writer's block? His leaving home, the effect of the death of his mother? His brother ringing him and his avoiding it, literally running away from him? The influence of his father? His mother's anniversary? The importance of the flashbacks of his mother, the glimpses of her, her illness, discussion about his sexual behaviour, her agony and death? Her appearing in his dreams? His dream of the coma baby, his talking to the baby and its unwillingness to be born?

6.His love for Amanda, living with her, marriage? Their motives? His wanting to write the story about her and slipping and calling it `Dead Amanda'? Her haunting him, in his dreams, imagination? Seeing the model in the shop window? Thinking she was in Paris, finding she was in New York, that Tad knew? The invitation to the fashion show, his going in, drinking, shouting and confronting her, his being ousted? Going to the party, talking with her, the clash, her unawareness of how he felt? Ignoring him?

7.At work, trying to wake up after the excesses of the weekend? His excuses? Clara and the job, her hard line, demands on him, ringing the French connections, checking out the article? Talking to the author, getting frustrated? Going out to buy food for the staff? Meeting Mr Vogel - and his demands about vocabulary and precision? Friendship with Megan, her continual help? The assistant and his allotting of the jobs? Going out to dinner with Alex, his drinking, the talk about Scott Fitzgerald, writing talent? His failure in his job, the confrontation with Clara, her firing him? His failure, standing Megan up, going to dinner at her home, his drunken telling of his story, her resisting his sexual advances? Failure at work?

8.His friendship with Tad, the archetypal yuppy, his friendship but his evil influence, cavalier way of life, his work, going out, palming off his cousin on Jamie, always after drugs, his meeting with Michael, at the party with Amanda? Symbolising the malevolent influence on Jamie's life?

9.The workplace and Clara and her style, Mr Vogel and his influence, the staff, Megan and her influence? The world of the magazine - and the importance of the fact-checking department?

10.The portrait of his mother, in his memories, his love for her, her talk, illness, explanation of his birth? His relationship with Michael, avoiding him? At the apartment?

11.The portrait of Amanda - pretty, glamorous world, marriage, coming to New York, ambitions, going to Paris, in the fashion show, the mask and her being made the basis for shop window models? At the party with new friends - and helps to her career?

12.Vicky, pleasant, talking about Tad, straightforward, her studies, friendship with Jamie, his phone call to her in desperation and her willingness to listen?

13.The motif of the coma baby, the New York Post, the headlines, the progress of the pregnancy and the birth? The death of the mother?

14.The people at the bars, drug-taking, lesbian, transvestites, yuppies? The hours kept, music and dancing, pace?

15.The drug dealer in Central Park, the ferret - and the episode with the ferret in the office, biting Jamie, encountering Alex?

16.Themes of strength of character, weakness? Ambitions? Writer's block? Grief for dead parents? Drink and excess? Drugs and the need for drugs?

17.How cautionary a story? How accepting of this lifestyle and world?