JUST A KISS
US, 2002, 89 minutes, Colour.
Ron Eldard, Marley Shelton, Marisa Tomei, Kyra Sedgwick, Taye Diggs, Zoe Caldwell, Patrick Breen, Peter Dinklage, Sarita Chowdhury.
Directed by Fisher Stevens.
just a Kiss is a very light romantic comedy, a variation on the Romantic comedy theme whereby characters are introduced, their connection dramatised and progress towards further connections until the audience arrives back at the beginning. In this case, the screenplay begins with a false premise, a what if…? scenario, imagining the consequences of an initial kiss with the realisation at the end that this was not the case.
The film has a very pleasant cast, some at the beginning of their careers, others like Marisa Tomei who had an Oscar by this time. There is an amusing cameo by Peter Dinklage as a dwarf resentful of not getting a role in a commercial.
In many ways, the film has its cake while eating it, dramatising the sexual interactions while revealing at the end that none of this happened…
1. Romantic comedy? For the beginning of the 21st century?
2. The New York settings, apartments, theatre, the streets, restaurants? Brussels and Paris? The musical school?
3. The screenplay, beginning with the kiss, the consequences and the revelation that this is a What if…?
4. Dag, his explanation of his name, the encounter with Rebecca, in Europe, his work as a director, the kiss, the sexual encounter, Rebecca wanting the encounter? The consequences for him when he went home, his relationship with Halley, the restaurant, the revelation of the truth, his try to rectify the situation, apologising to Peter, the encounter with Paula, the later meeting with her?
5. Paula, her job, approach to Dag, later meeting, encounter?
6. Halley, her relationship with Dag, her being upset, the friendship with Peter and Rebecca, the truth, her moving out, Rebecca offering her the apartment, Andre arriving, his relationship with Rebecca, his initial lies, his music, playing the cello, the relationship with Halley?
7. Peter, the actor, the commercials, everybody recognising him as the chicken in the commercials, the attraction, his autograph? At the ballet, the attraction to Rebecca, the comments to her mother, exposing himself with her asking, the invitation to dinner? The relationship with Rebecca? Hearing the truth about Belgium, his being upset?
8. Andre, relationship with Rebecca, cello, with Halley?
9. The cameo from Peter Dinklage before he became well-known?
10. The variety of tangles, the confrontation?
11. The truth, everything back to normal, the encounters with one another, passing Paula in the street, Andre and his playing the cello? All this beginning with just a kiss?
