GOOD ADVICE
US, 2001, 93 minutes, Colour.
Charlie Sheen, Angie Harmon, Denise Richards, Jon Lovitz, Rosanna Arquette, Estelle Harris, Barry Newman.
Directed by Steve Rash.
Good Advice is a romantic comedy of the take-it-or-leave-it variety. Perhaps the emphasis is on the take-it!
The title refers to one of those agony aunt columns in newspapers offering advice to those who write in. The writer in this case is Cindy, Denise Richards, not very good at her work. She is in a relationship with an investment expert, Ryan, Charlie Sheen, who overreaches himself with insider trading on advice he received on the golf course (only to find that it was revenge by a husband because of his sleeping with his wife). And then Cindy goes off to Brazil!
What is a bankrupt investor to do? Actually, pretend to be Cindy, go to the editor, pretend, bring in Cindy’s advice, develop a relationship with the letters editor, Page (Angie Harmon), and then develop a talent for the advice. The boss of a rival newspaper also wants to buy out the column – and, when Cindy returns, she demands the column back, so Ryan and Page set her up with the owner who does a big financial deal only to discover how inept she is.
An irony about the film. This is where Charlie Sheen met Denise Richards and they married – but, not for long.
- The title? Ironies? Straightforward for Cindy’s column? The ironies about Roy, his financial ambitions, advice to clients? Failures?
- Amoral/amoral atmosphere, in Wall Street and business dealings, in newspaper proprietors and competition, in relationships? A setting for comedy?
- The New York setting, Wall Street, business offices? Editorial rooms? Apartments? The musical score?
- The tone of the introduction, Ryan, his relationship with Simpson’s wife, deception, cavalier, playing golf, listening to the financial advice, going to the office during the night, finding the clients, the deal and promises? The reality, Simpson and his deceit, the confrontation with Ryan, revenge? Ryan and his clients, fired from his job, official investigation about insider trading? His relationship with Cindy, her flight units, leaving him?
- Cindy, writing her column, no empathy, the contract, the clash with Page? Walking out? Going to Brazil? Relationships, the wealthy life? On the plane, the paparazzi, Don Simpson contacting her, the proposition, her agreement? The clash with Ryan, the clash with Page? The press conference, revealing the truth, the revenge on Simpson, and the financial loss?
- Page, her money, her work, the paper, Cindy’s column, her criticisms? Iris and her work as assistant, age, flirty, red hair, the discussion with Ryan, guessing the truth, helping him with Page? Her advice to page, clothes, outings?
- Ryan, his idea, writing the column, the insensitive initial responses? His friendship with Barry and Cathy? Testing ideas with Barry? Possible answers, speculating of how to respond to women, the change of heart, the range of letters? The dealings with Page, deception about Cindy being ill, the contract? The continued letters, the growing popularity, people reading, from two letters to bag falls? The media being interested, Lucy capstone and her visit, Ryan putting her off? The other speculations?
- Ryan, the visits to page, accompanying her to the performance artist (and the satire on this kind of art)? The blue paint on his face, the kiss, Page and her reaction? Ryan trying to break down the resistance? Declaration of love, the night together, Cindy’s arrival?
- Ryan, manipulating the financial world, buying Simpson stock, selling it? Simpson ruined? Revenge?
- The background of Barry and Cathy, the relationship, plastic surgery, her concern about her figure, younger, friendship with Cindy? Barry taking the money, Cathy upset, the huge profits?
- The American kind of story, starting in an amoral atmosphere, conversion experience, change of heart?
