EXCESS BAGGAGE
US, 1997, 96 minutes, Colour.
Alicia Silverstone, Benicio Del Toro, Christopher Walken, Jack Thompson, Harry Connick Jnr.
Directed by Marco Brambella.
Excess Baggage is intended as a light romantic comedy, produced by its star, Alicia Silverstone. However, it has not a great deal of charm and is not made with the light touch, directed by Marco Brambella (Demolition Man).
Alicia Silverstone plays a spoilt heiress who fabricates a kidnap plot against her neglectful father, Jack Thompson, with the most rhetorical of accents. His brother is played by Christopher Walken, who brings his usual sense of menace and comic touch to the role of the Mafia assistant. The romantic hero is Benicio Del Toro, a car thief, who has to appear bewildered most of the time, which he does quite successfully. However, the romance between him and Alicia Silverstone happens far too rapidly for any credibility. Harry Connick Jnr is his rather naïve partner in car stealing, who is attacked by some criminals for his naïve expression of amazement and anger, "Gosh".
1. The film produced by its star, Alicia Silverstone? A star vehicle for her? Her screen presence and impact? Enduring? Irritating?
2. The plausibility of the plot? A spoilt heiress, her attitude towards her father, the kidnap plan, her car being stolen and the consequences?
3. The Washington State settings, city, harbour, the forests of the state? The chalets? Warehouses, the roads? Musical score?
4. The title - and the reference to Emily and her being in the car?
5. The character of Emily: her mother dying when she was young, going to school, burning the school library (and framing the newspaper excerpt about it)? Her resentment of her father's ignoring her? The kidnap plan, the phone calls and the disguise? The delivery of the money - a the irony of its blowing away? Her hiding in the boot of the car, the car being stolen? Her phone calls? Trapped in the warehouse? The encounters with Vincent, her antagonism towards him, his anger with her? The complications with the warehouse burning down, the money to be paid to the criminals? His partner, Greg? Her father and the money, her Uncle Ray, her continually putting Vincent in danger? The complications at the motel, in the woods, Vincent putting her on the road, coming back for her? The build-up to the showdown, the criminals, her really being kidnapped? The final confrontation, her driving the car on the front-end loader? The romance with Vincent - credible or not? The final confrontation with her father, threatening to leave home? A spoilt brat and the consequences?
6. Vincent, stealing cars, partnership with Greg, the other criminals? Finding Emily, handcuffing her? Her turning the tables on him? False accusations? His bewilderment, his trying to get things clear, save himself? The encounters with Ray, Ray's threats? The discussions with Greg? His falling in love with Emily - how credible? The build-up to the finale, the $200,000, the crooks wanting more money, going to Emily's father? Ray not killing him? A future with Emily?
7. Emily's father, selfish, business, her planning the kidnapping to stop him going out of the country for a money deal? Laundering money - and losing a million with it blowing away? His reliance on Ray, Christopher Walken's style with the criminal background? His relationship with his brother, with Emily, phone calls? His threats? Shooting? His wanting to give gifts to Emily, being a foster father to her? His participation in the finale? Saving the day?
8. Greg, his saying "Gosh", naivety, in partnership with Vincent, the other criminals? The two in the truck, the warehouse burning down, their wanting the money? Greedy, wanting a ransom for Emily? Arguments against them by Vincent, Ray and his threats?
9. The woman at the diner, her record, her friendship with Vincent, charmed by Ray, giving him the information, his buying her records?
10. A screwball comedy, 90s style - but without the light touch of the old screwball comedies and romances?
