Flesh and Bone (1993)

probably one of the best vehicles for Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan. Palthrow and Caan were interesting also.I think Quaid is somehow irritating to watch as an actor. he is not handsome and I suppose appeals to a certain audience but not to me. Ryan was good- and this shows her girl next door sex appeal.Palthrow was very sexy in her bad girl role.Quaid always appears to me as a guy who had bad breath and stinky farts in school. I met him once when he was filming DOA in San Marcos. He is from Houston.His brother is ugly and knows it- Dennis maybe doesn't know it yet?

Perhaps some people only want to see Meg Ryan in romantic comedies, or perhaps IMDb voters give this a low average rating because 'nothing happens', but look beneath the surface and you will find a dark and haunting drama of the first order, with the best work from all involved for many years before or since.Steve Kloves, completely 'miscast' as the adaptive screenwriter for the Harry Potter films (he writes in American, for heaven's sake) here produces a great original work as a writer/director, utilizing some amazing visuals from Phillipe Rousselot (d.o.p.) and music from Thomas Newman (a score suitably subtle, haunting and moving). Caan, Ryan and a pre-fame Gwyneth Paltrow are all on top form but the real star here is Dennis Quaid, whose face, a canvas of tortured memories and struggling decency, says more than Kloves could ever hope to write. As director he chooses wisely; he gives Quaid a single line, then keeps the camera rolling.

I came across this film as many others have, by chance and loved it. It is an intelligent and absorbing story with excellent performances from all involved. The locations are great too and are all beautifully shot. Now for the lesson - if you want to see great films stay away from the big studio productions with huge distribution budgets to settle and ignore the hype. The big Hollywood production houses have forgotten the art great movie making. I'm afraid the only thing they know how to do now is how to sell them, instead of how to make them. Make no mistake this was a great film and suffered because no one sold it and so was largely ignored.

I think if this movie had some carbs, everything would have been OK. Meg might have filled out her Boom Boom top. Dennis maybe wouldn't have scowled in every scene. James wouldn't have to shoot all the dirty pig farmers in their PJs. And Mrs. Se7en could have stirred up a bowl of mac & cheese for her old man instead of ripping off the dead. I guess those candy bars are carbs, but as ole Dennis says those suckers give you those nasty pin worms from sitting out in the sun. Maybe they should have called it Flesh and Bone and Noodles or something like that. By the way, Dennis, what half wit would hire that guy who was ripping you off? Everyone knows you can't trust that guy...