In 1955 a French student named Philippe (Marco Hofschneider) spends a year at a college in Virginia as an exchange student. There he meets a beautiful black woman (Robin Givens) and falls in love...but that was forbidden back then. But he can't stop his feelings for her...
Laid-back adaptation of a true story. It's good but distressingly TOO mild. This story has been told before and this is a good version but everything is so toned down it's hard to react to it. Also it mixes in football, blues music, a nervous breakdown and alcoholism in bits and pieces making it a jumble--the movie seriously lacks focus. Still this is not unwatchable.
It's beautifully filmed and has a feel for the period in clothes and cars (LOVE Cal's one). The acting really pulls this one through. Hofschneider is just great--young, handsome and full of life. His reactions when someone tries to get him into a blues club are hilarious. Rick Johnson is also good playing his best friend Cal. Givens is pretty terrible--a one note performance but she IS beautiful. Also the film is tasteful. There is a sex scene between Hofschneider and Givens but no nudity is shown! Hofschneider however was completely nude when they filmed it--he complained it was too cold shooting it and thought it was unnecessary but he did it.
All in all the film DOES work. I actually cried a little at the end. This came and went VERY quickly in 1994. It was supposed to boost Givens' career but didn't do a thing. It's worth seeing but don't go out of your way. I give it a 7.
Laid-back adaptation of a true story. It's good but distressingly TOO mild. This story has been told before and this is a good version but everything is so toned down it's hard to react to it. Also it mixes in football, blues music, a nervous breakdown and alcoholism in bits and pieces making it a jumble--the movie seriously lacks focus. Still this is not unwatchable.
It's beautifully filmed and has a feel for the period in clothes and cars (LOVE Cal's one). The acting really pulls this one through. Hofschneider is just great--young, handsome and full of life. His reactions when someone tries to get him into a blues club are hilarious. Rick Johnson is also good playing his best friend Cal. Givens is pretty terrible--a one note performance but she IS beautiful. Also the film is tasteful. There is a sex scene between Hofschneider and Givens but no nudity is shown! Hofschneider however was completely nude when they filmed it--he complained it was too cold shooting it and thought it was unnecessary but he did it.
All in all the film DOES work. I actually cried a little at the end. This came and went VERY quickly in 1994. It was supposed to boost Givens' career but didn't do a thing. It's worth seeing but don't go out of your way. I give it a 7.