Around the turn of the 21st century, there were a whole bunch of movies that take a series of disparate episodes and tie them together on the streets of Los Angeles. “Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her” (2001) is not the best one of those movies. On paper, having Kathy Baker, Amy Brenneman, Glenn Close, Cameron Diaz, Calista Flockhart and Holly Hunter tell stories about the love lives of complex women is a good idea, but paper is where it should have stayed, because the dialogue is so affected, the performers sound like they’re reading, not acting.
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Let’s say you’re wondering what “Ordinary People” would be like if it took place on a farm in Montana instead of some WASP enclave in Connecticut (let’s just say, because we know you’re not). Well, your pretend prayers have been answered with “The Stone Boy” (1984). Brother dies accidentally, other brother feels survivor guilt, everybody else goes batshit crazy. Except grandpa (Wilford Brimley). He’s so even-keeled, he could look death in the face and sell it a reverse mortgage. Anyway, it’s an interesting film in that it portrays an adolescent with PTSD before we knew what those letters stood for.
“The Big Chill” (1983) is an interesting setup and a great ending sandwiched around entirely too much tiresome baby boomer midlife crisis self-analysis. That’s why, as a film, this movie is no longer relevant to anyone other than those baby boomers who see themselves in the movie’s characters (with all due respect). However, it remains hugely significant in that its soundtrack of familiar hit songs helped change how music and movies interacted (and were marketed). And the incredibly positive audience response to said music helped inspire a radio format concept (classic rock) that maintains popularity 40 years after the film.
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