| Plot Synopsis Life is sweet for high-school English teacher and sports coach Howard Brackett (Kevin Kline); he's still living where he grew up, he has a good relationship with his father (Wilford Brimley) and mother (Debbie Reynolds), he's respected by his community, and he's about to marry Emily (Joan Cusack), his fiancee of three years. Fearing she was about to become an old maid, Emily has shed 75 pounds for the upcoming nuptials. But first, the entire town of Greenleaf, Indiana, settles in to watch the Academy Award telecast, because young stud star Cameron Drake (Matt Dillon), who attended Greenleaf high, has been nominated for an Oscar. What's more, he wins, and in his acceptance speech, singles out Howard - and announces his favorite teacher is gay. Everyone in town is thunderstruck, including Howard himself. The media descend on the town, particularly Peter Malloy (Tom Selleck), whose job is hanging by a thread. But now so is Howard's; principal Tom Halliwell (Bob Newhart) is shaken by the news, and is toying with firing Howard. The beleaguered teacher tries to convince everyone (and himself) that he's as straight and macho as the next guy; he even tries to follow the rules on a motivational tape, "Be a Man." But his fondness for Barbra Streisand, his theatrical mannerisms and the fact that he and Emily have yet to make love make everyone's eyebrows stay permanently raised. Meanwhile, out in Hollywood, Cameron, who's really a decent guy, learns about the problems his impulsive comment has caused, and heads back to Greenleaf to see what he can do to help. Peter's mother is fiercely determined to see at least one of her two sons wed - Walter (Gregory Jbara), the other, is a doofus - and as the wedding date draws nearer and nearer, poor Howard's life flies even farther out of control. - Bill Warren, All Movie Guide Reviews BILL WARREN AMG A very ticklish subject is handled surprisingly delicately by director Frank Oz and writer Paul Rudnick, even though In & Out is a hilarious farce from beginning to end. Homosexuality is depicted as just another way of life (at least one surprising character strolls out of the closet), though its capacity to unnerve the unwary and the prejudiced is not overlooked. Kline, Cusack, Selleck, Reynolds, in fact the entire cast, is simply splendid, exhibiting on-the-nose comedic timing and small, telling character traits. Although there's a very touching moment toward the end, In & Out is a broadly played, broadly written comedy, one of the funniest ever made on this subject. JAMES BERARDINELLI Two years ago, writer Paul Rudnick brought his play Jeffrey to the screen. The result was one of the year's most hilarious motion pictures. This gay romantic comedy was sly, irreverent, and even a little sentimental, but, because the lead character (played by Wings star Steven Weber) was a homosexual, mainstream audiences did not embrace the movie. Not even the presence of Star Trek's Captain Picard, Patrick Stewart, could pack in the heterosexual crowds. So, while Jeffrey was regarded as a success within the gay community, it was quickly forgotten about outside. Now, in 1997, Rudnick has written another gay-themed comedy. This one offers bigger laughs, more subversive humor, and a better-known cast. It is surely one of the year's best pure comedies, but it remains to be seen whether Kevin Kline, Matt Dillon, Joan Cusack, and Tom Selleck have enough star power to draw mixed crowds to a film whose subject has traditionally made many straight males uncomfortable. Those who stay away from In and Out because it addresses homosexual issues (albeit in a light fashion) are missing an intelligent, funny motion picture. From the very first scene, you know that In and Out has struck a rich satirical vein. The movie opens in Greenleaf, Indiana, a conservative, family values-oriented town in middle America that seems to be stuck in the fifties. Director Frank Oz has photographed Greenleaf as a place with a gauzy, fairy tale-like quality that, along with some very pointed dialogue, gently pokes fun at cherished, Leave it to Beaver impressions of the "ideal" community. Unlike David Lynch, who has repeatedly attacked this image in his films, Oz and Rudnick are content to have a little affectionate fun with it (much like Christopher Guest did in Waiting for Guffman). We are introduced to Howard Brackett (Kevin Kline), one of the local high school's most popular teachers. Day-in and day-out, Howard attempts to stir the minds of his young charges to embrace Shakespeare and other forms of English literature. And, while the kids appreciate Howard's teaching methods, they're more interested in his recollections of Cameron Drake (Matt Dillon), a pupil from several years ago who has gone on to become a teen heartthrob and the odds-on favorite to win this year's Best Actor Oscar. Howard is less interested in whether Cameron wins, however, than he is in planning his upcoming wedding to a fellow teacher, Emily Montgomery (Joan Cusack), with whom he has been engaged for three years. No one is more excited about the wedding than Howard's mother (Debbie Reynolds), who sees the ceremony as the culmination of a lifelong dream. Then comes the bombshell. During his internationally-televised acceptance speech for the Academy Award, Cameron goes out of his way to thank "Howard Brackett," adding, rather unexpectedly, that "He's a gay teacher." Everyone, including Howard, is shocked by the statement. The next day, reporters converge on Greenleaf, looking for a story. One of them, Peter Malloy (Tom Selleck), manages to confront Howard alone, and what he reveals causes the confused teacher to question his own sexuality. In and Out has a thinking person's script, and, as such, works on several levels. It can be seen as a light comedy, a biting satire, and/or a morality play that uses humor to examine society's approach to sexual identities. In and Out definitely isn't a pointless comedy of the Dumb and Dumber variety -- it deals with issues in a shrewd manner, using a creative and well-written script to camouflage with wit any preaching. Gay roles and stereotypes aren't the only subject tackled by In and Out. The film also takes a number of pointed shots at various aspects of pop culture (Hollywood, the Oscars, television tabloid shows, supermodels, etc.). The ending includes a wonderful spoof of the climax of Spartacus. And the film is peppered with top-notch one-liners, the best of which come during the mock Oscar telecast where Cameron wins his statue. The actors all do fine jobs. Kevin Kline, who is no stranger to comedy following a pair of John Cleese movies (A Fish Called Wanda and Fierce Creatures) and Dave, knows just how to play Howard to keep us laughing yet gain our sympathy. Tom Selleck gives one of his best big-screen performances by playing against type. Joan Cusack is her usual delightful, ditzy self, and Debbie Reynolds picks up here where she left off in Mother. The rest of the cast, which includes Matt Dillon, Wilford Brimley, and model Shalom Harlow, is equally solid. With In and Out, Rudnick, who is openly gay, has written one of 1997's smartest scripts. This is a rare, "feel good" motion picture that doesn't insult our intelligence while making its play for our emotions. Regardless of your opinion of the gay community, In and Out is more than worth an evening's admission -- provided, of course, that you like to laugh. � 1997 James Berardinelli Awards Best Supporting Actress (nom) -Joan Cusack -1997 Academy Best Supporting Actress (win) -Joan Cusack -1997 Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Actor in Musical or Comedy Picture (nom) -Kevin Kline -1997 Golden Globe Best Supporting Actress (nom) -Joan Cusack -1997 Golden Globe |
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| IN & OUT 1997 - USA - 90 min. - Feature, Color Director -Frank Oz |
| Genre/Type -Comedy, Comedy of Manners, Gay & Lesbian Films Flags -Questionable for Children, Adult Situations, Mild Violence MPAA Rating -PG13- Keywords -coach, high-school, homosexual, small-town, teacher sexual-identity Themes -Small-Town Life, Teachers and Students, Wedding Bells Tones -Humorous, Quirky, Witty, Irreverent, Madcap, Merry, Warm Moods -Mood Enhancers Color type -DuArt/Deluxe Prints Sound by -Dolby Produced by -Paramount / Scott Rudin / Spelling Entertainment DVD Street Date -Oct 21, 1998 Languages -English, French Subtitles -English, Spanish Screen Formats -Letterbox for 16x9 TVs Sound -Dolby Digital, SS, 2 Studio -Paramount Home Video DVD Sides -1 Cast Kevin Kline -- Howard Brackett Joan Cusack -- Emily Montgomery Matt Dillon -- Cameron Drake Debbie Reynolds -- Berniece Brackett Wilford Brimley -- Frank Brackett Bob Newhart -- Tom Halliwell Tom Selleck -- Peter Malloy Deborah Rush -- Ava Blazer Lewis J. Stadlen -- Ed Kenrow Gregory Jbara -- Walter Brackett Glenn Close -- Herself Whoopi Goldberg - Herself |
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