Rushmore
(1998)
Rated: R
Runtime: 1 Hour and 33 Minutes
Reviewer: Erik
Grade: C-"Rushmore" is an interesting film with lots of little quirks and some fun parts. On the downside, it never really took off like I kept thinking it would.
The story involves Max Fischer, a failing student at Rushmore Academy, who falls in love with a first-grade teacher named Miss Cross after he finds out she wrote an inspiring quote in a book he's signed out.
He does things to impress her. He reverses his stance on a Latin course to get her to like him.
He tries to get an aquarium established on campus. He invites her to his play, based on the Al Pacino flick "Serpico."
But then a friend from campus named Herman Bloom comes into the picture. Herman's an older fellow with kids of his own who go to Rushmore, and obviously he falls for Miss Cross.
This sets off the second half of the movie, which involves some plotting between the two men, and a great deal of bickering and trying to decide who's going to end up with the girl.
There are signs of genius here. Max is introduced via a variety of clips showing him in all his extra-curricular activities (bee keeping club, fencing club, etc.) Each month during Max's infatuation is introduced with a parting curtain, as if the movie was a play that Max himself was writing.
Even Max's play "Heaven And Hell" was pretty fun. It ties lots of things together, bringing his new girlfriend into the picture, as well as subtle references to both Miss Cross (model airplanes) and Herman Bloom (Vietnam).
However, some parts just don't seem right. Some scenes last no more than 15 seconds, only to get a laugh, and then move on. It's an odd technique and takes place quite frequently. Even worse is that these mini-scenes don't always pay off or get a laugh.
The dialogue, which I expected to be funny, was pretty flat. There are some funny, odd lines, but there are far too few of those moments.
And I kept expecting a little more energy to this movie. A lot of this film seems entirely too laid back. For a war between two men, it's sure treated pretty lightly.
This isn't to say it's a bad film. I got some decent laughs out of it, and some of the originality paid off.
But it's not necessarily a good film either. A previous review said the movie just sat there after viewing. It had almost no impact on the person. They didn't like it or dislike it.
Maybe that review sums up best the reaction you'll most likely have.