Movies

It’s possible “Greta” will be forgettable

Please, what ever you do, do not ask me why I have now blogged on this topic twice. I really don’t have a suitable answer (even for me), yet here is a second blog on Greta, the film starring Hilary Duff and Ellen Burstyn. The filmmakers have launched their new website promoting the movie.

The site pretty much gives away the entire plot. The blurb (as they call it) is too big for me to publish here, but here’s a small section:

Duff plays the title role of a waitress who falls for a charismatic, young short-order cook (Ross), only to find out he’s been in and out of a juvenile correctional facility for stealing cars. Now he’s determined to do something with his life, but as their romance heats up, Greta has to overcome the concerns of her grandparents (Burstyn, Murphy) about her new friend’s criminal past.
I will say that the entire premise of the movie screams cliché and belts out, “Warning! Possible stereotype train wreck ahead!” (Yet I feel some compulsion to write about it? I think I need medication.) Oh, wait, I guess I do sort of know why I’m interested in the movie.

Admittedly, my first interest was why distinguished actress and Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn would be in a movie that, from my perspective, seemed to be an unusual choice compared to her other projects. But as the 74-year-old mentioned in an earlier interview (that’s no longer available on the website) she’s excited that she gets to address the taboo of the sexual senior and I don’t think she means a senior in high school or college. (Go Ellen, it’s your birthday, it’s your birthday, it’s your birthday!)

The other interest is in Duff breaking free from her sweet little Lizzie Maguire past and seeing if she really can deliver the goods as a decent young actress. (She also gave a shout out a little while back to AfterEllen.com so keeping tabs on her isn’t such a bad thing.) It feels like Duff has been around forever, but she’s a big whopping 20 years old. She’s still a few months away from turning 21. Wow. Maybe at 21 (you know, when it’s actually legal and all) we’ll finally get a chance to see her out and about carousing and partying into the wee hours derailing her life and career all under the watchful flash of the paparazzi. That’ll be fun, right? No? Oh, sorry.

As Greta, Duff is the bad girl. It has her living the tough life; has her questioning her continued existence on this earth; has her rebelling and being sassy and stubborn and finding herself and discovering love and the true meaning of family. Whew, I’m tired just writing about it. (Did I mention that the premise seems kind of cliché?)

The third interest in the film is the interracial relationship story line. Duff falls for the character played by young, up-and-coming actor Evan Ross. They make a cute couple. Though arguments can be made that such a storyline in 2008 is not new, it’s not like big screen inter-racial couples are becoming all the rage, either. I do have a concern about that pesky young-black-man —with-a-criminal-past-but-a-heart-of-gold story arc finding its way on screen yet again though. Sigh. Sometimes in life I love being wrong and may this be one of those times. Please. Watch, this movie is going to end up being great! An absolute must-see. And I’ll end up writing yet another blog on it. Stay tuned.

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