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Beautiful Girls Customer Reviews (19 - 21 of 30 Reviews)

Timothy Hutton is in great understated form as Willie, a struggling musician returning to his hometown for a highschool reunion. Willie is wary of committing to his long-term girlfriend, fearing if he does, he'll miss out on something better. He has this so set in his mind that he even begins to see possible alternative love in a local thirteen year-old girl (Portman) much to the derision of his buddies.

Said buddies are having similar troubles with there own relationships. Tommy (Matt Dillon) is cheating on his faithful girlfriend Sharon (Mira Sorvino) with local harlet Dariam (Lauren Holly). Goofball Paul (Michael Rapaport), is struggling to keep his girlfriend Jan (Martha Plimpton) from leaving him.

Of course, before the movie is over the guy's, after a series of humourous and moving encounters, and aided by a fleeting visit by an almost ethereal Andera (Uma Thurman), realise how special the women in their lives are after all.

Even if the movie is biased in favor of a male viewpoint, it's a timely reminder for guys out there to stop waiting for that dream girl, she doesn't exist (and you won't get her anyway). Learn to appreciate the real women in your life who will love you back.

Beautiful Girls has capable acting from a strong ensemble but with no particular standouts. The script is what makes the film standout. Well done Scott Rosenberg, it's a pity you had to go and do Con Air after this, but I guess we've all got to eat.

Btw. In response to all the other posts, Natalie Portman really isn't all that great in Beautiful Girls, it's a pretty straight-forward role. Check out Leon to see a much better showcase of her particular talents. To be fair I should now point out the best roles of everyone else in the cast, but since their BG performances haven't consistently been getting overrated on this message board, I won't.

Why Did I Buy This ?
Beautiful Girls is a movie you can easily avoid. I bought it based on the fine list of actresses: Mira Sorvino, Lauren Holly, Natalie Portman (about 13 in this one and the only bright spot in the whole movie), Uma Thurman etc. It takes place in the winter in Minnesota (who thinks up these things?). Uma Thurman (fine looking face) never takes her coat off in the whole movie. After I watched it, I looked at the DVD cover to see why I ever bought it (49¢ wasted) and it said on the cover that it was a comedy. Always up for a good comedy. I didn't know it was supposed to be funny. I am going to watch it again with new understanding, I hope. I had NO IDEA this was a funny movie. I should have read the cover before I watched it; I could have anticipated the clever nuances of humor so cleverly disguised as boring stupid garbage. Other people should be warned. This movie literally makes The Grass is Greener appear humorous in comparison.

Wonderful and Overlooked
Humphrey Bogart would say the Beautiful Girls in this film are the "stuff dreams are made of." They stand for the idealized version of women that men seek and never find, the constant promise of a better woman just around the corner that keeps men from being able to commit to the real women in their lives.

The principle men with that "beautiful girls" hang-up are Willie (Hutton), Birdy (Dillon) and Paul (Rappaport). They hold on to that dream of a better life with a better woman and thus sabotage (consciously or not) all their relationships. Birdy clings to the memories of his high school flame, Paul papers his walls with supermodels and names his dog Elle McPherson, and Willie just wants something beautiful in his life. Although in a relationship with a nice-looking attorney, Willie grudgingly acknowledges she would only score a 7.5 on a 1-10 scale.

While not actively looking to replace his "above-average-but-not-great" girlfriend, Willie stumbles into the most charming and memorable sub-plot of the film: his relationship with his thirteen year old neighbor Marty (a totally engaging Natalie Portman). Willie sees in her all the possibilities he dreams about: she is kind, sensitive and dazzles him with her knowledge of psychology and Shakespeare. When she develops a teenage crush on him, Willie must consider the possibility of waiting for this great girl to become an even greater woman. Even though parallels are drawn to the pedophilic exploits of Roman Rolanski and Jerry Lee Lewis, there is nothing creepy or sexual about Willie's feelings for the young girl.

The stories play out in a picturesque New England town, deep into a frozen winter. All the guys are re-uniting for their ten-year high school reunion and are forced to deal with the personal revelations accompanying that important moment. Presented with a karaoke bar's dream soundtrack and told with a thoughtful narrative that is poignant and touching without being sappy and sentimental, Beautiful Girls is a wonderful exploration into the love lives of 20-something males.