[net.movies] "The Coca-Cola Kid"

lcliffor@bbncca.ARPA (Laura Frank Clifford) (10/29/85)

Finally got to see "The Coca-Cola Kid", a film I had been looking forward to
seeing, largely because it stars Eric Roberts, a young actor I really like.

What a disappointment!  This was directed by the man who last gave us
"Montenegro" (which I never saw).  The only thing I could think was that he
was trying to combine 'Local Hero' and "Comfort and Joy", two Bill
Forsythe films, and failed abysmally.  The story of some guy trying to
bring Coke to a certain region of Australia was absolutely pointless and
boring, in my opinion.

If you don't have lots of time to see movies and have to pick and choose, I'd
avoid this one.

peter@fluffy.UUCP (Admin) (10/30/85)

> 
> Finally got to see "The Coca-Cola Kid", a film I had been looking forward to
> seeing, largely because it stars Eric Roberts, a young actor I really like.
> 
> What a disappointment!  This was directed by the man who last gave us
> "Montenegro" (which I never saw).  The only thing I could think was that he
> was trying to combine 'Local Hero' and "Comfort and Joy", two Bill
> (etc.)

Coca-Cola Kid wasn't a great movie, but it was not so bad as all that, and
these remarks are very much offbase.

Bill Forsyth (Local Hero, etc.) is an essentially pleasant and sentimental
movie maker, and his movies are that way, too. I like Local Hero, but it has
very little to do with Dusan Makajev and The Coca-Cola Kid.

Makajev has something of a political point of view which is visible in his
movies, less so in each succeeding one I would say. The Coca Cola Kid is light
and easy to take, but it is essentially cynical in tone and is poking fun at
big business and the American way of life, etc., etc. The difference between the
two is the difference between sentimentality (which seems to go down better
with the movie-going public at large judging from the success of junk like
Terms of Endearment, ET, etc.) and playful sarcasm.

Anyway, I liked Coca Cola Kid. It is not a great movie, but it was fun while
it lasted. I like it better than Montenegro. I like it about the same as
Local Hero. It's one of the better movies I've seen this year. 


				Peter Torvik @ EnMasse Computer Corp.

		The above is the opinion of P. Torvik. EnMasse and its
	subsidiaries do not in any way approve of poking fun at Capitalism
	or the American Way of Life.

P.S. Viewers of Montenegro will be fascinated by Makajev's obsession with
feathers. Does anyone know where this comes from?

lcliffor@bbncca.ARPA (Laura Frank Clifford) (10/31/85)

The reason I compared 'Local Hero' and 'Comfort and Joy' to 'The Coca Cola Kid'
was because of some common plot lines:

1.  An American goes to a foreign company to sell/propose something to
    its people.

2.  Aids an injured animal.

3.  Becomes involved in a product war.

I guess it's just a matter of opinion, but I'd give 'Local Hero' the 
highest rating available, as opposed to 'Coca Cola Kid' which I didn't care
for at all.

Laura Clifford