Trini Alvarado

  • Rich Kids (1979)

    Rich Kids (1979)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (On Cable TV, November 2020) I wasn’t looking forward to watching Rich Kids—tales of divorce as seen from the eyes of children (well, young teenagers) are almost too sad to contemplate, and I wasn’t sure I was up for it. But the film turns out to be easier to take than I expected—funnier, more optimistic, not quite as centred on the kid characters (although it’s a gradual process) and somewhat wittier than the usual drama on the topic. While the “rich kids” of the title are played by debut actors Trini Alvarado (who went on to have a significant career) and one-time actor Jeremy Levy, the parents of the female lead are played with Kathryn Walker and John Lithgow. The territory here is familiar from many other films—rich intellectual New Yorkers splitting up and kids making sense of it. But compared to the dreariness of (say) The Squid and the Whale, Rich Kids is far more entertaining to watch: The kids are admittedly written as precocious sages (as per the “here’s how your parents are going to announce their divorce to you… pick a restaurant you don’t like” scene), but their wisdom continually decreases throughout the film until the parents race to their rescue later on. Plenty of amusing secondary subplots and details enliven things, especially when it comes to how the parents are facing their divorce—the film opens with an elaborate charade by the protagonist’s father that doesn’t even fool the intended audience, and eventually paints a nightmarish portrait of another man in the throes of a stereotypical midlife crisis. It all amounts to a moderately good comic drama that exceeds expectations: much easier to watch than I expected, and not without its share of darker comedy.

  • Little Women (1994)

    Little Women (1994)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (In French, On TV, December 2018) I can certainly understand Little Women’s timeless appeal—as a story detailing the struggles of the four March girls following the American Civil War, it’s got no fewer than five plum female roles, including four for young actresses. The 1930s version practically made a star out of Katharine Hepburn, and this 1994 version features a terrific cast, in-between Winona Ryder, Trini Alvarado, Kirsten Dunst/Samantha Mathis and Claire Danes as the girls, with Susan Sarandon as the mother. But wait, it gets even better! Gabriel Byrne, Eric Stoltz and Christian Bale are also featured as some of the suitors of the March girls. Meanwhile, the story has just enough melodrama with war casualties, fatal illnesses, romantic entanglements and literary progression. Director Gillian Armstrong manages to adapt and propel the story in a way that avoids some of the hawkishness of earlier version, and create a convincing portrait of a family sticking through challenging times. I do like the 1930s version, but this Little Women may be even more accessible and lighter on cheap sentiment.

  • The Frighteners (1996)

    The Frighteners (1996)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (Second Viewing, In French, On Cable TV, October 2017) When I say I’ve been a Peter Jackson fan from way before The Lord of the Rings trilogy, I specifically refer to watching The Frighteners in the late nineties, loaned on VHS from a friend who had been very impressed by the result. Twenty years later, the film has aged a bit (the early-digital special effects look particularly dated, although they’re still used very effectively) but it remains a solid horror/comedy with a sometimes-daring mythology, effective character moments and a dynamic performance by writer/director Jackson. The film does take chances in its treatment of the afterlife, and especially in the way it goes for comedy in the middle of death. But the tonal blend works most of the time, and lead actor Michael J. Fox is well-suited to the protagonist’s role. (Meanwhile, Trini Alvarado is so likable that it’s a wonder that her filmography since then isn’t longer.)  Shot in New Zealand but made to look American, The Frighteners remains a bit of an under-appreciated gem today: not unknown, but not often mentioned. It’s worth a look for those who have never seen it, and a re-watch for those who haven’t seen it in years.