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'The Gr By DAVID BOWDEN Viewpoint Editor There is nothing like a good movie about a bunch of sleazy con-artists. Stephen Frears' new movie The Grifters has a rich and distinguished pedigree in film history. Scumbags are the subject matter of such classics as The Sting and Midnight Cowboy. The Grifters wants to be film noir like Vertigo, Chinatown or the more recent Trouble in Mind. The very notion of film noir seems cliche nowadays, with every other film trying to look dark and brooding with lots of rainy streets and pensive-looking characters (look at such pretentious movies as Flatliners and Jacob's Ladder). The Grifters is not that good, but it isn't due to an overload of atmosphere. The film has lots of style, but fails for a much less sublime reason; there is no plot. The Grifters delivers the sleaze, but no action to go with it. The movie revolves around three amoral grifters, Roy Dillon (John Cusack), his mother, Lily, (Anjelica Huston) and Roy's lover, Myra (Annette Bening). The list of characters is also the plot synopsis, as hardly anything actually transpires. / The previews of this film promise Machiavellian intrigue and suspense as we eagerly wait to find out who will con who in an everspreading web of intrigue (I should write press releases). This assessment is the furthest thing from the truth. There is no complex plot (a la The Sting); there is no suspense; there is just scene after scene of the three main characters conning OUR ENGIN] IS THE RIGt At Chemical Waste Management, v As the world leader in the remedia we're working to create a cleaner, < students excellent starts on succe: If you're a Chemical, Civil, Mechan for your achievements, this is your program-and its advantages for y< Informational Se Wednesday, February Swearingen Enginee For additional information, please If IfAll 1 in fkin m-ortr^l II jvu ait IIUCIC31CU 111 lilld pit/giui Bobbie Proper, Human Resourc Road, Oak Brook, IL 60521. Equa ? o r4 fr* o A I I Wan Why not C( STUDENT SE Your cancli Monday, Jar Forms and C C ifters' lac Jf Anjelica Huston (left), John Cusa< (right) star in The Grifters. ClirtpfC Ollt of thpir manair nr?/4 /a?* uuvxvvtu V/V.V VI. U1V11 UIVJIIVJ Oliu/Ul yelling at each other. Stephen Frears (the British director of Dangerous Liasons fame) does some brilliant camera-work, especially the split screen at the start showing all three characters move in on their respective jobs. However, Frears' direction, like the plot, loses imagination as the film progresses. Despite The Gripers' inertia, the three principle actors make the film worth sitting through. John Cusack, a vastly underappreciated actor, pulls off being both slimy and likable as Roy. Annette Bening plays a great manipulative lady that can be sweet and icy cold, getting what EER-IN-TRAINING IT ENVIRONMEN1 /e're dedicated to creating better environme tion of industrial pollutants, hazardous was safer environment. And we're doing our part ssful careers. ical or Environmental Engineer who's ready opportunity. We're coming to campus to tei au. Sttinn* r amni VW1VII# VUllipi ' 6th, 7pm Thursdi r Center Swearinge contact your Placement Office. n, and are unable to attend either session, p es, Dept. BP19, Chemical Waste Manager il Opportunity Employer. SPgjgy = 111] For Your jjjSl Tnformati it to make a differe )nsider getting sta GOVERNMENT and NATE POSITI1 dacy must be filec wary 28 - Frida; Complete Information avt Student Government Offi Russell House Room 1 V ks plot t '^jWp I jB >5*,!ip' J|K ma :k (center) and Annette Bening she wants through sex. She is naked frequently. Great acting. Anjelica Huston as Roy's mom is the real phenomenon. Huston is one of the best actresses around, and she pulls out all the stops here. Huston's character ranges from altruistic to selfish, yet she always (to me at least) remains sympathetic. Veteran actor Pat Hingle has a small but powerful role as a ruthless Mafiosa. His scenes are chilling; it is a shame he only appears for a few minutes. The acting of Cusack, Huston, Bening and Hingle is squandered in this mess of a movie. With a better screenplay, this movie could have been great. But without it, the film dwells in mediocrity. C jlH jlj i b i i PROGRAM r FOR YOU! nts. te and radioactive by-products, to offer promising engineering to be challenged and rewarded 11 you all about this exciting is Interviews: ay, February 7th n Engineer Center >lease send your resume to: nent, Inc., 3001 Butterfield gSD r\ :ncer' rted now... r OFFICES ONS J this week: y, February 1 lilable in the ce ? mJ TUESDA Lou Gold speaks al issues, Holiday Inn < Free admissi WEDNESD Colloquium, "The Kingdom and the G with speaker Andre Gambrell Rm. 429 THURSD Brown Bag Lunch! Cost of Climbing ] Brazil," with spe; Meznar, Gambrel Lounge at 12:2 Black History Mo Scientists Nathan an speak about today's in the RH Ballroom Window i /~% m tor soldier By KATHY HEBERGER Carolina Life Editor The names of hundreds of soldiers are stacked like bricks across the "F' building's Devine Street window as a sign that students are thinking of their friends and families in the gulf. The Off-Campus Student Service Office has collected more than 200 soldiers' names since the project began Jan. 21. Students are asked to write the name and branch of service of the solRide with a sober driven JUST v u "LAST CHA Stop by and vis Check out our awesome you with thous; A\ January 28, 29, 30 University Bookstoi C V 1 THURSDAY (CONT) Wynton Marsalis & his Y Septet. Two shows, 8 PM & >out forest 10:30 PM at Greenestreefs. it 7:30 PM. Advance tickets $15, $17 at on. the door. ) * y Bill Gaitler Musical Team will perform gospel music, ,ii "war " Koger Center at 7:30 PM. Advance tickets are $12.50, w Wood, $15 at door. at OTHER i AY Monday thru Wednesday Series, "The Tast of Eden, CPU Movie, 9 Inflation in PM, RH Theater, $1 aker Joan Thursday thru Saturday 11 Faculty The Adventures of Ford ;0 PM. Fairlane, 9 PM, $2 nth Social Friday and Saturday Late J TT ujunanare i black family ^ Mid-Summer Night's Dream, at 7:30 PM. I 11:30 PM, $2 Dan Barabas/The Gamecock dier they know on a card. The office then mounts the card on the window. "We wanted to show soldiers that we support them," said Stanley Wardlaw, a resident adviser F^k f ^ for off-campus students and so- dSmf . ciology graduate student. The "I" building is located between Baker and Burney residence halls on Devine Street. The off-campus student organizations CARA and LOCAL are also responsible for the project HHHflflHHflHHHMIi Thank you for giving. Again and again. DOIT! RIVE SI Mn mtict American mESa UP TO T1(M) NCE TO BUY AT '90 PRICES!" it your ArtCarved representative during this special event, collection of styles. ArtCarved will customize a college ring just for mds of special options. Don't delay?see your ArtCarved representative before this promotion ends. RTGiRVED COLLEGE JEWELRY Mon. - Wed. 9am-4pm | o e Russell House . Special Payment Plans Available HB 1F1 **