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"ROMY AND MICHELE'S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION"
(1997) (Mira Sorvino, Lisa Kudrow) (R)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Mild None Mild None None
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Mild None None None Extreme
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Moderate Moderate None Mild Minor


QUICK TAKE:
Comedy: Two women prepare for their high school tenth year reunion.
PLOT:
Romy (MIRA SORVINO) and Michele (LISA KUDROW) have been roommates since they graduated from a Tucson high school ten years ago. After Romy runs into class curmudgeon and outcast Heather (JANEANE GAROFALO), she learns that their tenth year reunion is fast approaching. Never the popular ones in high school, Michele was always chased by science "nerd" Sandy Frank (ALAN CUMMING), while Romy had a crush on Billy (VINCENT VENTRESCA) the most popular boy in school. Unfortunately for Romy, Billy dated class snob Christie (JULIA CAMPBELL) who constantly belittled the two girls. Now living in L.A., Romy's just a cashier and Michele is unemployed and both are without boyfriends, so Michele tries to get a job and Romy tries to find boyfriends for them for the reunion. When that doesn't work, the two decide to concoct a wild story about them being successful businesswomen to impress Christie and the other class "A" girls who looked down their noses at the two.
WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
The most likely audience is teenage girls, especially if they liked the Alicia Silverstone movie "Clueless," or are fans of Sorvino or Kudrow (TV's "Friends").
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R
For language.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • Both of the characters played by MIRA SORVINO and LISA KUDROW are relatively harmless as role models. Even so, parents may be concerned that after ten years the two haven't amounted to anything, and the outrageous costumes and personification of the "Valley Girl" attitude and speech patterns ("Oh my God," "Duh," etc...) may concern others.
  • CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

    HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


    OUR TAKE: 6 out of 10
    This production is the definition of a "fluff" film. Lightweight and without much meaning or purpose, it still proves to be amusing at times and is likeable throughout. Similar to its cinematic ancestors, "Valley Girl" and the more recent "Clueless," this film deals with two air-heads who haven't managed to do anything with their lives, but don't seem to care and are nonetheless happy. While the film doesn't offer much in plot, there are enough amusing scenes -- such as the flashbacks to the characters' high school days -- to make up for that slack. Both Sorvino and Kudrow easily fit into their characters and creating amusing and "right on the nose" personifications, but Janeane Garofalo is pretty much wasted in her role as the bitter classmate. Many teenage girls will identify not only with the way the women talk and behave, but also with their need to be accepted by their peers, thus this film is sure to find its audience with that gender and age group. Slightly older audiences will remember what it was like to return to a high school reunion, and the soundtrack is filled with enough 1980's pop songs that it could easily be a historical look at that era. Like the cute but flimsy dandelion, however, this movie is easy to pick apart and will leave your consciousness at the first sign of a strong wind, or this case, thought. If you can just sit back and accept it for what it wants to be, you'll enjoy this film. However if you're looking for high art, realism, or character development, you had better skip this film. We lean toward the former and thus give this film a 6 out of 10.
    OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
    Profanity and some sexual material are the main points of concern here. 10+ "f" words are sprinkled throughout the production and could easily have been dropped as they serve no real purpose other than to show how bitter one character is. Many sexual comments are made and one aural simulation of a sexual encounter might prove to be uncomfortable for some. Beyond that, there's the typical class/social differences in high school where some students are snobs and others are their targets of ridicule. The women also make up lies about themselves, although this tactic backfires on them and they latter benefit from telling the truth. Beyond the above and the fact that Garafalo smokes like a chimney whenever on screen, there isn't much more to object to. Still, since your kids, especially the girls, will probably want to see this, you should read through the scene listings before letting them see this film.

    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • People have drinks at nightclubs in several scenes.
  • Romy announces at an AA meeting that she's an alcoholic (she's making that up) just to meet other guys there.
  • People drink at the high school reunion (beer, wine and mixed drinks).
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • None.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • The "A" group of high school girls are mean and snobby toward Romy and Michele and continue to be that way ten years later at the reunion.
  • Michele turns down Sandy's request for a dance at their high school prom although she's just said that no one turns down anybody for such a request at the end of their high school years.
  • The women make up a lie to try to impress the other students at the reunion.
  • A former student, who's married, asks Romy if she wants to get a room (to have sex in). She agrees, but only to stand him up like he did to her at the prom.
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • None.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • None.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "God, this underwear's running up my butt crack," "Whores, "Jerking off," "Jerk off," "Turd," "Freakazoid," "Bitch" (toward another woman), "Idiot," "Pissed," "You're so weird," "Shut up," "Half-wit" and "Jerk," "Ball (testicle) busting."
  • Some teenage girls may want to imitate the way the women dress, talk and behave, which may prove to be irritating to some.
  • A kid makes faces at Michele as his parents drive by their car, and Michele returns the faces (including ones pressed up against the window) at him.
  • In a dream sequence, an aged Romy gives "the finger" to Michele after they've had a fight.
  • The women make up a lie to try to impress the other students at the reunion.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • None.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • None.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • None.
  • PROFANITY
  • 11 "f" words (1 used sexually as is another slang term, "screwed"), 4 "s" words, 1 slang term for male genitals (the "d" word), 6 hells, 5 "ass" words (4 used with "hole"), 1 damn, and 27 uses of "Oh my God," 21 of "God," 4 uses of "Oh God," 3 uses each of "Swear to God" and "My God," and 1 use of "Oh Jesus, Mary and Joseph" as exclamations.
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • Both Romy and Michele display some cleavage at various times throughout the movie.
  • While complaining about not having a boyfriend, Romy says "I swear to God sometimes I wish I was a lesbian." Michele responds, "Do you want to have sex some time to see if we are?" Romy replies, "The thought of having sex with you creeps me out. But if we're not married by the time we're thirty, ask me again."
  • One of Romy's co-workers (a parking lot attendant) tells her, "You're looking hot today."
  • It's said that Sandy (a boy) always had to have his notebook with him when he was near Michele because of his constant erections.
  • In a flashback, the two women wonder why two boys in the drama club weren't interested in them. We see the inferred answer as the two boys fondly look at each other as they pose for the yearbook photo.
  • Heather tells another student that she doesn't like, "Why don't you go "f" a sheep, or your sister, or yourself." Later, when he sees her at the reunion, he says, "I never screwed a sheep or my sister." She replies, "Why? Because you couldn't catch them?"
  • While riding their exercise bikes in class and having to raise and lower their hips, Romy asks Michele, "What does this remind you of?" (Inferring the woman on top sexual position).
  • Romy asks a parking lot attendant that she works with if she can borrow his car for the reunion. He asks what he'll get in return and she asks what he wants. He replies, "Oh Romy, you know what I want." She then says that she's not going to have sex in trade for the car, but then says, "Close the blinds, we'll work something out." Moments later sexual sounds are heard as is Romy who exclaims, "Oh yes, Oh Ramone." It turns out he's just feeding her lines to say to impress the other men who are outside listening in. He wants her to say, "Fill me with your giant love wand," but she refuses. He then tells her she has to "mention something about my penis." She then says, "Your penis is so powerful...I'm coming...Get off me now."
  • Later, Romy tells Michele about the above and says that she had to give all of the attendants "hand jobs" to get the car. She then gets mad at Michele for believing that she really did that.
  • Michele plays a folded paper game and asks the question, "Which one of these guys will I have sex with at the reunion?"
  • While comparing firsts, Michele asks "Who lost their virginity first?" Romy replies, "Oh big wow. With your cousin Barry...I wouldn't brag about it."
  • Michele and Sandy (a guy) passionately kiss in his limo and she's in just her bra and slip. Later, she walks into the auditorium wearing only that (it's all just a dream).
  • Hearing that Sandy made his millions from creating a special type of rubber, Michele asks, "What, like condoms?"
  • A former student, who's married, asks Romy if she wants to get a room (to have sex in). She states that he has children and he replies that he doesn't even know if his second one is his (inferring that his wife was having an affair).
  • SMOKING
  • Heather smokes both in flashback scenes and in the present and is noted for having created "quick burn" cigarettes that can be smoked very quickly.
  • In addition, another student, "Cowboy," also smokes and throws his lit butt to Heather so that she can light up.
  • A parking lot attendant smokes a cigar.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • None.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • Lying about who you are and what you do to impress others (that's what Romy and Michele try to do and it backfires on them).
  • Treating others poorly (as the snobby girls do to Romy and Michele) and how that's wrong.
  • VIOLENCE
  • Michele is accidentally hit by Sandy's limo and flips up over and across the top of the elongated car.



  • Reviewed April 25, 1997

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