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View from the Top | Year: 2003 Classification: Comedy Directed: - Bruno Barreto Actors/Actresses: - Gwyneth Paltrow - Christina Applegate - Mark Ruffalo A modest entertainment at best The trailer for the film implies two things: b) It's a wacky comedy. NOT TRUE. It takes place, sadly, in our time. It would have been more fun had the cheesy uniforms and the "jet-setting stew" been more a focus. Also, while there are occasional moments of comedic hijinks, the movie is actually a fairly low-key romantic comedy. If you're in the mood for a laid back, pleasant but hardly hot romance, then go ahead and enjoy. Gwyneth Paltrow and the terrific Mark Ruffalo (YOU CAN COUNT ON ME) are the on-again, off-again couple. Mostly, we follow Paltrow, as she strives to fulfill her dreams of becoming a flight attendant with the New York - Paris route. Not exactly the stuff of high drama. Kelly Preston plays an acquaintance who joins her on her "quest" and Christina Applegate is another friend, whose dealings are just a bit suspect. Mike Myers, featured heavily in the trailers, is in a supporting role as a trainer. His character really belongs in a different movie, but that's not really Myers' fault. He is amusing, and generates virtually the only out-loud laughs in the movie. So, just be warned before you go. This movie is not for little kids...there isn't too much that's terribly objectionable, but they will be BORED, BORED, BORED. Probably not for teen boys either. But, if you want a "nice" romantic comedy without the over-the-top plot twists of stuff like HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS or MAID IN MANHATTAN, there are certainly worse movies than VIEW FROM THE TOP. Light and silly Such a flimsy movie would have totally failed were it not for the appeal of the actors, and here Paltrow is very endearing in the role of a smalltown girl who wishes to be a flight attendant and see the world. The movie is upbeat, has its obligatory conflicts and struggles, and throws in the obligatory romance. Another perk to this fun, mediocre film is the presence of Candice Bergen, who exudes worldly charm and steals every scene she's in. And there's also Mike Myers as an instructor in flight attendant school; he has a peculiar problem with his eyes and manages to make it both a source of humor and poignancy. So if you want a fluffy, inspirational film that won't make you think too much and that has it's memorable moments, View From the Top could be a decent movie for you. uneven though occasionally fun Bruno Barreto's "View From the Top" boasts a cute premise that doesn't quite live up to its potential. The film starts out in a satirical vein, promising to deliver a nifty spoof of life in the friendly skies. Instead, it settles into a typical romantic comedy formula, not bad as these things go, but nothing to write home about either. So while "View from the Top" never soars very high, neither does it end up crashing and burning. In this day and age, one must be grateful for a safe landing, even if the ride is a bumpy one. Gwyneth Paltrow delivers a winning performance as Donna, a small town girl who becomes a stewardess as a way of escaping her dysfunctional family and white trash upbringing. The first part of the film is fun, as Donna earns her wings flying for a cut-rate airline whose attendants dress and act more like prostitutes than stewardesses. With their form-fitting, cleavage-exposing blouses, purple hot pants and big hair, these pleasantly perky hostesses look like they're ready to serve their passengers more than just the customary coffee, tea or milk. So far, so good - but once the girls move onto a more "legitimate" airline, much of the satiric bite drains out of the film and we move onto the more familiar terrain of catty rivalries, long distance romance, and unrequited love. In addition to Paltrow, the movie features Christina Applegate, Rob Lowe, Candice Bergen and Mark Ruffalo in various roles. Mike Myers is surprisingly annoying in the part of a cross-eyed stewardess trainer. The screenplay by Eric Wald has a maddening tendency to drop characters along the way, giving the film a slapdash, unformed and oddly amateurish quality. As partial compensation, the film boasts superb production and costume design and a generally ebullient spirit. "View From the Top" doesn't end up flying us anywhere special and it's definitely coach all the way, but it does serve up a few laughs in mid flight. Buy View From The Top at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on View From The Top Search with the Priority Search Engine on View From The Top This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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