Search - Flirting on DVD

Superior coming of age from down under

Dennis Littrell | SoCal | 06/27/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Don't let the title fool you. Although this is one of the sweetest movies you'll ever see, it is no beach blanket bingo for bimbos. This is an Aussie story of teen love set in 1965, heroic as only teens can play it. It is fun to watch, authentic and original at the same time, a coming of age flick in the English boarding school tradition of "Dead Poet's Society" (1989) and "A Separate Peace" (the novel, not the so-so movie). Noah Taylor stars as Danny Embling, an outsider who reads Sartre and Camus while satirizing the school's empty traditions. Across the lake is the girl's school where Thandiwe Adjewa (Thandie Newton), daughter of the Ugandan ambassador, is learning to meld with the Aussie pale faces, including a gifted pre-Hollywood Nicole Kidman.Thandie Newton and Noah Taylor, as beautifully directed by John Duigan, are the reasons this film is so good. She has a fearless integrity about her that overcomes the prejudices of her school mates. He is wise and brave at a hundred and twenty pounds. She too is ultra sophisticated. She even met Sartre. This is a story about the love between two outsiders who, with their strength of character win over not only their classmates, but the audience as well. Imagine teenagers as witty and poised as say Eartha Kitt and Gore Vidal, and you get a hint of how it's played.Nicole Kidman as the snobby Nicola Radcliffe (the name says it all) manages a subtle supporting role with a diamond-in-the-rough kind of charm and just the right touch of on-screen growth. The scene where she shares her stash of vodka (or perhaps a clear fruit liquor) with Thandiwe Adjewa is beautifully turned by Director John Duigan. Also excellent is the hotel scene where the adults are revealed as intrusive in the extreme. I like Danny Embling's line as he deadpans to a re-robing Thandiwe, "They're all funny, aren't they?" Yes, those adults are a little peculiar.This is not unflawed, however. The ending, despite the rousing music, seemed a bland washout, leaving us with a sense of disappointment. And I thought the first love scene with the two "touching" was a little unreal. I mean he might have kissed her! There's a limit to how great a coming of age, boarding school movie can be, especially when the adults have only scarecrow parts. Nonetheless "Flirting" is a confectioner's delight, and one of the best coming of age movies I've ever seen."

Perfect film

Arthur Delaney | Portland, OR | 08/25/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is certainly one of the finest examples of a coming of age picture, the first time I saw it I was quite literally shocked in every scene how true to life the dialogue was. The only place I have seen teen dialogue anywhere near as accurate is in the ill-fated TV drama My So-Called Life. Though his directing was marvelous, I think Duigan's writing is the most impressive. Newton and Taylor are spectacular and I have no words for their performances.I disagree somwhat however with some of my fellow reviewers. I think the ending is fantastic and hopeful, really a sweet goodbye kiss of an ending. Also the love scene (where they don't kiss) seems absolutely perfect. The only reason I think anyone could possibly think it is not just how these things happen has been seduced by the formulaic nature of sex scenes rubber stamped into existence by Hollywood. The, yes, the genius which it took to write that scene is harrowing. Knowing these characters, knowing the situation leading up to it, the scene is soft, and delightful. I am still floored that someone could capture a scene so true that you feel it must have happened to you, and it is one of several like that. Unlike one other reviewer, I think Flirting is much better at this then The Year My Voice Broke which was very good, but Taylor had not come into his own as a young actor yet. Also to the person who said teenagers are too immature for this, I disagree. Some of them? Sure, undoubtedly. But to those who love watching the rerun marathons of My So-Called Life on MTV this will come as a breath of fresh air, a sense of relief that Jason Katims isn't the only person in the world who can write teen dialogue. There is in fact someone much better, John Duigan.The only bad thing I can say about this film is that MGM marketing should hide their heads in shame for the cover design of both the DVD and the VHS tape. The DVD in particular is embarrassing. The fact that Kidman's name and her name alone is the one above the title is shocking even to a person like me who normally doesn't get that upset by unashamed materialism. Kidman does a fine, unremarkable job as a supporting character. She's barely in the first half at all and is quite forgettable. The supporting role of Gilby, Taylor's pretentious friend (played by Bartholomew Rose) is much more worthy of note.I am so excited that this is coming to DVD (in widescreen no less which unfortunately The Year My Voice Broke did not) I can't express myself. I know there is a lot out there to buy, a lot out there we want and limited funds but...just trust me and buy this. If you remember being a teenager, if you remember how hard it was, and the moments that were really beautiful...Or if you simply can recognize the magnificence of the beautiful, earth-shattering event that occurs when two people look into each other's eyes and really see the person looking back at them....then buy it. You'll be glad you did."

Reviews do not do justice

L. M. Meade | Chicago, IL USA | 01/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I rated this movie 5 stars, but like Alp d'Huez in the Tour de France, this is "beyond category". This feels and sounds like real life. Don't think cinema ever gets any closer to matching a really good book than this movie manages. I don't know if any of this is autobiographical, but it sure feels like it. Actors only give performances this incredible when the script they are working with is extra special, and this script qualifies on all levels. Can't say enough about the performances of the leads, Noah Taylor and Thandie Newton, the movie hinges on the emotional connection they make and it all works like magic. This is a DVD to own, not rent. You will want to see this over and over again, just like a great book."

Love without Bounds

E. Kim | South Korea | 01/07/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Really a superb, charming, and deep coming of age movie. When I first saw the dvd box, I had no interest at all to see this. I thought the cover was sort of tacky and my first impression of the film was that of a corny teen comedy. Needless to say, I saw this on tv and was really amazed how good this movie was. Probably the most impressive aspect of "Flirting" was the grace of the script and how well all the young actors and actresses performed. Noah Taylor and Thandie Newton were just outstanding and really believable. I really enjoyed Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts also in their supporting roles. It was really great to see all these big names in roles before they made it big. Much respect to director and writer John Duigan. Cameron Crowe has stated that Noah Taylor is one of his favorate actors and you can definately see that he has to be a fan of Duigan's too. I was more amazed to learn that "Flirting" was a sequel and even more amazed when I watched the previous film, "The Year My Voice Broke.""