|
Techno-Sappy
Little Black Book makes you glad you didn’t buy a Palm Pilot
by Clint Casey
Some things are what they are. Stepping into Hollywood with lofty expectations guarantees disappointment. Expect drivel and be rewarded with the occasional gem. And although casting is rarely indicative of quality, Little Black Book exploits the strengths of its players for a cutesy immorality tale about betrayal and snooping in the digital age.
A recently hired associate producer on Kippie Kann Do, a spectacle-driven talk show, Stacy Holt (Brittany Murphy) finds solace in the constancy of her relationship with Derek (Ron Livingston) and their shared Manhattan apartment. Co-worker Barb (Holly Hunter) adopts Stacy as her pet project, familiarizing her with life behind the scenes with Kippie Kann (Kathy Bates). During a regular think-tank meeting, staff members pitch ideas about upcoming programs. Using electronic organizers as digital footprints to track the behavior of a boyfriend is suggested but quickly scrapped.
Already curious about her boyfriend, Stacy becomes consumed by the idea and snatches Derek’s palm pilot while he’s away on a business trip. With Barb as an accomplice, the two fumble through Derek’s list of contacts and stumble upon a catalog of ex-girlfriends with current contact information and pictures to boot. Stacey calls his loyalty into question and decides to research recent flings.
Using resources from the television show, Stacy calls the first of the exes, Lulu Fritz (Josie Moran), in for a phony interview for a future show. Fritz is a renowned model, and Stacy, threatened by her good looks, questions her about the failed relationship with Derek.
The interview points Stacy to the next ex, supposed podiatrist Rachel Keyes (Rashida Jones). At Barb’s urging, Stacy schedules an appointment to check up on her previous competition, and possible current adversary. When she arrives, Stacey quickly realizes that Rachel is a gynecologist rather than a podiatrist and endures the examination. Following the intrusive appointment, Stacy probes Rachel in another ruse, in which she pretends to do legwork for an upcoming Kippie Kann Do taping.
Addicted to the tangled web, Stacy follows the palm pilot’s trail to Joyce, Derek’s most recent, and most substantial, ex-girlfriend. Joyce is a chef at the recently-opened Kaleidoscope Kitchen, a gourmet restaurant quickly becoming one of New York City’s finest. Stacy finds herself captivated by Joyce—understanding Derek’s attraction to her, and better grasping Joyce’s infatuation with him.
However, things begin to rapidly spiral out of Stacy’s control. Her newfound knowledge about Derek becomes a burden, as she learns much more than she wanted to know.
Brittany Murphy, while adorable in a sunken-eyed, anorexic sort of way, does an adequate job of not being unbearably annoying throughout Little Black Book. Her slapstick physical humor feels occasionally misplaced, but, overall, Murphy succeeds as the pleasant protagonist with a dark curiosity and bizarre affinity for Carly Simon—Stacy finds consolation in howling “Nobody Does It Better” with shrill proficiency.
Academy-award winner Kathy Bates seems relaxed as the bitchy talk show hostess Kippie Kann, having an obvious good time with the light comedic role.
As devil’s advocate, Barb, Holly Hunter is a thoroughly enjoyable addition to the cast. Hunter’s comedic timing is impeccable, effortlessly hitting cues with wicked, straight-faced skill. She is by and large the movie’s standout, and Little Black Book’s brilliant saving grace.
Although Derek is a major character, Ron Livingston’s on-screen time is cut regrettably short—used primarily as a point of reference, rather than a primary piece of the jumbled puzzle.
The painfully obvious theme of Little Black Book is that omissions are betrayals. Paradoxically, omissions have an innate tendency to keep relationships together. Information can be powerful and potentially destructive. The movie posits that ignorance is bliss, but sometimes investigation has its advantages.
Little Black Book utilizes cultural and technological trends to purvey the moral lesson that curiosity kills not only cats, but also relationships. Though the story is sometimes afflicted with groan-inducing saccharine, Book mostly offers swift, sharp entertainment, with a twice-twisted ending worth the price of a matinee.
August 19, 2004 • Vol. 14, No. 34
© 2004 Metro Pulse
|
| 
