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Show Thursday, October 7, 1993 fl Page B3 Cool Runnings: a good balance of humor and schmaltz by RICK BROUGH tRecord guest writer sm "mm v&ii.x g.'Mwmwy.f r-witz9amv'"irrimzt" mm The Park Record D Section B r w t, - Cool Runnings 172 Starring John Candy, Leon Doug E. Doug, Malik Rybo Directed by Jon Turteltaub : You mean there really is a Jamaican bobsled team? And I suppose someone will tell me thai snipe hunting season opens in a week. The premise of Cool Runnings sounds like an old bar room joke, so perhaps the movie was smart to take an approach out of left field. It's one of those inspirational sports movies. But it's played much of the time as a wacko comedy-abbut four Jamaicans so desperate for Olympic glory that they opt for the bobsled event, even though the most ice they've ever seen in tneir lives was probably in a Slurpee, j Dense (Leon) is the sprinter 'whose life-long dream of running ! in the Olympics is foiled by bad luck. (In the national qualifiers, another racer trips and causes a pile-! pile-! up.) His shrimpy buddy, Sanka ! (Doug E. Doug) is a pushcart racer ! (and a pushcart is just a bobsled Iwith wheels, right?) and he can, barely remember whether the ! sport is called "bobsledding" or j-billsledding." The other two J members of the squad are a bald, ! hulking grump named "Yul Brynner" (Malik Rybo) who wants to escape all things Jamaican; and Junior (Rawle E. Lewis), a talented but insecure rich man's son. Junior, by the way, is also the runner who tripped up . s. V' AVV fW. r illi Leon, Rawle D. Lewis, Malik Yoba and Doug E. Doug in Cool Running. Derise-and Yul-on the racetrack. Their coach is equally unpresentable. Irwin Blitser (John Candy), in his youth, was a two-time two-time gold medal winner, and nursed the crazy theory that blacks could be natural-born bobsledders. (He theorized that sprinters had the speed that was needed for fast launches on a sled.) But he was discredited by a cheating scandal, and now survives as a fat bookie. Once assembled, the team faces a host of obstacles that would give Rocky Balboa a case of clinical depression. They have to train on Our ratings system: A classic Recommended Double-feature material Time-killer For masochists only SWANSTONE VANITY TOP & BOWL 2 r SWANSTONE. 25 YEAR WARRANTY KMOTCAICXMO Q SWAN Monday-Friday 9 am - 5:30 pm - , 2710 S. 300 E. jereaay S salt Lake City Plumbing 649-3390 Make this a John Deere winter and say goodbye to snow removal crcniems. MCKA8 $895 Interest free for 90 days Delivery available Rugged, reliable Tecumseh "Snow King" engine provides trouble-free trouble-free operation in cold-weather conditions A Horsepower is matched to auger size for maximum performance A Remote-controlled chute rotation and deflector control allows the operator to direct snow discharge pn-the-go for greater productivity A Convenient operator controls are located on console for easy, f?l NOTHING RUNS finger-tip operation and rr-l LIKE A DEERE one-handed control SWAIN'S INC. 6068 So. Redwood Rd. 65 N. 2000 W. Murray, Utah 84123 Springville, Utah 84663 (801)966-4231 (801)489-3167 dry land; they can't get financing from Jamaican moneymen (who break out in giggles instead); the odd quartet have to find the glibly laughing at the four heroes. The movie draws you into feeling affection, respect and pride for them, thanks to the actors (and Cinema Review teamwork and the "cool" necessary to survive in competition; Junior's dad threatens to pull him off the team; the only bobsled they can use looks like an old carved-out torpedo; and when they travel to Calgary for the 1988 Olympics, it's hard to tell which is chillier, the blast of Canadian wind or the sneers on the faces of their competitors. (Sanka tries to mix it up with his blond, Nordic rivals, chirping, "I feel very Olympic today!") But by this time you're not director Jon Turteltaub) who keep the tone balanced between humor and well-played schmaltz. (There's a lot of sentimental cues in the plot, and the movie dutifully calls up every single one.) John Candy (a native Canadian) plays his serio-comic role with aplomb. Cool Runnings is predictable, but fun, and its wild scenes on the track may interest those locals who are hoping to see the Jamaican bobsled team at Bear Hollow in 2002. FIRE SALE Entire inventory from Quality Interiors & Gifts (formally at 436 Main St., Park City) drastically reduced! 50 - 80 discount minimal smoke & water damage. Sale at Ut. Freight warehouse at 280 So. 600 West, Salt Lake City ;?i i J .v j Monday, Oct.l 1 - Friday, Oct. 15 9 am - 4 pm Saturday, Oct. 16 9 am -12 pm ' " r' Cash & checks - with guarantee card only. All sales final. Join us for Octet erf est all month long. Beer cratvvurst with Sauerkraut and German Potato Salad Bacoo Mushroom Swiss Burger Tuscan Tomato Soup Chicken Salad , : 570 Main St. 49-0011 open iiam-iopm On Elk eria Goose Down Comforl ers SCANDIA DOWN COME FEEL THE SCAND1A DIFFERENCE Crossroads Plaza 50 S. Main Street S.L.C. Utah 84144 (801)322-2667 i he m Program Dally: Dennis $S?i The us Menace roily: v:)0 Snt. Mallncc 3:13 Starring: Bruce Willis & Sara Jessica Parker tony. a:M. 7:li & 0:15 soiurdny Mailucc 3:30 III Net III Mlllil. I clcr ArtulU U 12 i mi Chlhl H 2 - 12 r. lit. U IH'f O All lii bcltTO t-X C TH Coincm I u Kf iicrnti HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY MAY The Video Queen of Park City! PARK CITY VIDEO 1821 Sidewinder Drive Prospector Square Reservations Hotline 649-2572 Movies Camcorders TV's Video Players Games Sun-Thurs ll-9Fri-Sat 11-10 Holiday Village Mall 649-6541 THE FUTURE ISIT BIG ENOUGH FOR THEH nDEUOLIMl IIAII SIUEIISI!IPS.s ft v . a No Passes or SuDersavers 4:15 7:15 9:45 MON FRI 1:15 4XS7-A5-9:45 8AT-SUW J' - 'I .( !'".. I'1S No Passes or Supersavers 4:30 7:30 9:45 MON- FRI 1 :30 4:30 7:30 9:45 SAT- SUN V IBM 'mam WARNER BROS. 9 4:00 7:00 10:00 MON-FRI 1 fl0 4:00 7:00 10O0 SAT-SUN Celebrate Octoberfest in the tradition of Austria The GoldenerHirsch restaurant offers a variety of Octoberfest classics and is only a 5 minute drive through the spectacular foliage into Deer Valley. Octoberfest Specials: Weinerschnitzel & Spaetzle - $16.95 Bratwurst & Sauerkraut - $12.95 Zwiebelrostbraten - $17.95 Cheese Fondue - $11.95 cr-cD-3i? ftCT-tsfcsi? cccrsiS) all specials include house salad, apple strudel, and beverage Revised Fall Hours: Lunch: 11:30 am to 2:30 pm; Friday & Saturday Dinner: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm; Thursday, Friday & Saturday Sunday Brunch: 1 1:00 am to 3:00 pm Reservations: 649-7770 (ddmer tHi< Jrn Silver Lake Villaoe Deer Valllpy Utah 20 charming rooms in an elegant Austrian setting. .. |