April 1999

Slums of Beverly Hills
Reviewed by Doug Schneider
DVD Format

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Starring Alan Arkin, Natasha Lyonne, Marisa Tomei

Directed by Tamara Jenkins

Theatrical Release: 1998
DVD Release: 1999
Dolby Digital 5.1
Widescreen

Vivian (Natasha Lyonne) is part of a family in which each member is embarrassed to be seen with the others, but in the end, they can't imagine life without one another. Murray, her father, played perfectly by Alan Arkin, is the kind of guy who tries hard, but always comes up short. Murray was once a success and even owned a restaurant, but that was long ago, while his wife and Vivian’s mother was still around. Today, his goal is to keep his family in a good neighborhood, even if he doesn't have the means to support them. If they don't have anything else, he feels, then at least they still have a good address.

Murray picks up and moves his entire family, usually in the middle of the night, from one apartment complex to another, just to save that little bit extra. Many times there isn't even enough time to take all of their things, only what fits in the car. Moving like this is his way of getting ahead. They may live on the fringe of Beverly Hills, but they're still in the loop.

Slums of Beverly Hills is really a coming-of-age film focussing on Vivian -- the middle child. She's 15 years old and overwhelmed by everyone's reaction, including her own, to her burgeoning bosom. "Stacked," her father proclaims, "just like her mother!" Along with the bulging breasts comes a building curiosity with sex. Vivian's first sexual encounter occurs shortly after her family's latest move and is with the resident drug dealer. He is more harmful to himself than anyone else in the building. Her breasts, of course, are what's on his mind, and what he wants to do with them is on hers. After a flirtation in the laundry room, Vivian manages to distance herself from the event by calling it a building thing. Subsequently, she befriends the equally confused boy and attempts to figure out what she really wants and needs. Marisa Tomei enters the picture in a supporting role as over-sexed cousin Rita who's taken into this dysfunctional family simply because her father will pay the rent as long as she goes to school. Murray's family is happy because the family can afford an even better address.

Written and directed by Tamara Jenkins, Slums is sharp-tongued and quick-witted and has plenty of good one-liners. The depiction of teenage angst and sexuality is rather frank, but surprisingly tender and is done from the side of the female. It will likely offend those who want to pretend that teenagers, let alone girls, don't feel such emotions. For those of us who do admit to and remember such feelings, sometimes with fondness, Slums a memorable flashback. And while most won't identify with all of what the family does, many will see hints of their own families.

The DVD is a no-frills release. Good picture and soundtrack quality is all that’s asked for -- and delivered. A theatrical trailer, like the one on every DVD, is thrown in. It's a low-budget release that hardly saw any theater time, so it's hardly surprising that nothing more is included. Too bad -- this movie should have done much, much better.

Most people considered There's Something About Mary to be the best comedy of 1998. Mary not only had the biggest laughs of the year, it may have had the single biggest laughs of all time. However, despite its hilarity, it is overrated by being wildly uneven in its delivery. Did anyone take note that the two funniest parts are basically bathroom scenes? Other portions of the film were funny, but not to the same level, and some parts were downright dull, or worse yet, they completely fell flat. Slums, while not possessing such big individual laughs, is far more consistent and has sharper wit. In the end, it even has something to say about family and growing up. To me, this unknown gem is the comedy highlight of 1998. Perhaps it’s not a film to own, but it’s definitely one to rent.

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