ROCK-N-ROLL ACTRESS: THE BODYGUARD, A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, STRAIGHT TALK
In my article last week, I talked about three rock-n-roll stars turned actor who had carved out attempts to make a film career - John Mellencamp (FALLING FROM GRACE), Mick Jagger (FREEJACK), and David Bowie (THE LINGUINI INCIDENT). What made all three stars notable is none of them have appeared in movies simply to cash in on their talents. And while all of them have appeared in roles that are in sync with their images, they also attempted to stretch their boundaries. Whitney Houston, Madonna, and Dolly Parton, however, have all followed the more tried-and-true path to stardom, by appearing in movies, and in roles, tailored to their respective images that they've worked hard to maintain. So if you're a fan of the three, then Mick Jackson's MY BODYGUARD, Penny Marshall's A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, and Barnet Kellman's STRAIGHT TALK, respectively, should be pleasing. If, however, like me, you're not a fan, then only the Madonna film will satisfy.
Houston became a pop star in the 80's, with an unprecedented seven straight #1 hit singles, including "The Greatest Love of All" and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody." Most people liked her peppy dance hits or ballads, but for me, whatever technique she had was put in service of empty emotion and songs that were paint-by-numbers in execution. She decided to make her film debut in THE BODYGUARD, based on a script by Lawrence Kasdan originally written for Steve McQueen and Diana Ross. It became a huge success, grossing over $120 million at the box office, yielding the #1 hit "I Will Always Love You" (a cover version of the Dolly Parton song), and two Oscar nominations for best song. Quality wise, it's another matter entirely.
Houston plays Rachel Marron, a high-profile singer and actress who is being stalked. To protect her, her manager (Bill Cobbs) hires Frank Farmer (Kevin Costner), a former CIA agent turned professional bodyguard, to protect her. Farmer comes with baggage of his own; he was at his mother's funeral the day John Hinckley Jr. shot at Ronald Reagan, and has never forgiven himself. Naturally, he tries to set strict measures, which puts him at odds not only with Rachel but her fawning staff. Naturally, he wants to keep his distance, but naturally, they fall in love. And, naturally, the stalker comes out in the open.
I don't know if the script would have worked with McQueen and Ross in the leads, but it doesn't work here. For one thing, every part, from the love story to the stalker, is predictable. The few stabs at character development (Frank is a fan of YOJIMBO, and keeps a samurai sword, most likely because Kasdan himself is a fan) seem tacked on, rather than intergrated with the movie. There is some amusing banter with the dialogue (when Rachel offers Frank a drink and he takes orange juice, she replies, "Straight?"), but again, it's mostly wooden. All of that might have been forgivable if there had been any chemistry between the leads. But Costner, after his forceful performance in JFK, returns to the woodeness he showed in DANCES WITH WOLVES, and while he may have being paying homage to McQueen here, McQueen was usually more animated. As for Houston, she seems familiar with playing spoiled, but doesn't really make us care about her.
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