FRESH HORSES (1988)

 

Directed By: David Anspaugh 

Written By Larry Ketron 

Cinematography: Fred Murphy 

Editor: David Rosenbloom 

Cast: Andrew McCarthy, Molly Ringwald, Ben Stiller, Patti D’Arbanville, Viggo Mortensen, Molly Hagan, Doug Hutchinson, Leon Rossom, Marita Geraghty 

A college student from Cincinnati breaks off his engagement to his wealthy fiancée after falling in love with a girl from Kentucky. She claims to be 20, but he learns she is actually only 16 and already married.

The film gets to buy on its reunion of the two stars, Andrew McCarthy, and Molly Ringwald, again, a rich boy, who falls for a girl, who is considered the wrong side of the tracks only hear her character is full of misfortune and mystery, rather than upwardly, mobile and spunky as well as early appearances of Ben Stiller, Viggo Mortensen, and Doug Hutchinson 

By the end of the whole affair comes off as distracting from his ultimate fate and destiny. A doomed romance that is part of growing up for these characters. 

Based on an off-Broadway play the film comes across more as having the substance of a 1950s melodrama which would also explain the film's appeal to me, which is Molly Ringwald, her best and most luscious ever on screen, playing a romantic lead, becoming across more as a femme fatale, maybe it’s the color palette of her pale skin with her enhanced red hair and also Her at the time more an adult role in growing perfectly into it. Like a Greta Garbo or no not as voluptuous as Bridget Bardot.

So that her looks and appeal in this film come across as like a 1950s silver screen siren where the film is classic because of the beauty of the star in the role which truly shows that either they were becoming a movie star or a movie star but you can’t remember much story-wise or plotline about the film but you can probably remember where you were and how it felt when you first saw this image or saw this felt

After all most of the films that we consider classic because they’re so well remembered, but yet we can’t remember half of their stories unless you’re a true film aficionado, but you remember the stars because films were notoriously all around better back then, or consider to be made better, as the stars supposedly had to have all the talents of being able to sing, dance and we the stars on-screen charisma liability with their personality rather than necessarily they’re acting skills. 

However, it also feels like a film where she was trying to show a more adult and artistic side. Showing she had grown up to a degree. Something we commonly see with child stars who want to be seen in a new or different light and sometimes choose extreme roles in subpar films, for the opportunity. Though at this point she had already done THE PICK UP ARTIST and 

FOR KEEPS. This was the first of her films with a new look. A kind of rebirth though in familiar territory with an old co-Star 

This film would’ve been perfectly fine back in the day as it resides any emotions and tries to rely on acting ability, but comes across more basing itself on star quality in a romance story with a color palette that represents the season

So watching it feels like how some migrate to woodlands to see the changing of the color of the leaves. Here you’re watching the film to watch your favorite teen actors kind of grow up or play more adult roles and see if they can pass the test.

Wow, they perfectly do OK in their rules. It does feel like Molly Ringwald is a little Miss Cass. She looks the part but something is off that just doesn’t make her feel correct in the role. She does the best she can, but there seems to be a lack of an edge when it comes to her performance. Though again you will remember her looks or her look in the film. 

Then, again, maybe that’s me as it is what I remember most of why I wanted to see the film and why time the time I might come back to the film

Ultimately watch this film mainly if you’re a completist you like a good romantic tragedy, or you could think of it as a continuation of PRETTY IN PINK, but only in the aftermath.

I can admit, it’s not the greatest movie, and Andrew McCarthy was brought in late, but offered fans of PRETTY IN PINK. A kind of reunion of the two actors, obviously in a vastly different film and in a more adult playground, definitely more dramatic a little bit out of range from their usual roles. 

I will say that I saw the film based on that coupling and also based on Molly Ringwald, looking exquisite in the trailers in the posters and watching the film. I was not fully satisfied or disappointed. It’s just that the film was so cold and didn’t have the warmth nor was it that interesting. Keep in mind I saw this as a teenager so it was very boring and even watching it today. It’s very tepid It’s one of those. I don’t know exactly what the reason for all of this is but OK Storytelling.

It had higher hopes especially coming from the director David Anspaugh. Whose film before this was the hit movie HOOSIERS 

Grade: C-