Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion
| Year: | 1997 |
| Director: | David Mirkin |
| Cast: | Mira Sorvino, Lisa Kudrow, Janeane Garofalo, Alan Cumming |
Interesting in that out of all the Friends cast members' first cinematic efforts, it was one of the only successes, along with Courtney Cox in Scream (the duds were David Schwimmer's The Pallbearer, Jennifer Aniston's Picture Perfect, Matt LeBlanc's Lost in Space and Matthew Perry's Fools Rush In.
And whether it was just as easy script to work to - treading familiar comic territory - or Kudrow hardly had to extend her Friends character (Phoebe) at all, it works.
Romy and Michelle have been invited to their ten-year high school reunion, and they have to prepare to brave the derision of the beautiful people who made their lives miserable at school. In that regard, the movie capitalises on the same setup as everything from Revenge of the Nerds to Happy Days - we've all been picked on at school, so we can instantly recognise and identify with the leads.
We see their lives, friendship and the misery their teenage years were through flashbacks and the climax at the reunion itself.
Both actresses (and the script) also take every opportunity to plug the dumb blonde joke as far as they can, and the laughs - while not particularly original, are delivered with skill and precision thanks to the intelligence and timing of Sorvino and Kudrow.
Stealing the show as she always does is the pint sized, uber-feminist storm in a human body Janeane Garofalo as weird classmate Heather, her sarcasm as cutting as her tone.
Happy smiles, bursts of laughter thanks to inventive characterisations and teen revenge all round make for a great time to be had.
And whether it was just as easy script to work to - treading familiar comic territory - or Kudrow hardly had to extend her Friends character (Phoebe) at all, it works.
Romy and Michelle have been invited to their ten-year high school reunion, and they have to prepare to brave the derision of the beautiful people who made their lives miserable at school. In that regard, the movie capitalises on the same setup as everything from Revenge of the Nerds to Happy Days - we've all been picked on at school, so we can instantly recognise and identify with the leads.
We see their lives, friendship and the misery their teenage years were through flashbacks and the climax at the reunion itself.
Both actresses (and the script) also take every opportunity to plug the dumb blonde joke as far as they can, and the laughs - while not particularly original, are delivered with skill and precision thanks to the intelligence and timing of Sorvino and Kudrow.
Stealing the show as she always does is the pint sized, uber-feminist storm in a human body Janeane Garofalo as weird classmate Heather, her sarcasm as cutting as her tone.
Happy smiles, bursts of laughter thanks to inventive characterisations and teen revenge all round make for a great time to be had.