Temp, The [DVD]

Having worked in an environment where temporary employees were utilized, THE TEMP offers a sardonic look at one such temp whose ambitious goals elevate her to a rather auspicious position. I have always enjoyed Lara Flynn Boyle's work; her performance on TWIN PEAKS was always worth watching. She chews up this role deliciously, without going over the top; Faye Dunaway looks great (even ten years ago), and she reigns in her potentially campy performance with a vengeance; Timothy Hutton does well in a role he is used to playing--the misunderstood underdog. The movie builds to a pretty good climax, and then unfortunately deflates it with a rather weak ending.
But, getting there is fun and this movie works in its oft-abused genre.

With a breakout performance, Lara Flynn Boyle tears her role to shreds as the psychotic, ploying nutcase of an office temp out to systematically destroy every co-worker this b%&*# comes across. As she spins her web of lust, lies and greed, we the viewer helplessly lie back and watch her catch her next victim, devouring them with no apologies or regrets. Lara plays a convincing deadly Diva, along the same lines as some of the greats like Kathy Bates in Misery, Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction, and Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct. This film is worth checking out if you like strong woman characters with a tinge of evil running through their blood.

**** REVIEW INCLUDES "GREAT DIALOG" SPOILERS ****

Wow was I surprised to see all the positive reviews of this movie here on Amazon. I thought I was alone in being entertained by this. External reviews often completely trash this movie without finding anything positive.

Well get this chemical makeup: Stunning and popular star Lara Flynn Boyle overtly titillating us and wearing skimpy outfits even including a bikini(!), Timothy Hutton, habitual scene stealer Oliver Platt during younger and thinner days, superstar Faye Dunaway, and Steven Webber from the TV show "Wings." How's that for voltage? Add in a proven plotline with a long pedigree (Hand that rocks the cradle, Single White Female, many more), some great whacky dialog, and top it off with the inspired idea of a corporate thriller set in a cookie company with the climax in an industrial kitchen, and yeah...I'll bank that. How could you possibly lose?

Actually I really like this movie, even just watching it straight. The only problem I have is Faye Dunaway's really bad, hammy, mugging acting, and toward the end Boyle picks up some of the same style, but other than that I like it. However, if you make me analyze it, ok, it's riddled with plot holes, dropped threads, unanswered questions, implausabilities, etc, but that really doesn't matter if the movie succeeds in entertaining me. And it does. So with that in mind, you could look at it as one of the "so bad it's good" genre, and it does succeed on that level. I agree with others that the ending seems as tho it was written on the spot when someone lost the rest of the script.

It actually has a lot of good stuff in it. For example:

One of my favorite literary devices is the "buddy thing," which is an entertainment staple: Laurel and Hardy, Skipper and Gilligan, Kip and friend in Bosom Buddies, Balky and Larry in "Perfect Strangers," etc. This movie features that, but in four directions: Hutton and his boss, Hutton and his buddy (Webber), Hutton and his rival (Platt), Hutton and Boyle. Lots of fun there.

The highlight for me is some of the whacky dialog, which I'm still quoting years later. For example:

"You're BLOWIN' it man."

"YOU'VE GOT THIS PROBLEM."

And one of the greatest lines ever:

"Good gosh how hard can it be? I'm not asking you to splice DNA you just DO IT!"

Wonderful stuff.

Finally, it's no surprise that Hutton and Platt both turn in performances that are well worth watching.