Cookies Fortune

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Singleton</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="575"><div> <B>"Only Crazy People Commit Suicide"</B></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="580" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Camille: Glenn Close</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Cora: Julianne Moore</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Lester: Ned Beatty</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Willis: Charles S. Dutton</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Emma: Liv Tyler </div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Jason: Chris O'Donnell</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Cookie: Patricia Neal</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Wanda: Niecy Nash</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> Jackson Detective: Courtney B. Vance</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Blues Singer: Ruby Wilson</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Director: Robert Altman</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="304" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <B>30 Second Bottom Line</B>: A murder mystery, with comic overtones, set in the deep south, blends class and race. It shows the positive side of the thin line in our society, between things working well, and the bitterness that we see far too often. </div> <bR> <div> <B>Story Line:</B> Camille (Glenn Close) is the self-appointed cultural leader of a small town in Mississippi. She finds the lifeless body of her aunt Cookie (Patricia Neal) during a visit to her home. Because  Camille believes death by suicide will bring shame to the family name, she changes the scene, which leads the police to believe it was a murder. Willis (Charles S. Dutton) is suspected of the murder and arrested, because his fingerprints are found on the murder weapon. Although he has an alibi, it appears weak.  Lester (Ned Beatty) is a policeman who knows Willis is innocent because, in his words, "I know the man, I've fished with him."</div> <bR> <div> As the murder investigation intensifies, we get the feel of a British film, in which people are polite to one another, even when the matter is very serious. Although Willis is in jail on a murder charge, his cell door is kept open.</div> <bR> <div> Cora (Julianne Moore), Camille's sister, is sworn to secrecy about the circumstances of finding Cookie's body. She is the one in the family whose elevator does not go all the way to the top, and you have a feeling that her promise to Camille could one day have an unintended consequence. Emma (Liv Tyler), is Cookie's granddaughter, and the daughter of Cora. She's  more interested in being a fishmonger than participating in a  high society play directed by Camille. </div> <bR> <div> Emma grew up with Willis as a close friend of the family, who lives in the garden cottage, just behind Cookie's rambling, old clapboard house. Emma supports Willis' innocence, to the point of joining him in his jail cell. She has returned to Mississippi after being away for awhile, trying to find herself. Emma's prior relationship with Jason (Chris O'Donnell), a sheriff's deputy, finally blossoms. Jason has the knack of looking at the facts, and when he's ready to draw a conclusion, he proceeds to make a statement that lets you know that just because he says some of the right words, in no way does this indicate that he knows what he's talking about. When he gives an intelligent explanation regarding blood samples found near Cookie's body, he concludes by saying, "It was type ABC blood.</div> <bR> <div> Otis (Courtney B. Vance) is a detective from Jackson, Mississippi, who has come to assist the local police in the murder investigation. Otis questions the owner of a local blues club about the whereabouts of Willis at the time of Cookies death. In particular, he wants to know if  he had been drinking. Although Willis drinks too much at times, he's a responsible man who "never drinks before Tom Brokow comes on". When the club owner explains <I>why </I>Willis came to the club, and did not "steal"a drink, Otis is confounded at the difference between "took it" and "stole it" with regards to a ½ pint of Wild Turkey. </div> <bR> <div> Although a murder investigation continues, the character development and culture of the town generates drama with comedic dark humor. The murder mystery is solved, and as the saying goes, "things have a way of working out".</div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell Me More About It</B>: We are so conditioned to race and class being a factor for friction, that when there is friction and class and race have no bearing, we can't help but smile in wonderment. It's really not that difficult.</div> <bR> <div> Deputy Wanda (Niecy Nash) is an aloof desk sergeant, who seems real in her stereotypical role as quasi receptionist, with a shrug your shoulder attitude about almost everything.  The night club singer (Ruby Wilson) is so real that you feel <I>you</I> are in that club asking her the questions. Bringing together this diverse set of personalities in a story, which has so much drama and humor (not comedy), is a real credit to the writer (Anne Rapp). Far too many screenplays are changed by a team of writers, that a director then tries to turn into a worthwhile film. In <I>Cookie's Fortune</I>, you get the feeling that this story went straight from the writer into production. </div> <bR> <div> Glenn Close is wonderfully over the top much as she was in <I>Fatal Attraction</I>. Her scene at the end of the movie is classic. Willis explains to Emma that he is one of 34 grandchildren, and a powerful revelation about American history evolves.</div> <bR> <div>  It's been said that if a film has three great scenes, it's a great movie. <I>Cookie's Fortune</I> has more than that, and from my point of view, anyone who sees this movie will understand how a film can be artful, entertaining and informative all at the same time. </div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="591" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="587"><div> PG-13 (sex; violence)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="587"><div> George O. Singleton © 2000</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="587"><div> <A HREF="mailto:Reelmoviec@aol.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:Reelmoviec@aol.com"><U><U>George@reelmoviecritic.com</U></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> Mini Filmography </div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="610" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> Glenn Close: "Air Force One"</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> Julianne Moore: "Boogie Nights"</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> Charles S. Dutton: "Get on the Bus"</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> Chris O'Donnell: "Batman & Robin" </div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> Niecy Nash: "Boys on the Side"</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> Courtney B. Vance: "The Preacher's Wife"</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> Ruby Wilson: "The Chamber"</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="317"><div> Robert Altman: "Short Cuts"</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="286"><div> Ned Beatty: "He Got Game"</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="317"><div> Patricia Neal: Heidi (TV)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="286"><div> Liv Tyler: "Armageddon"</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="317"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="317" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="485" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 65 WIDTH="479"><div>  <IMG SRC="http://service.bfast.com/bfast/serve?bfmid=26996221&siteid=32604597&bfpage=468x60" BORDER="0" WIDTH="1" HEIGHT="1" NOSAVE > <A HREF="http://service.bfast.com/bfast/click?bfmid=26996221&siteid=32604597&bfpage=468x60" TARGET="_top"><IMG SRC="http://64.70.41.71/Affiliate_Banners/ld_468x80.gif" BORDER="0" WIDTH="468" HEIGHT="60" ALT="LowerMyBills.com"></A>  </div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>