Show of the week
Men have been known to lose themselves in Uma Thurman's eyes while taking a casual glance at her cosmetics ads, so it's hard to accept the striking actress-model as Debby, a working-class New Jerseyite desperate for male attention in this affecting film from director Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding). Nevertheless, Thurman works so hard to expose the pain and hunger of her character that you'll wince at Debby's humiliation when she does a frantically provocative solo dance at the local bar and can't even get guys to look up from the pool table.
Debby and best friend Beth (Juliette Lewis), a likable but irresponsible single mother, troll for men together. Strange thing, though: Debby grows jealous the minute Beth starts enjoying herself. Likewise, Debby instantly resents the relationship between her long-divorced mother (Gena Rowlands) and a good-hearted widower (Ben Gazzara). Rowlands and Gazzara are a perfect fit, and Lewis is fine as a parent who hasn't grown up. Yet Thurman's performance is most memorable, if not most plausible.
Bottom Line: Something to see
