WORLD TOUR Day 58 - Jamaica
BEFORE: After witnessing Carnival, let's keep the party going with a stop at some Jamaican resort, before I head back to the war zones of Latin America. Linking from "Rio", Jamie Foxx was also in "Collateral" (which is still on the list) with Tom Cruise (last seen in "Days of Thunder").
THE PLOT: A talented New York bartender takes a job at a bar in Jamaica and falls in love.
AFTER: This was a weird one, about halfway through I felt I could feel which way the film was going, and man, was I wrong. Actually, it felt like it was going nowhere fast for a while, and then the plot made some sudden left turns. There should be 3 or 4 reversals in the average film, but they shouldn't all come in a row, and in the last half hour. So it's got some pacing problems.
That said, with the main character played by Tom Cruise, and getting disillusioned by the line of work that he's in while simultaneously falling out of love with one woman and in love with another, there are certain shades of "Jerry McGuire". Not many, but enough to consider this film as sort of a precursor to that one.
This movie kicked off a whole trend in "flair" bartending, which was hot for a while after, and now is even considered a sport in some circles. I don't go much for that style of showmanship, especially since I'm mostly interested in beer, and how it pairs with food. I do go to some of the beer festivals, but there's more of a focus there on WHAT's being served rather than HOW. I'd rather have a 3-minute conversation with a brewer about a particular beer than have a bartender take 3 minutes to make me a drink while flipping bottles around. However, I don't really feel I know much about the cocktail scene, and I kind of wish I knew more about mixed drinks. Then again, maybe it's better for me that I don't know more exciting ways to consume alcohol. Some flavored rum in a glass of ice with some Sprite and a little grape juice, and I'm fine (and it doesn't cost me $12 a glass).
In fact, that's my problem with the whole bar scene in NYC, the cost. I understand people want to be out with their friends, go to a club and be social, but these days, who can afford it? My boss had a birthday party one year at a ritzy bar, and the bartender charged me $8 for a Heineken. I balked, considering that for $10 at a deli I could probably get a whole 6-pack of a better beer. So I had the one $8 beer and didn't buy any more.
I guess I don't travel in the kind of NYC circles portrayed in this film - to be fair, it was made in the boom decade of the 1980's. I'm more about knowing the best places in New York to eat and drink relatively cheaply, though in the last few years I have increased how much I'm willing to spend for a restaurant meal. I still draw the line at high-priced alcohol, since buying it at a liquor store or beer distributor is so much more economical.
I included this as a Jamaica-based film, but only part of the film is set there, with the majority set in New York City. I think I used to work there, before all this hurricane nonsense shut the city down. I really need to find a way to get into Manhattan today and get back to work. This week has been a bit of a forced vacation, but it does me no good if the company learns it can get by without me.
Also starring Bryan Brown (last seen in "Gorillas in the Mist"), Elisabeth Shue (last seen in "The Saint"), Lisa Banes, Kelly Lynch (last seen in "Bright Lights, Big City"), Gina Gershon, with cameos from Ellen Foley, Paul Benedict (last seen in "Arthur 2: On the Rocks").
DISTANCE TRAVELED TODAY: 3,661 miles / 5,892 km (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Ocho Rios, Jamaica)
DISTANCE TRAVELED SO FAR: 43,726 miles / 68,917 km
RATING: 4 out of 10 tiny umbrellas
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