"Ordinary is good"

I had to tell myself off a little today, after leaving a snobby comment on a friend's film blog. He had written a review of the Macaulay Culkin star vehicle The Good Son (1993), and kind of celebrated some aspects of this mainly unseen thriller. I stated rather haughtily that I wouldn't waste my time watching it, and on a moment's reflection I realised that there are some things that are thought to be "ordinary" and "middle of the road" that turn out to be quite brilliant if you give them a chance.

Last night I watched the wonderful One Fine Day (1996), and although rom coms are historically mostly viewed as popcorn fodder, I always thought that this sparkling 1940 esque comedy is a true movie classic in the Spencer Tracey/Katherine Hepburn vein.

For 90 minutes I smiled at George Clooney wringing every doe-eyed moment from his Charming New York reporter divorcee, who slowly falls for the considerable charms of the slightly neurotic business woman Michelle Pfieffer, and only in retrospect did I realise that it takes a truly brilliant film to illicit such a response.

In a similar way, I must now sing the praises of another "ordinary" artist. For Christmas my sister bought me the Susan Boyle CD, and today was the first chance I had to give it a good listening to. Now most of the tracks (madonna cover, religious hymns and elevator songs) left me a bit cold, but I was drawn a cover version of The Rolling Stones' Wild Horses and the haunting "Proud" (see previous blog).....Both were lovely but "proud" was a standout for me.

I should, I know, not be in such a hurry to condemn things I have not experienced. Pure "art house" film fans may have overlooked the joys of George Clooney's dimples..and indi music fiends may not have given the Sue Bou album a spin and therefore could well have missed out on a great deal of pleasure....keep an open mind John eh? hey ho!

Perhaps I will even give The Good Son a whirl