I know that going in, I really wasn't sure what to expect. Given the title, I first thought it was going to be some kind of psycho thriller. Then, Trev told me it was supposedly a comedy about a guy who had a super sweet apartment that he uses to move up the corporate ladder. Then, I discovered that it was the follow up movie to Some Like it Hot. So, I figured, ha ha! It will be a funny comedy. Then there was Jack Lemmon and I said, alright, let's do this thing!
During the first hour or so, I couldn't help but make connections between this film and Babyface. I kept thinking about how men and women must manipulate the same structures to try to succeed in the corporate world. Sad but true, poor Baxter loses autonomy over his place of residence in exchange for a small boost up the corporate ladder. But, as he moves up, the game stays the same, and he continues to lose more and more.
Enter Fran, the lovely elevator operator. Baxter's innocent love interest. Also, unbeknownst to poor Bax, mistress to Baxter's boss. This is the moment when we know all will be right in the world, as Bax can save the day, get the girl, and get his apartment back.
But this is not exactly how the story unfolds. Having a depressed Baxter bring home a woman on Christmas Eve only to find Fran having attempted suicide and dying is not exactly a fun romp through the corporate ladder.
This movie was dark. And long! I mean, this girl's suicide is blamed on Baxter, is literally cast off by the superior, and is left for Baxter to deal with. And, Fran is still alive, so he has to deal with nursing her while everyone thinks he is the scum of the earth who drove her to do this.
Seriously depressing. I'm not sure if I was in too sombre a mood to appreciate the humour of this movie, because I took it seriously, and thought it was a really bleak take on society. Its not surprising to see how the attitudes propagated there helped create a generation of people like us, looking around, wondering why the economy, etc, is crumbling at our feet.
As much as I liked Fran in the first few scenes, her devotion to her lover seemed unusual after the suicide attempt. I mean seriously... what does this guy possibly having going for him? He has some money, sure, but you returned his "payment", and now are just stuck with his less than stellar personality.
Watching Baxter act as a bachelor was the highlight for me. When he strains his spaghetti with a tennis racket, it made my day. Here is a guy who is just trying to do things right, and is just beaten to shit for it over and over. I wonder if he even got to enjoy his dinner?
The ending of the movie seemed forced given all the horrible stuff that transpired throughout. Though in some respects I got what I wanted, I left this film feeling very unsatisfied. I think this film didn't fit comfortably into a genre, and that's ultimately what got me. It wasn't a comedy or a tragedy. It was just a drama that leaned in both directions at different times.
I think I would have been happier with one or the other.
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