The Real Blonde

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Tom DiCillo's love-go-round stars Matthew Modine and Catherine Keener as an unmarried, New York City couple whose relationship has stalled: should they get married? Have a kid? What's certain is that Modine's character, Joe, is an aspiring actor with no prospects and Keener's character, Mary, is a photographer's assistant with little joy. Joe leads us to Bob (Maxwell Caulfield), a soap opera star on a fetishistic search for a non-bottle blonde. Bob's quest is briefly satisfied by a costar (Daryl Hannah), but it is another lover, a model named Sahara (Bridgette Wilson), for whom he may have repressed feelings beneath his gruff exterior. Sahara, a favorite subject for Mary's shutterbug employer (Marlo Thomas), brings us full circle to Joe's girl again. The net portrait is of a couple of men who burn up a lot of energy diverting true passion toward junk causes (Bob's Freudian hang-up, Joe's knee-jerk politics) and a couple of women who struggle to say what they want. Typical of DiCillo, the film has its own internal distractions and strained credibility: is it necessary, for instance, to have every important male in Mary's life betray her with a come-on? But despite such minor problems, The Real Blonde is a rare New York relationship film that is neither twinkly nor cruel. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

The Real Blonde is a Really good movie A must see!.......2005-01-07

The Real Blonde is a real Gem. I missed this one in the theatres but I'm glad I caught it on at home. In the slog of bad, over budgeted, over promoted special effects laden bad movies, The Real Blonde is a true diamond in the rough. It's one of the best movies I've seen in awhile.
The Real Blonde is an ensemble movie that focuses on the lives and loves of people struggling to make it in the Film & TV industry in New York. Matthew Modine plays Joe, a 35-year old waiter who works a catering job by day and dreams of starring in a movie. In the face of constant rejection, he refuses to compromise and will only take work in a movie. His friend Bob is tired of struggling and decides to just take a job on a soap opera. (Which like the characters in the movie say isn't acting.) His dream is to fall in love with a "Real Blonde". Modine's girlfriend played by Catherine Keener is a Photographer's assistant is frustrated. There's a reason for her anger, she's unsure of her relationship, and Joe's lack of success. Joe contemplates giving up his dream, but soon after getting the after Bob meets the "Real Blonde" played by Elizabeth Berkley things seem to get better for Joe. Bob gives Joe "Madonna's number" to keep Joe's hope alive. Soon after, Joe gets a job in a Madonna video as a dancer. His girlfriend manages to make progress in a self-defense class she's taken to deal with her anger. Bob juggles a model and his soap co-star (a great Darryl Hannah) pondering which one is a "Real Blonde" while having to deal with the absurdity of fame and Soap opera plots. As the soap story stalls, (brilliant metaphor) so do the lives of our characters. Fired from the video, Joe and his girl are about to break up. Bob's soap character starts getting dull. But when soap star Bob requests that the writers kill the constantly suicidal Blonde in the name of progress co-star of his soap this great movie comes to a satisfying conclusion.
All the actors in this ensemble film give great performances. Tom Dicillo's strong direction makes his well-written story so compelling that you want to see it through to the end. His visuals depict life in New York accurately; giving us a sneak peek into the lives of these struggling actors and the behind the scenes look of all the problems they face trying to find work. As a struggling writer I could definitely relate to these characters and their turmoil. Trying to keep a dream alive is harder than working towards the dream itself in these fields. The pain of constant rejection, the pressures of bills, age, and the temptation of giving up a dream for that steady stable job are what all aspiring actors, writers, and producers face. I highly recommend buying this film. It's a great gift for theatre majors, aspiring actors, and screenwriters or anyone who just wants to see a good movie.

A slice of New York life-at least for actors.......2005-01-02

Where's this movie been hiding? I've never heard of it until recently.

'The Real Blonde' is a behind-the-scenes look at the bottom rung of the film/television industry. It's a gentle, light-hearted view of various characters who work in a supporting occupation in the acting world, and at actors working, not-working, trying to break in, directing and watching the end result.

Michael Modine stars as Joe, a waiter trying and trying to break into acting. The closest it seems he can come is to act in a Madonna video. It's one frustrating rejection after another. Catherine Keener at her best stars as Joe's long-suffering girlfriend Mary, who isn't sure she's ready for commitment, unsure about Joe's lack of success as an actor, and deals with it by getting really into her self-defense class, and by continuing with her therapy, at least until her therapist turns the table on her, and explores how he really feels about her!

This is an ensemble effort, and several of the other plot lines are equally as good. Maxwell Caulfield plays Bob, a friend of Joe who's elevated himself to star in a really bad soap opera. Daryl Hannah is Kelly, who's also in the soap opera, and the running gag is that she threatens to commit suicide in every episode. Bob's got this obsession to sleep with a 'real blonde'. He's had any number of conquests, but all of the bottle blondes just ain't the real thing. Elizabeth Berkley, Marlo Thomas, Buck Henry, Christopher Lloyd, Kathleen Turner, Denis Leary and Steve Buscemi all make appearances to great effect.

Tom DiCillo, who has directed 'Stranger Than Paradise', 'Living in Oblivion' and 'Box of Moon Light', interesting efforts all, is at the top of his game in 'The Real Blonde'.

I'm not sure why this film has been overlooked. It's a minor gem. Highly recommended. Four and one-half stars.

Another NY Movie.......2004-04-07

This somewhat entertaing (yet ultimately forgettable) romantic comedy/ drama presents the daily life of an average NY young couple, played by Matthew Modine and Katherine Keener. Modine`s character tries to become a sucessful actor, but most of the time he just fails miserably and ends up feeling an untalented loser. His girlfriend then questions their relationship and worries about their future as a couple. "The Real Blonde" is just another hip and mildly clever look at NY people and their daily routines. It also shows some insight into that "looks can be deceiving" line of thought, trying to analyse what`s real and what`s fake (hence the title "The Real Blonde", get it?). Not too distant from some "Sex and the City" territory, this effort is amusing at parts but has little staying power.

Worth watching once.

It all depends.......2001-05-22

If you don't enjoy this movie, you won't enjoy watching HBO's "Sex & the City" either -- there's no question about it . I jumped back to some scenes again and again (like Bob's fiasco with the real blonde, Madonna's music bit, the self-defense class' RRQ ratings, Sahara and the foreign male model, etc...) and I laughed my butt off every time. Anyway, it's not surprising that "The Real Blonde" was underrated, given that "Scary Movie" was a box office hit. Tastes differ, that's all.

Small budget film on.......superficiality?.......2000-06-03

The male protagonist doesn't have much as far as status goes. He is a waiter/caterer and sleeps with his landlord. He is obviously frustrated with his situation but does not express it to anyone. He is on a quest for a "real blonde" for purity and symbolism! But I think it really has something to do with obtaining status. There are many far more potentially offensive R movies than this. If it were not for some brief explicit lines the movie could have a PG-13 rating instead of an R rating. The movie actually has some sweetness near the end and has a positive message without being "preachy".

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