Weathergirl

Written by Sonia & Alessandro Gambaro on Friday, 03 July 2009 14:24

We've all done it. Sat in the car stuck in traffic after a bad day, imagining the verbal lashing we should've, would've or could've given to whichever clueless moron had done us wrong most recently. All of a sudden we are witty, bold, we, as James Brown would say,"don't take no mess."

In reality we probably thought about the consequences quickly enough to return to our desks head down and tail between our legs - but with our job intact. This is the fantasy that makes the opening scene of Weathergirl so brilliant. We can all share in the triumphant castigation that the weathergirl deals to her ex-boyfriend and lead anchor of the morning new program where she works, Dale (played by Mark Harmon).
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The "Sassy" Weathergirl Sylvia (Tricia O'Kelley) has recently found out that Dale has been sleeping with his co-host Sherry (Kaitlin Olsen). To the delight of Seattle, she loses it on live television. Of course, she also loses her job, her home and has to move into her little brother Walt's (Ryan Devlin) apartment all within the span of one tumultuous day.

Alessandro and I began our week at the Los Angeles Film Festival by seeing The Weathergirl, it was a great start. The script is clever, the acting is fantastic and save for one small gripe -a very surprising dry sex scene between Sylvia and her brother's best-friend, Byron (Patrick J. Adams)- Alessandro and I both enjoyed the film. Walt and Byron have quite a few great scenes between them, Sylvia is superb in her scenes where she lets Dale have it, Mark Harmon is funny, Sherry (Kaitlin Olson) is hilarious as the drunken floozy of a co-host, and the surprising scene stealer is Weathergirl's best-friend, Emily, played by Alex Kapp Horner.
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After the film there was a Q&A with the Writer/ Director, Blayne Weaver. He explained that he got his inspiration to write Weathergirl by dating a 35 year old when he was 28. The film explores the pressures felt by women in their mid-thirties and also how a young guy dating an older woman feels inadequate to lead.

Ale: This was a funny film - not outstanding - but a thoroughly entertaining comedy.

Sonia:I agree, I really loved the opening scene and laughed throughout but I wasn't buying the idea that the Sylvia (the weathergirl) was honestly interested in the brother's friend Byron. What about you?

Ale: I also didn't feel that she was into the guy. There was no real connection.

Sonia: The lady who played Sylvia was also the producer, perhaps she bit off
more than she could chew. I felt like she was brilliant in the scenes where she tells off Mark Harmon, but I just didn't feel a real passionate need for Byron develop.

Ale: Yeah, maybe she was tired from her producing work - It was shot in 21 days.

Sonia: That's true. It was great otherwise.

Ale: There seemed to me to be a lot of improvisation or adlibbing in the film.

Sonia: True, especially between Walt and Byron.

Ale: I liked the brother's acting. Very fun and clever.

Sonia: Agreed, he was a fantastic presence in the film. Its funny that he is the only stable person in it.

Ale: Yeah, he's the one who tries to steer her back onto the path that is true to herself.

Sonia: That was cool but I also thought it was too, "do the right thing," I wanted her to get sweeter revenge and not lose out on a job.

Ale: I think that in a situation like that, where a woman is asked to go back to work and work with a man who cheated on and left her, I would agree with the brother.

Sonia: I wanted to see her take over Dale's job as lead anchor. Stick it to the man!

Ale: Why does this not surprise me? I liked the ending it was good overall.

Sonia: True, the film was fun, entertaining and made very well.

Ale: I recommend Weathergirl.
Sonia: Agreed.

Website: http://weathergirlmovie.com/

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