View From The Top

Review by Clint Morris

What goes up must come down. Or so they say.

Was that phrase actually written for Oscar winners? - Because it's more than fitting.

Think of most talent that have nabbed themselves an Oscar over the years. They're so hot the minute they're standing there with their golden statuette and escalating price tag.

But from the moment they leave the Kodak theatre and place that first post-win call to their agent, they're about as common as sliced bread.

Next thing you know, they go from starring in the film of the year to the year's next raspberry award headliner: think Cuba Gooding Jr, Hilary Swank, Halle Berry, Marisa Tomei.... the list goes on.

Now, Gwyneth Paltrow has stepped onto the downward conveyer belt, tarnishing the career she built up and peaked with Shakespeare in Love (1998), starring in the ultra-bland, rather wishy-washy comedy View from the Top.

Truth be told, Paltrow has actually gone on the record saying the film on release is far different to the one she signed up for. But when you read the plotline, you've got wonder just how different this could've actually turned out?

A small-town airhead (that'd be Paltrow) with less support from her family than a cuff-less bra-strap, finds fulfilment by joining the Airline flight attendant program.

She gets the highest score on her test, and proves herself to be quite the little server. But something goes wrong [read: friend, Christina Applegate, switches tests] and she ends up working for the lowest of airlines, while the rest of the class go onto 'first class international, Paris'.

Here's one of those movies that tries to seduce you into thinking it's more entertaining than it is by having a bunch of Hollywood famous faces cameo, and then drown the plot in feel-good pop tunes.

Mike Myers, one of the most overrated [and increasingly annoying] comedians of his generation, pops up as a cross-eyed flight attendant instructor, Candice Bergen slums it as a veteran Flight attendant who offers Paltrow's character a ray of hope, and Murk Ruffalo is reduced to playing the lifeless token love interest.

None of them manages to save the film from being a lengthy turn off.

And what's with Christina Applegate? Didn't she want out of "Married with Children" because she was sick to death of being sold as a big-breasted barbie doll whose assets did the acting... Dear, this is acting?

No funnier than one of the Police Academy movies and more feigned than a "Freddie Prinze Jr" rom-com, the "View from the Top" isn't that grand - it's worth a squiz, but geez, some of these folks need to get back down to the ground.

2 out of 5

View From The Top
Australian release: Thursday July 31st
Cast: Gwyneth Paltrow, Christina Applegate, Mark Ruffalo, Mike Myers, Candice Bergen, Kelly Preston, Rob Lowe, Marc Blucas.
Director: Bruno Barreto.
Website: Click Here

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