Forever Lulu

Along for the Ride (or "Forever Lulu") is not a special film by any means. It's quite average like most films it has its moments. The only really surprising thing about it is how powerful the source music is at the end. Other than that the plot is pretty much predictable. Melanie Griffith does an absolutely amazing job in this film yet again and if you're a fan of hers its the only reason to see this film. Penelope Ann Miller is also quite good in a supporting part. If you have some time to kill this ain't bad.

This was another one of the DVDs that I got when I purchased the DVD player and as before I watched any of the films that were there I thought oh great these are going to be a bunch of rubbish films just thrown in to make the company look like it gives good offers! I'm a big fan of Patrick anyways and thats what made me watch this first. When it first started I thought hmm this is interesting pretty slow moving but after that I thought it was a great well written moving story.

In the end I felt great that things had finally worked out for Lulu and that Ben had written finally a good book about there time together on the road trip to see there son. Yeah great film would say that everyone should watch it!

What was Patrick Swayze thinking here, he may have very well hit his head one too many times in one of those rumored drunken plane episodes. This movie sounded WOW! on paper, had a promising cast, but was put together and written unbelievably lame. Scene-by-scene, decent even good acting, but put into context nothing seemed to jive. The characters were compelled to be together by nothing more than the script, real life could have never fueled so much awkward interaction and endeavor. Any hope the storyline had was completely lost in execution and directing. There were times I heard cameramen groaning. It was great by high school play standards, but less fun. The cross country trip felt like one. Michael J. Pollard (C.W. Moss from 1967's Bonnie and Clyde) was a potential completely misused in this film. My mailman could have played his part. As A hitchhiker with merely a couple of great lines like "can I get in the front seat" and "you're really one crazy lady" his character makes it one mile down the interstate before Griffith kicks him out. I should have gotten out where he did.

"Patrick Swayze and Melanie Griffith are 'Ben' and 'Lulu'. Years ago, they had an intense passionate affair, a relationship that ended very badly. Now, fifteen years later, he's a successful, married writer who gets a desperate call… Lulu needs his help. Chaotic and confused, she reveals a huge secret that they alone must deal with. Together, on a fiery cross-country journey they will find a new direction that points to their future," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.

The irrelevant opening has Ms. Griffith and Ryan Bollman (as Freddie) in a San Francisco home for schizophrenics, estimating the number of blow-jobs "Lulu" has given (he calculates the number to be 500). Then, a connection is made between Griffith and Mr. Swayze, as they separately watch a television airing of the "The Hustler" (1961); Griffith and Swayze recite, verbatim, the dialogue delivered by Paul Newman (as Eddie) and Piper Laurie (as Sarah).

Writer/director John Kaye has a good melodrama with the weakly titled "Forever Lulu" (strengthened to "Along for the Ride" for DVD release). But, the film is poorly structured, and looks rushed. The first thing I wanted to re-edit was the bar scene where Swayze re-encounters Griffith; she should have been introduced in long and/or medium shots, followed by a close-up. A later Griffith nude pool scene is much to staid; it should have been shot like Marilyn Monroe's swim in "Something's Got to Give" (1962).

I have met both Swayze and Griffith, and these characters remind me so much of the actors (which is not to say they are exactly like the characters). When watching Swayze during the film's early scenes, I caught on to a layer of sadness he is using for the characterization of "Ben". As the film progresses, a plot revelation confirms something more (sad) about his character. Swayze had a distant melancholy about him, even before his illness was diagnosed; and, I believe this quality, along with an open naturalness, drew you to him. An engaging man.

Griffith is also a lovely person, though quite unlike Swayze (apart from the flashbacks, their characters do not have much "chemistry"). Since Griffith may read this sometime, I met her at a 1980s party - she was (you were) there via a hairdresser friend and I with a DJ friend. We left for the patio to chain-smoke (Hey, Melanie, I quit!), and spoke about life's challenges… I didn't "go" to movies then, and was not aware of how popular an actress Melanie Griffith was; seeing her films now, I admire her work, and see some of the "Melanie" I met in the "Lulu" character.

****** Forever Lulu (7/7/00) John Kaye ~ Melanie Griffith, Patrick Swayze, Penelope Ann Miller, Joseph Gordon-Levitt

If you had lived it or similar, then you would appreciate this powerful story much more... I am pleased it's only for we chosen few, as it is heartbreaking. My story is not quite the same, but has too many similarities for comfort. These things do happen and before you start squealing about content and acting and production, try thinking of a few others out here to whom it may mean a lot. I understand and agree about some of the dialog, but don't be so shallow and look only at the immediate appeal as entertainment. This is a deep and moving story well told. The dialog could improve, but tell me a movie where perfection in script, acting cinematography can't be improved somewhat. Have you produced or directed the perfect movie yet? V