collected writings

Tadpole

Tadpole is an interesting film in that critics have all responded positively to the same things, and all raised the same questions. The film is entertaining and witty, and although it sometimes borders on self-indulgent, Tadpole proves to be a charming quasi-remake of The Graduate that slowly evolves into a quasi-ordinary coming of age and "first love" film.

Much of the success of this film, critically and in the box office, can be attributed to the director, Gary Winick, winner of the Director's Award at Sundance 2002 for this effort. He has been trying for several films to prove that cinema shot digitally can work. Here it does work, but not due to any technical bravado. The story simply is great, and the acting even better. Winick does not forget that people go to movies to see stories about people, not to see explosions and gunplay.

Aaron Stanford stars as Oscar, a 15-year old renaissance man, fluent in French and well versed in literature, art, history and culture. He is charming and cute, and much to his (and others) dismay, utterly bored with girls his age. They are, after all, only girls , and Oscar finds virtue in women of a certain age, namely, his stepmother, Eve, played by Sigourney Weaver.

Home from private school for Thanksgiving, he plans to reveal his attraction to Eve by the end of the holiday. However, while escaping from another girl his age vying for his attention, Oscar runs into Eve's chiropractor friend Diane (Bebe Neuwirth) whose attraction for Oscar leads from the massage table to the bedroom.

The stakes are upped at Oscar tries to keep Eve from finding out about his and Diane's amorous relationship, although of course she does in a particularly funny scene in a French restaurant.

Stanford's performance provides the basis for this film, and his convincing role sets the stage for the other actors. Oscar is less of the arrogant and snobbish prick that he could be, and more of the charming and sensitive, albeit romantically confused, hero. Weaver and Neuwirth shine as the objects of his affection and disaffection. Weaver in particular is able to respond to Oscar's attraction with understanding and a little too much sexual warmth, spurred on, of course, by Diane's kissing and telling.

The story does have its weaknesses, such as a resolution that a little too cheaply and hastily removes Oscar's love from his stepmom (and her feelings for him) and square them towards his father.

The film also raises a host of moral questions, some of which are answered unsatisfactorily. Diane and Oscar's relationship amounts to Oscar standing in for the stereotypical gay male who proves to be no emotional threat for women, although this urbane character is 15 rather than gay.

Also, in a thought experiment pointed out by critic Thomas Hibbs, if a group of 40-year old males were sitting around talking about their sexual exploits with a 15-year old girl, the film would take a much different turn and not be considered the romantic comedy that it is. This double standard weakens the film.

However, the script does do a great justice to the first-love story, and has enough modern twists thrown in to produce an interesting reworking of The Graduate .