Rushmore Review
by "Kleszczewski, Nicholas" (Nicholas DOT Kleszczewski AT pepsico DOT com)February 25th, 1999
Rushmore
I like the character of Max Fischer. He loves his school, and is totally dedicated to nearly every single extracurricular activity that could ever be dreamed up. So he joins them all, as his grades suffer. He campaigns to save Latin from being dropped from the curriculum. He stages elaborate school plays with explosives and miniature subway cars.
Then something extraordinary happens. Max falls in love. Of course, Ms. Cross, the First Grade teacher, is too old for him and has married once before, but nevermind. Max will win her heart by campaigning to have an aquarium built in her honor.
So he enlists the aid of Herman Blume, a local steel tycoon. Blume, played by Bill Murray, is depressed, unhappy with his family, and nearly has all the vigors of his youth nearly taken from him. Then he falls in love with the same teacher.
Thus begins the setup of one of the year+s most engaging comedies. A multi-generational love triangle between an underaged, overly active, under-achiever and a successful schmuck with the wind taken out from him. Other than the minor references between _The Graduate_, _Good Will Hunting_ and _Revenge of the Nerds_, this is totally original
entertainment.
Bill Murray has not only made a comeback, but has delivered the goods with compounded interest. It+s as if he+s read too many negative reviews over his last several projects, and had it gone to his head. The result is the most engaging, mature character in the entirity of Bill Murray+s career. While a few individuals are having a hard time retaining their personas as they age (Eddie Murphy, Dan Ackroyd) while others become more obnoxious (Woody Allen), Murray takes this original character to the next logical step. He interiorizes every bit of rage we know is there, converting it to a dispirited demeanor, who cannot believe the complications that ensued. And yet he marvels and admires Fischer+s ingenuity.
Max Fischer is played by newcomer Jason Schwartzman, the son of Talia Shire, and cousin to Nicolas Cage and Francis Ford Copolla. It is hard to retain go neck and neck with Murray, with a complicated character that+s on screen most of the time, but he succeeds. He has the endearing task of appearing smarter than he actually is ("Do they speak Latin in Latin America?"). We root for him, but we root that he will grow, not necessarily that he gets the girl in the end.
_Rushmore_ more than anything else, is a triumph of its creators Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson. It moves quickly, with a major plot secret occuring within the first half-hour. And when it+s all over, you will be surprised how easy it was to take it all in, and find it hard to forget a few precious moments.
Nick Scale (1 to 10): 8
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