Zandalee Review

Zandalee  

Director/Studio/Author: Sam Pillsbury/Panorama/Mari Kornhauser

Format/Genre/Length: DVD/Drama/100 minutes

Publisher/Industry Age Rating: R

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★

One-time poet Thierry Martin (Judge Reinhold) has traded his pen to live the corporate life in his father’s stead, after his father’s death. Unfortunately, the stress has left him unable to cope with the needs of his sexy wife Zandalee (Erika Anderson). When Thierry renews his friendship with wild-child artist Johnny Collins (Nic Cage), can trouble be far behind?

Synopsis:

Zandalee is set against the backdrop of New Orleans, where Zandalee works in the dress shop of Thierry’s grandmother Tatt (Viveca Lindfors). Zandalee is restless, and yearns to have the man she married back again—the poet who inflamed her with his words. Physically frustrated, she falls into a relationship with Johnny, telling herself that it’s only sex. At a dinner party given for Tatta and her long time lover, she and Johnny do it in the laundry room, while her husband sits nearby.

The more it continues, the more torn Zandalee is between her love for her husband, and her desire for Johnny, and it becomes harder and harder to reconcile the two. She urges Thierry to take her away, find time for them to be alone together. By now he more than suspects what is going on, and is helpless to do anything about it. He takes her to the bayou, and tells Johnny where they’re going, with tragic consequences.

Commentary:

This is pretty vintage Nic Cage, and he certainly doesn’t hold back in any way in his portrayal of the bohemian artist who lives by his own rules, and takes what he wants. There is one scene that is very over the top Nic in one of his trademark meltdowns. Johnny doesn’t like to be told what to do, or who to do it with. And he doesn’t care who he hurts. I found Zandalee to be obnoxious and selfish. The person I felt most sorry for was Thierry. His own weakness proved to be his fatal flaw.

It’s an interesting film, worth watching, mostly for Nic and Judge Reinhold. I wasn’t  particularly impressed with Erika Anderson’s performance. Viveca Lindfors as Tatta was good. Look for some interesting cameos—Steve Buscemi working on a garbage truck; Marisa Tomei as one of Johnny’s women; and Joe Pantoliano as a cross-dresser who frequents Zandalee’s shop. I think his was the most interesting character of all.

Good scenery, both inside New Orleans, and on the bayou. Worth adding to your Nic Cage collection.