A Pyromaniac's Love Story (1995)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

Joshua Brand

Writer (WGA):

Morgan Ward (written by)

Release Date:

28 April 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Warning: This is only a love story. Do not try this at home.

Plot:

A pastry boy and the son of a hair-piece mogul become involved in an arson scandal. Sergio is offered...

Plot Keywords:

Pyromania

Cast

William Baldwin	...	Garet
John Leguizamo	...	Sergio
Sadie Frost	...	Hattie
Erika Eleniak	...	Stephanie Potts
Michael Lerner	...	Perry
Joan Plowright	...	Mrs. Linzer
Armin Mueller-Stahl	...	Mr. Linzer
Mike Starr	...	Sgt. Zikowski
Julio Oscar Mechoso	...	Jerry
Floyd Vivino	...	Ass pincher
Babs Chula	...	Ass pincher's wife
Tony Perri	...	Man in car
Randy Butcher	...	Driver
Lesley Kelly	...	Jail policewoman / Desk officer
Jennifer Rolin	...	Maid

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Germany:6 | UK:PG (video premiere) | USA:PG | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Hollywood Pictures

Quotes:

Garet: I belong in a maximum security prison for men! Augh!

Soundtrack:

Trouble

More Romance Than Comedy

The title is the funniest thing about "A Pyromaniac's Love Story", this so-called romantic "comedy" has a lot more romance than comedy. The movie starts out as another tale of unrequited love as Sergio (John Leguizamo) explains in voice-over that he has long been in love with Hattie (Sadie Frost), the waitress daughter of a diner owner who thinks of him as just a friend.

Although Sergio and Hattie are the movie's core romantic couple, there are two minor romances going on at the same time. The gimmick of "A Pyromaniac's Love Story" is a series of mix-ups involving all three couples. The confusion could be easily cleared up if the persons in each couple bothered to communicate with each other. This might be very funny if the script was well written and clever, but instead it is one of those movie situations which is only credible if you believe that all the characters are morons. So you have a decent love story with good messages about communicating and taking risks to declare your love, buried under a lot of poorly written slop.

"A Pyromaniac's Love Story" tries to be offbeat and whimsical in the style of "Benny and Joon" and although the two scores are almost identical it is never able to achieve the same effect. In part this is because William Baldwin's over-the-top performance is joltingly out of place in relation to how understated everything else is, and Sergio has more screen time with him than with Hattie. A poor choice because Sadie Frost is the strongest member of the cast and has good chemistry with Leguizamo.

If you are looking for a way to make this movie interesting, I suggest that you watch it along with "Bram Stoker's Dracula" which was made 2 years earlier. In that film Frost (who is British) gave a great over-the-top performance as Lucy, a flirty and glamorous London socialite. Yet she is absolutely authentic as an earthy American waitress in "A Pyromaniac's Love Story" (accent, mannerisms, look). You would never guess that it could be the same actress. Frost is one of those talents who you wish had been given more opportunities.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.