Sweet Jane (1998)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Joe Gayton

Writer:

Joe Gayton (writer)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Jane, an HIV-positive heroin addict, meets Tony, a young AIDS victim with no family, and the two form a bond.

Plot Keywords:

AIDS | Heroin | Teenage Boy | Hospital | Stripper

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Samantha Mathis	...	Jane
Barbara Pilavin	...	Old Woman Patient
Kimberly Scott	...	Dr. Gordon
Joseph Gordon-Levitt	...	Tony
Derek Webster	...	Darryl
Nicki Micheaux	...	Martielle
Phil Fondacaro	...	Bob
Russell Gray	...	Silhouette
Mary Woronov	...	Sales Lady
Rex Ryan	...	Clemenzo
Bud Cort	...	Dr. Geiler
Daniel Roebuck	...	Kellygreen
Gary Bullock	...	Figure
William McNamara	...	Stan Bleeker
Milton Quon	...	Korean Clerk

Also Known As:

Lepers (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

NEO Motion Pictures

Quotes:

Jane: [after Tony has tied Jane to a chair] Tony, why are you doing this?
Tony: You asked me to.
Jane: No, I mean why are you looking after me?
Tony: Somebody's gotta.
Jane: Yeah, but why you?
Tony: I ain't got nothing better to do.
[points to her TV]
Tony: Does this thing work?
Jane: A little.
Jane: [stares at Tony] My guardian angel.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mulholland Dr. (2001)

A Movie About Relationships

More than anything else, this movie is about the relationship that can form between two people who are somehow flawed. The fact that it takes place against a backdrop of AIDS/drug addiction seems to be largely secondary. The movie depicts a drug addict (who happens to be HIV positive) and her relationship with a 15-year old boy who is in the throes of full-blown AIDS. The audience can see that both characters are in very similar points of their life, albeit for somewhat different reasons.

Samantha Mathis plays "Jane", a junkie prostitute who starts out incapable of accepting or giving love to another human being. As the story unfolds, we learn that she came from a good family, went to college, and has had support throughout her life. But, she fell through the cracks, and ended up in a desperate situation. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Tony, whose background is quite different. His brother and mother both died when he was younger, and his father has been incarcerated for most of Tony's life. Tony comes off as rough and uneducated. But, the audience really feels for him, as he's not just some street hoodlum... he's simply a victim of his circumstances.

The movie focuses on the give and take relationship that Jane and Tony have. Sometimes Tony is the strong one, helping Jane to see the weight of her decisions (her heroin abuse and prostitution). Other times, Jane takes on the role of a mother figure for Tony, helping a scared boy through a very rough time. Together, they seem to make a positive difference in each other's lives.

I gave the movie a rating of 7. Samantha Mathis really does an excellent job communicating both the desperation and the depth of love Jane is capable of. Gordon-Levitt does equally well showing us that Tony's intentions are honorable, but sometimes suffer the after being filtered through of the lack of opportunities he's been forced to deal with in his lifetime. Both of them show how human companionship can infuse even the most desperate of people with hope and warmth.

This movie is well worth your viewing time.