I LOVE YOU & I LIKE YOU

Oh, what a lovely film. I was almost hugging myself while I watched it….Almost Famous is about the world of rock, but it’s not a rock film, it’s a coming-of-age film, about an idealistic kid who sees the real world, witnesses its cruelties and heartbreaks, and yet finds much room for hope. The Penny Lane character is written with particular delicacy, as she tries to justify her existence and explain her values (in a milieu that seems to have none). It breaks William’s heart to see how the married Russell mistreats her. But Penny denies being hurt. Kate Hudson has one scene so well-acted, it takes her character to another level. William tells her, “He sold you to Humble Pie for 50 bucks and a case of beer.” Watch the silence, the brave smile, the tear and the precise spin she puts on the words, “What kind of beer?” It’s not an easy laugh. It’s a whole world of insight.