Plot: What’s it about?
Lydia (Jennifer Jason Leigh) has been ordered by her father to move to a remote provincial town, as he is running for a political office and doesn’t want her to get into trouble, as it could cost him potential votes. She has had a troubled past and to avoid problems, she agrees and soon, she and her son Sam (Bug Hall) are residents of a new town. Lydia quickly falls into her old ways, which involves drinking, wild nights, and of course, sex with whomever she pleases. This doesn’t bother Sam however, as he is glad his mother is having fun and in truth, he wishes he was having some sexual adventures as well. He is determined to learn more about sex and if he is given his way, he wants to learn with Maurey (Mischa Barton), a beautiful young woman in his class. The two talk about sex and even experiment a little, but in the end, Maurey just wants to be friends and instead dates Dothan (Brad Renfro), the class jock. As he explores sex and the impact it can have on one’s life, will Sam come away from it with a positive attitude, even if things don’t always go as planned?
I’ve seen a lot of these coming of age movies, but few have touched on the subject with such brass, as Skipped Parts. I was surprised by how candid the film is in showing underage sexual situations, but given the subject matter, it was called for and as such, I think it is a credit to the team that it was done in this fashion. Based on the novel by Tim Sandlin, who also wrote the screenplay, this film is quite humorous at times, but it also packs some emotional punch, so don’t expect an all out laugh riot here. But there is some wonderful moments of humor and I don’t mean just a few, so it never gets so serious as to smother the audience, not by any means. The writing is terrific and supplies plenty of great “coming of age” sequences, but never seems stale, as Sandlin doesn’t just pan past genre stories for material, which is good news. Jennifer Jason Leigh heads up a more than solid cast, with such names as Bug Hall, Mischa Barton, Drew Barrymore, and R. Lee Ermey on deck to flesh out the cast. In the end, Skipped Parts is recommended to genre fans as a rental, but fans of the flick will want to purchase, as this disc is more than worthwhile.
I have to admit, the main reason I was drawn to this film was the presence of Jennifer Jason Leigh, who I’ve always liked. She hasn’t always been known to turn in dynamic performances, but she is very talented and of course, she is also quite beautiful. In Skipped Parts, she has a nice sized role and it offers some good chances for Leigh to showcase her skills, which I think she does and then some. A few scenes she goes a little too far, but most of the time she is right on the money and she’s on enough to carry her character in fine form. You can also see Leigh in such films as eXistenZ, Single White Female, Easy Money, The Hudsucker Proxy, The Love Letter, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. The cast here also includes Bug Hall (The Big Green, The Stupids), Brad Renfro (The Cure, Sleepers), Drew Barrymore (Charlie’s Angels, Never Been Kissed), R. Lee Ermey (Full Metal Jacket, The Frighteners), and Mischa Barton (Lawn Dogs, The Sixth Sense).
Video: How does it look?
Skipped Parts is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This is a good looking visual treatment, although the film’s low budget origins sometimes lower the quality, though not too often. The main issue is the presence of grain in some scenes, but it is never extreme and as such, not a reason for real concern. You can also see some print defects and a couple small compression flaws, but again, nothing to scare you away from this transfer. The colors seem bright enough and show minimal problems, while flesh tones remain natural throughout. The contrast is solid also, although a couple night scenes get a little too dark. All in all, a more than acceptable visual presentation, given the film’s low budget roots.
Audio: How does it sound?
I was pleased to find a Dolby Digital 5.1 track included here, although this material doesn’t allow for a powerful, dynamic audio experience. You won’t hear much from the surrounds, but the music drifts into the rear channels at times, as do some subtle effects and in both cases, the film’s atmosphere is enhanced. Most of the film is dialogue driven however, so the front channels shoulder the load and do so in fine form, no real complaints to be made. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s trailer, as well as an audio commentary track from director Tamra Davis. She is very relaxed and open here, which means lots of information is revealed, but never in a dull fashion. Davis is quite humorous also, with a slight valley girl accent that adds a couple laughs and there’s nothing wrong with that. Perhaps not the most consistent track out there, but Davis supplies a better than average session, one that fans of Skipped Parts won’t want to miss, that much is certain.
