Twin
sisters Jane (Ashley Olsen) and Roxy (Mary-Kate Olsen) Ryan are about as
unlike each other as they could possibly get. If you stated oil and water,
you still wouldn't even be close. Jane is sophisticated, tidy, and the
homebody ever since their mother died years ago. Roxy is obnoxious, loud,
undisciplined, and cuts classes whenever she finds the opportunity. Their
father (Drew Pinsky) is constantly having to yank Roxy out of trouble, and
thereby missing most of Jane's important school activities and speeches,
just like today. Jane is set up for the greatest opportunity. She's
getting a chance for an Oxford University scholarship. She's ready, fully
prepared, with an excellent speech, and her father isn't going to be able
to attend. But that's all right, as she's gotten used to it over the
years. As for Roxy, she wasn't invited to her sister's important day, but
she has plans of her own. The drummer of a local youth band, Roxy is given
the job of going to a video shoot for a real band called "Simple
Plan." With any luck, their CD's just might be accepted and possibly
published.
Both
in eager anticipation for their respective events, the unthinkable
happens. While on the train into New York City, Roxy is unable to pay for
her ticket and is subsequently tossed off at a stop outside town. As Jane
looks exactly like her sister apart from the outfits, the ticket taker
assumes she sneaked back on, and off Jane goes as well. Now they have to
find a ride into the city, and as it happens, Roxy accidentally
intercepted a drop. Not drugs, but a computer chip that contains vital
information concerning the illegal bootlegging of music and movies. So the
girls arrive in New York City, with practically no money, and only about 4
1/2 hours until Jane's speech is due. Add to that the horror of being
chased for a computer chip you don't even know you have, and two cute
guys, one a bike messenger (Riley Smith) and the other a Senator's
son(Jared Padalecki), and you've got a pretty wild ride. Oh and did I fail
to mention that Roxy's played hookey so many times that she has her own
personal officer trying to track her down? Yes indeed, his name is Max
Lomax (Eugene Levy) and a more determined man you will never meet. How can
this wild mangled day possibly end well? It's Hollywood and as always with
these little flicks, there's a happily ever after somewhere around the
bend.
The Olsen twins have never been my cup of tea. I'll indulge in one of
their films occasionally, but on the whole I generally stay clear. While New
York Minute had its moments of cuteness, there were also some elements
I didn't appreciate. Now I can overlook the bare backs in the shower,
along with Jane's dream that she forgot to wear anything for her speech.
Nothing is revealed, so I don't really have a problem. But I do have a
problem with the Senator's son Trey believing the girls are in his
mother's apartment because they're a birthday gift for him. I can see why
he might think that, as Jane is wearing a towel and fuzzy slippers from
her shower and Roxy has on a bathrobe, but I heartily disapproved. It was
unnecessary and completely unwelcome to the storyline. Crudity intrudes
itself sometimes, particularly with the bathrooms and such. Our charming
young ladies run around in all states of undress, though never revealing
anything too immodest. Along the way, Jane and Roxy pick up a dog, and he
eats the computer chip, thereby giving plenty of rein to comments on how
to get the dog to relinquish the chip naturally.
There
really isn't much in the way of violence, apart from the twins being
chased all over New York by a member of a Chinese mob. Mostly, the
storyline is hectic and rather unbelievable, but than it's not meant to be
thought of as reality. These girls wouldn't last a minute on the wrong
side of the tracks; certainly not cleaned up and taken care of by the
owner of a beauty salon. Oxford is not located in London, as any school
child knows, and the chances are extremely slim to none of bumping into
the same boy three times in one day and in New York City no less. Still,
this film was not made to reflect reality, but rather the relationship
between two sisters who fell out of favor with each other only to discover
that blood is indeed thicker than water. And for that aspect, I'll give New
York Minute a bit of tentative praise. At the beginning, Roxy and Jane
tolerate each other at best, and by the end they've come to realize that
despite the differences between them, they're still blood sisters and
still love each other. That I appreciate more than the quirky storyline.
It's an Olsen twins movie with a teenage twist. I wouldn't watch it again,
but I don't regret watching it either, and that's really the telltale test
for most films. Young girls would probably love this, and as the content
is mostly mild, parents would probably be fine with letting their kids sit
down for a day in New York City.
NEW
YORK MINUTE
Both
in eager anticipation for their respective events, the unthinkable
happens. While on the train into New York City, Roxy is unable to pay for
her ticket and is subsequently tossed off at a stop outside town. As Jane
looks exactly like her sister apart from the outfits, the ticket taker
assumes she sneaked back on, and off Jane goes as well. Now they have to
find a ride into the city, and as it happens, Roxy accidentally
intercepted a drop. Not drugs, but a computer chip that contains vital
information concerning the illegal bootlegging of music and movies. So the
girls arrive in New York City, with practically no money, and only about 4
1/2 hours until Jane's speech is due. Add to that the horror of being
chased for a computer chip you don't even know you have, and two cute
guys, one a bike messenger (Riley Smith) and the other a Senator's
son(Jared Padalecki), and you've got a pretty wild ride. Oh and did I fail
to mention that Roxy's played hookey so many times that she has her own
personal officer trying to track her down? Yes indeed, his name is Max
Lomax (Eugene Levy) and a more determined man you will never meet. How can
this wild mangled day possibly end well? It's Hollywood and as always with
these little flicks, there's a happily ever after somewhere around the
bend.
There
really isn't much in the way of violence, apart from the twins being
chased all over New York by a member of a Chinese mob. Mostly, the
storyline is hectic and rather unbelievable, but than it's not meant to be
thought of as reality. These girls wouldn't last a minute on the wrong
side of the tracks; certainly not cleaned up and taken care of by the
owner of a beauty salon. Oxford is not located in London, as any school
child knows, and the chances are extremely slim to none of bumping into
the same boy three times in one day and in New York City no less. Still,
this film was not made to reflect reality, but rather the relationship
between two sisters who fell out of favor with each other only to discover
that blood is indeed thicker than water. And for that aspect, I'll give New
York Minute a bit of tentative praise. At the beginning, Roxy and Jane
tolerate each other at best, and by the end they've come to realize that
despite the differences between them, they're still blood sisters and
still love each other. That I appreciate more than the quirky storyline.
It's an Olsen twins movie with a teenage twist. I wouldn't watch it again,
but I don't regret watching it either, and that's really the telltale test
for most films. Young girls would probably love this, and as the content
is mostly mild, parents would probably be fine with letting their kids sit
down for a day in New York City.
