Traumpaare: Duets (2000)

Traumpaare: Duets: Directed by Bruce Paltrow. With Lochlyn Munro, Carol Alexander, Michael J Rogers, Huey Lewis. A professional karaoke hustler reconnects with his daughter and a bored suburban businessman turns outlaw karaoke singer, among other plotlines.

“I often wonder why I watch so many movies, and why I love them so. It isnu0026#39;t because they often explore new territory or challenge my intellect, but then thereu0026#39;s a whole public library and a Barnes and Noble in every strip mall for that. No, I think it must be the escapist delight of allowing myself to be absorbed for a couple of hours in a well-crafted imaginary world where unbelievable things happen to unrealistic people. Itu0026#39;s a guilty pleasure, but hey, sometimes I eat my dessert first. I can handle the guilt.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWith that said, as guilty pleasures go, this dessert is a banana split for two with extra nuts and cherries. And one spoon. Huey Lewis and the incomparable Gwyneth Paltrow are a father daughter team trying to get acquainted on the karaoke circuit. Heu0026#39;s a karaoke hustler (who knew) and sheu0026#39;s a third generation Las Vegas showgirl who is at once worldly and naive.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003ePaul Giamatti is a shocker. Heu0026#39;s amazing as the frustrated salesman whou0026#39;s out u0026quot;for a pack of cigarette.u0026quot; Along the way, he encounters Reggie Kane (Andre Braugher) a convict on the lam whose quiet desperation is a stark contrast to Giamattiu0026#39;s wanton abandon.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eMaria Bello is hilarious as the resourceful bohemeian chasing a dream of big money. Angie Dickenson graces the scene with a tasty cameo. And then thereu0026#39;s the singing. OK, Todd Rundgren isnu0026#39;t worried about Giamattiu0026#39;s rendition of the classic u0026quot;Hello itu0026#39;s Meu0026quot;, and Andre used a voiceover, but Gwyneth can really sing, and her duet with Babyface in the closing credits is a chart-topper in anybodyu0026#39;s book.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDirected by Gwynethu0026#39;s dad Bruce, in his first feature since graduating from the small screen, the word u0026quot;Duetsu0026quot; describes this enjoyable film in more ways than one. But in the end, the duet that matters is just you and this wonderful little film.”