Prime - DVD review - Pocket-lint

4 October 2006 11:00 GMT / By Dan Hall

Thurman plays 37-year-old divorcee Rafi (Thurman), a successful photography producer who falls in love with 23-year-old David (Greenberg) - an aspiring painter who still lives at home with his grandparents.

Worried about the age gap Rafi decides to consult her friend and therapist, Lisa (Streep), about the situation. What she doesn’t know, however, is that David is actually Lisa’s son, which leads to some rather awkward conversations about their love life and, in particular, the size of David’s cock. From there we go on a rather predictable journey through break-up, make-up and your missus telling you to “wake up!” as the final credits roll.

With Uma “Kill Bill” Thurman in the lead roll and Ben Younger, writer of the testosterone-fuelled “Boiler Room”, in the director’s chair we went into the cinema primed (sorry) for a rom-com with balls.

What we got, however, was a meandering love story, thin on gags, which will be a prime (sorry) candidate for the Blockbuster bargain bucket when it is released on DVD.

Greenberg struggles to convince as a realistic suitor for the stunning Thurman who, at 36 is still very much in her prime (sorry), and Streep – who does her best with the material – looks out of place in an uncharacteristic comic role.

After a career that contains 13 Oscar nominations she must be wishing her agent had given her the same sage advice as Lisa does to Rafi at the start of her new relationship - “Be sensible, don’t do this”.

To be honest, the main reason for watching “Prime” is seeing Hollywood A-Listers Streep and Thurman trying their hands at comedy – a genre for which neither are particularly renowned. So their absence on the talk track is particularly frustrating.

As such, director Ben Younger and producer Jennifer Todd’s audio commentary lacks bite, and fails to offer any pertinent insights into Younger’s adolescence – which he claims was the basis of the story.

On a more positive note, there are 4 minutes worth of outtakes - which are funnier than anything you will find in the film itself - and 11 deleted scenes for diehard fans.

Verdict

The combination of farce (David’s granny has a penchant for smacking herself over the head with a frying pan) and intense musings on the nature of relationships make for a very strange combination, and Lisa’s cavalier attitude to ethics would surely have her struck off in the real world.

At one point she says: “shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!” – a bit strong perhaps but not bad as an overall critique.

Rating: 15
Staring: Uma Thurman, Meryl Streep, Bryan Greenberg, Jon Abrahams
Directed by: Ben Younger
Extras: Audio commentary from director Ben Younger and producer Jennifer Todd, Deleted scenes, Outtakes, Prime time players

Score

Review Recap

Price as reviewed: £16
The good: Thurman’s legs, an old lady repeatedly smacking herself over the head with a frying pan, Hollywood A-Listers Streep and Thurman sharing screen time
The bad: Greenberg’s wooden central performance, a criminal waste of Streep’s talent, Thurman and comedy don’t mix
Quick verdict: A meandering love story, thin on gags, which will be a prime (sorry) candidate for the Blockbuster bargain bucket
Score