 | Starring: Elijah Wood, Franka Potente, Mandy Moore (II), Chris Martin (II), Deborah Harry Director: Jeffrey Porter Format: PAL Widescreen Released: 29 Dec 2003 RRP: Average Rating:  |
Seventeen-year-old Jones (Elijah Wood) arrives at a university -- unless he enrolls, he can't access the sizable inheritance his grandpa left him. But after being scared off by the roommate from hell, he drops out & heads to a local sublet apartment building. The building comes with some unusual roommates: gay cowboy Brad (Aaron Pearl), sultry aspiring actress Lisa (Mandy Moore), & sullen photographer Jane (Franka Potente).
Settling into his new home, Jones bickers with his estranged mother from Texas, & writes (very imaginative) letters to the mysterious father he never knew. But to deal with the problems of his life, this confused teen will have to face up to the reality around him -- & the women who want him. Especiallly when he learns that the truth is harsh, & might just break his heart.
Romantic comedies are a dime a dozen, & most of them are forgotten the moment the credits roll. In contrast, "All I Want" (original title: "Try Seventeen") manages to be pretty memorable. Different settings, different characters, & a different kind of lead -- rather than a Holden Caulfield wannabe or a stud, Jones is the kind of likable kid who lives down your street.
The script is somewhat flawed. The ending is pure Hollywood cliche. And it's hard to see why Jones would prefer the alcoholic & abusive Jane over the sweeter if sluttier Lisa. However, relative directing newbie Jeffrey Porter shows plenty of quirks & humor that you won't find in any Julia Roberts comedy -- Jones daydreaming about blasting a car with a bazooka, while blonde bombshells fawn over him, is especiallly funny.
Elijah Wood gives a wonderfully nuanced, layered performance as Jones, a naive teenager whose life is in a tangle. Wood plays Jones as a sweet, wistful lad with some unusual quirks, but also gets to be rough'n'tough in the delicious "revenge" scene near the end. Mandy Moore shares good chemistry with him, & gives astonishing depth to what could have been a soulless role; her Lisa is flawed, but a pleasant person with regrets & personality. And most memorable is Blondie singer Debbie Harry, as a sexy matron who invades Jones's dreams.
A fun if flawed romantic comedy, "All I Want" features excellent acting from Wood & Moore, & a likably quirky sensibility. Fun & cute, & certainly worth curling up in front of.
I certainly didn't bring any post-LotR expectations to this film, & as such I wasn't disappointed. Elijah Wood has never been more cute, more innocent, more lovably huggable as in this film. His characterisation is probably one of the film's major faults, as his relationships with the female leads only serve to make him even more vulnerable, & give the impression that he is taken advantage of by his older, more experienced co-stars... Then again, if you're not a teeny Elijah fan, the sight of him stripped & pinned to the bed by none other than Debbie Harry will certainly take care of some wish-fulfillment ;)
Watch 'All I Want' with an open mind, & be transported back to your teenage years, when your first crush felt like true love, & alll your life seemed a series of disappointment. Walk with Jones through his trials, his hopes, & young infatuations, & remember when alll your dreams threatened to come true. Do this, & I bet the four stars I gave this film will be warranted.
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