Bodies, Rest and Motion (1993) New Line Cinema

Written by Michael Steinberg, Directed by Roger Hedden, Produced by Eric Stoltz Starring: Phoebe Cates, Bridgette Fonda, Eric Stoltz, Tim Roth

"A body at rest or motion will remain in that state until acted upon by some outside force."-Newton`s Law of Mechanics.

[Absolutely true, but incomplete: entropy (boredom), the tendency toward material simplicity, is a force which constantly works to erase all traces of material human accomplishment as well as natural beauty through slow erosion. Anger (anarchy) is an energy as well (Johnny Lydon), but one which moves much more quickly, and with special regard toward the highest peaks of human cultural evolution.]

Oh yeah, we were talking about a movie here...

Phoebe and Tim, former lovers, and Bridgette, Tim`s current love interest, are all aimless drifters blown about by the winds of fate and driven by their own restless boredom. They settle down in a small Arizona city now dominated by cookie-cutter housing developments and a new mall built for recent arrivals such as themselves.

Impulses make Tim decide to move to Montana with Bridgette, which would leave his former girlfriend/soulmate and Bridgette`s new best friend behind. The preternaturally wise and stable Eric comes to paint and repair the rental house for its new tennants, who will likely be transients as well. The drifters start to orbit around the content lifelong city resident, whose inner peace and stability they find oddly attractive.

When Bridgette takes too long in preparing for the big move, the restless Tim simply drives off on his own, tumblin` tumbleweed that he is. She sells all their household goods to another travelling free spirit, a recent divorce`, and leaves on her own new personal journey.

Tim, after nearly having a fatal car crash and finding that his parents have moved from their residence of many years with no notice, is desperate for the continuity that only Bridgette can provide him. But when he returns, she is gone. Just when he wants to settle down, he can`t, but his anguished speech inspires the stoic Eric to chase after the fleeing young woman with whom he`s recently fallen in love.

Complete role reversal...who cares...uninspiring characters...just a movie about nothing...Whatever and As If!...

Trivia: Eric and Phoebe are reunited here under better circumstances than their last meeting in Fast Times. She digs him a little now, but of course, he`s also the current producer, not the then-unknown teen actor.

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