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A Family Affair

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An Atta Girl Prods. presentation. Produced by Valerie B. Pichney. Executive producers, Helen Lesnick, Dolores Lesnick. Directed, written by Helen Lesnick.

With: Helen Lesnick, Erica Shaffer, Arlene Golonka, Michele Greene, Michael Moerman.

The Woody Allen trifecta of being a New Yorker in So Cal, falling for a blonde and being dogged by an ex-love are reconfigured with sharp wit but shaky storytelling for a lesbian comedy in Helen Lesnick's "A Family Affair." Lesnick's Rachel Rosen is more defined by her Jewishness than the Woodman's alter-egos, but like him, she defends herself with caustically dry humor and uses her piercing googly eyes as a weapon. Though the motivations for Rachel to muck up a perfectly fine relationship are never credible and severely harm pic's second half, there are more than enough comedic nuggets here to suggest a budding talent.

Explaining her tale in voiceover, Rachel notes that she split Gotham to escape her deceitful g.f. (Michele Greene), but is having difficulty trying to fit into the sun 'n' fun San Diego lifestyle as she struggles as a freelance writer and a single gal with several bad dates. Pretty Christine (Erica Shaffer) proves to be the One, and as things grow matrimonially serious, they test Rachel's limits for trusting and committing to someone else. Staging is bland, but some one-liners are killers.

Camera (Fotokem color), Jim Orr; music, Kelly Neill, Robert Westlind, Dan De La Isla; production and costume designer, Lorrie Blackard. Reviewed at Outfest, L.A., July 18, 2001. Running time: 108 MIN.

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