Just Looking (1999)

Copyright Doomster 2004

Rating (1 to 10) : 6

Summary: Lenny wants to experience sex voyeuristically but instead learns a lesson about life.

Any man can identify with the lead character of this movie, Lenny Levine, a young boy just about to become an adolescent teenager. He is growing and starting to get curious about girls, and well…about sex, fervently so.

Jason Alexander (George Costanza in the TV series “Seinfeld”) directed this “coming of age” movie. It is not for children - the themes and humor are more appropriate for an adult audience – but instead a reflection on our younger years when we were going thru the same things, curious about sex, about what the body of a member of the opposite sex looked like, surprised at becoming aroused at sexual stimuli.

The story occurs in 1955, a time of innocence for America to many. The time setting adds to the ambience for this “age of innocence”. Lenny just started summer vacation and he wants to see a couple in the act of having sex since he doesn’t think he’s ready to actually have sex yet. My how times have changed since 1955 – a contemporary his age would have probably gotten a girl pregnant already. But his plans take a change as his new stepfather sends him to live with his aunt and uncle in Queens, all due to Lenny getting caught trying to catch his mother and stepfather having sex (my question here is wouldn’t it be sick wanting to watch your mother have sex no matter how naïve you are?)

A notable part is the performance by Gretchen Mol, who plays Hedy Collier, the sexy neighbor of Lenny’s aunt and uncle on whom Lenny has voyeuristic desire. This actress who is usually blonde and pallid looked awfully seductive as a redhead with some color to her. Ryan Merriman, who plays the lead role as Lenny, falls short acting as a New Yorker teenager. He portrays his puppy love of Hedy well but you somehow expect Lenny to be more streetwise and jaded at 14, even in 1955.

The movie has its cute moments and somewhat of a surprise ending. When Lenny sees a couple having sex, it is not what he expected, and thus learns a lesson in life. But he recovers and comes out of it more sexually mature than his peers. The most distinguishing feature of this film is the aura of innocent wistfulness it projects. Watch it with the expectation of it being an amusing movie in a sublime sort of way.

Why you should or should not see this movie:

This is an interesting movie that offers a 1950’s ambiance as its biggest draw. It’s cute, entertaining, and harkens back to America’s supposed age of innocence.

Memorable quotes

Alice: “Every month women have a menstrual cycle and they bleed. It’s also called ‘the curse.’”

Lenny: “What do mean ‘bleed’?”

Alice: “Do you at least know what a vagina is?”

Lenny: “Yeah. I mean it’s usually called something else but uh, if you wanna use the medical term.”

Alice: “That where women bleed from.”

Lenny: “Are you sure this isn’t just like a local thing, cuz I don’t think women in the Bronx have curses. I woulda heard about it.”

Alice: “No it happens to all of ‘em. It means your eggs drop and you can get pregnant. I got mine at twelve. Barbara’s fifteen and she’s dying to get it.”

Lenny: “Sounds awful. Why would you want it?”