Singles is a 1992 movie written and directed by Cameron Crowe.
Singles tells the story of a group of twenty-something friends living in grunge era Seattle who navigate love and careers. The setting captured a hugely influential piece of 1990’s culture. Cameos are made by a variety of bands who would achieve massive fame.
Essentially, Singles is a romantic comedy featuring some terrific bands. However, Cameron Crowe’s deft touch as a writer in the hands of a strong cast elevates the movie. There are some cliche moments but also enough quirky comedy to keep the story fresh.
The group of friends include Steve, who’s working on a Super Train traffic project. His roller coaster relationship with Linda, an environmental activist, is the centerpiece of the movie. Janet is a waitress and hopeful architecture student, who is in love with Cliff – an aloof and probably untalented musician. Debbie Hunt works in television and explores video dating.
The movie opens detailing the futility of Linda and Steve’s respective past relationships. Linda falls for a guy from Spain who claims his VISA is running out. He seduces her before calling from the airport to say goodbye. Later, he’s spotted at a local bar – Linda breaks down and turns icy towards future relationships.
Steve flashes back to his childhood and an awkward visit to the doctor, where sex is graphically explained. Like Linda, he’s close to swearing off relationships in order to focus on work. Cliff and Janet are presented as a doomed couple. Janet is obsessed with Cliff, despite being told they are not exclusive.
The backdrop for these relationships is the burgeoning Seattle grunge sound. Linda and Steve meet at an Alice In Chains show. Much later, Steve – a former college DJ – breaks down at another show, pouring his drunk heart out in a phone booth. Cliff’s band, Citizen Dick, is comprised of three-quarters of Pearl Jam. Chris Cornell makes an unassuming cameo.
Crowe’s script is packed with offbeat gems that give the movie its fun weird spirit. Eric Stoltz’s grumpy mime and Xavier McDaniel’s pep talk are the highlights. However, Singles is a terrific – almost Seinfeld-ian – dissection of the abstract rules that sometimes govern relationships.
Steve knows he’s found the one when Linda unlocks his car door. Similarly, Janet is looking for someone who will say “bless you” when she sneezes. Linda and Steve’s relationship self-destructs when their friends’ influence leads them to play games with each other. And of course, the running gag of a garage door opener is weighted with emotion.
The strength of Singles is its strong cast. Campbell Scott and Kyra Sedgwick carry the movie – basically playing the same role. Scott’s character gets the most depth. He’s a 90’s everyman exuding idealism who sees both his professional and personal worlds crash around him. The scenes where he isolates himself in his apartment are a fun kind of depressing.
Sedgwick is expressive and vulnerable throughout the movie. You can empathize with her character’s unwillingness to expose herself. She expertly portrays her character’s endless rationalizations and anxiety, yet also delivers some of the best lines in the movie. Upon their first meeting, Linda tells Steve: “I think that not having an act is your act.”
Bridget Fonda is clearly the best actor of the group. She plays the insecure Janet in the most confident way possible. Fonda is a self-assured actor who quietly dominates her scenes. She portrays a character who is capable of obsessive qualities, yet also undergoes a positive self-transformation. At least until that final hilarious scene.
The star of the movie is Matt Dillon. His clumsy Cliff lampoons the self-important, pseudo rock star image of the era. There is virtually no depth found in Cliff. He’s blissfully unaware of his lack of talent and incapable of searching for deeper truths – or even surviving basic conversations. He’s a mess and it’s hysterical.
The BEST – The Cameos
Eric Stoltz is brilliant as a grumpy mime who denounces love and doesn’t give good directions. Equally fun is Paul Giamatti furiously making out with a woman in a restaurant and Jeremy Piven as an eccentric cashier.
The BEST Part 2 -Cliff Talking About Flight Patterns
Matt Dillon’s Cliff turns in the best dialogue of the movie. He begins with a soulful earnest tone, then just devolves into mindless drivel. His speech to win back Janet meanders into nothingness.
“Cliff – what are you talking about?”
“I don’t know.”
The BEST Part 3 – Debbie Hunt’s Dating Video
Debbie Hunt’s dating video gets the erotic adventure treatment, as she channels Madonna’s Vogue phase before she takes flight over the city.
The BEST Part 4 – “People love their cars.”
Another joke Crowe repeats involves Steve. When he passionately explains his Super Train vision, he gets the same infuriating response: “But people like their cars.”
The WORST – Bike Guy
Peter Horton turns in a performance that’s a bit slimy when taken out of its 1990’s context. Then, he’s turned into a sexual bargaining chip when Debbie and roommate Pam fight for his services.
FOX FORCE FIVE RATING – 4/5
I’m sure there’s some nostalgia that colors this ranking but Singles is a well-made, original spin on a romantic comedy. More importantly, it’s a time capsule for a unique era of music and culture – one that is seemingly infinite in its idealism.
