Movie Reviews for Julie Johnson

Julie Johnson

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Movie Reviews of Julie Johnson

Movie Review: Too anachronistic for a contemporary audience.
Summary: 3 Stars

Julie Johnson is a harried, blue-collar housewife, living in New Jersey with her husband and children. Julie's bored and overwhelmed, but she has an intense interest in science. She subscribes to science mags, which she keeps hidden from her narrow-minded, domineering husband. Seems that he just can't fathom Julie's interest, in computers and science.

One day, Julie decides that she wants to take the High school Equivilency Exam, so that she can receive her High school diploma. Meanwhile, she also decides to enroll in computer courses at the local community college. Julie even encourages her best friend Claire, to enroll in the computer courses with her. Claire does so mainly to appease Julie, rather than out of any real interest in computers.

Julie's instructors discover that she has an innate talent for math and science. So much so, that they encourage Julie to apply to some elite colleges, after she passes her High school Equivalency Exam. Julie's Neanderthal husband, forbids Julie to enroll in school. She enrolls anyhow, without telling him. After he finds out, he goes ballistic. So does Julie, who boots him out of their home, during a ferocious argument between them.

Inspired by Julie's boldness when she dumps her caveman hubby, Claire runs away from her own stifling spouse. With no other place to go, she winds-up living with Julie and her kids. Claire and Julie gradually deepen their friendship, which evolves into a romantic relationship. The two consummate their romance in Julie's bed one night. Their lesbian relationship, causes Julie and Claire problems with their judgmental neighbors, friends, and Julie's disapproving children.

Claire and Julie have many ups and downs in their relationship. Julie seems to have more invested in it than Claire does. Julie urges Claire to become educated, and Claire resents Julie's insistence that she upgrade her status in society. Claire feels that Julie is just too intellectual, to understand her point of view. The two must decide if their differences can be bridged, in order to salvage their relationship.

Though this film is progressive, in that it depicts a mature lesbian romance between two women, much about the plot-line is rather anachronistic. First of all, though it's 2001, Julie and Claire's spouses act like it's the 1950s. Back then, men could still rule over their wives and kids. It's utterly absurd, that Julie feels the need to hide her science magazines from her husband, like a daughter would hide dirty magazines from her father.

Also, if Julie was so gifted in math and science, why didn't her teachers encourage her when she was still a young student? And why did Julie have to feel so ashamed of being a woman with intellectual interests, in this day and age? These are a few of the things about the overall plot premise, that just don't ad up.

The chemistry between Lili Taylor as Julie, and Courtney Love as Claire, is erotically charged from the get-go. Though she's reluctant initially to have a sexual relationship with Julie, Claire admits to having had the hots for Julie when they were teenagers. Their lovemaking sessions together, are sensual and romantic. Julie and Claire both enjoy their sexual trysts. But their relationship is also bogged-down with guilt, and internalized homophobia.

The best thing about this film, is the spunkiness of Julie. She's determined to pursue her educational goal and lesbian love affair, despite the resistance of those around her. The question is, why did the creators make a movie that is so obviously out-of-step with contemporary society, regarding it's attitudes towards lesbianism, and female empowerment?? If this movie had been made before 1970, it would've been cutting-edge. By today's standards, this film comes off as being very 'dated', regarding lesbians, and women in general.

Movie Review: Interesting
Summary: 3 Stars

Julie Johnson for me was good but had more potential. Nice movie to rent but wouldn't rush out and buy if I had my time over. Liked the way it portrayed how it is possible for two close friends to fall in love and have a relationship but also how for one of the woman it was merely an experiment or phase. I did like the way Julie Johnson turned her life around and became the woman she always wanted to be and stood up to her husband.

Movie Review: Too much to swallow . . .
Summary: 2 Stars

If you are in the market for a romantic lesbian love story -this is not the movie to look to. The movie is 1 hour and 34 minutes long and I couldn't wait for it to be over! I love Lilly Taylor -she was amazing in Mystic Pizza, Who Shot Andy Warhol, Dog Fight, and most recently made a special run during the last days of Six Feet Under. As a Lilly Taylor fan you will be sorely disappointed that she chose this role. This story is about a woman who wants more out of life, but the script is so far fetched in how this transition unfolds. She goes from minimal, menial high school drop out to physicist student extraordinaire in what seems like the span of a semester or two. Granted, the time table could have been better in this film, but that's only a very small part of it. Every single character in this movie is obnoxious and hard to like with the exception of Taylor. Her husband starts off a sexist, chauvinist and ends the film in much the same way you would just like buy him a clue. Her children are bratty and always shouting they can't leave the room or scene quick enough. Her love interest is Courtney Love, and while I love her too -even of late with all of her bad press she's not likeable either. Courtney Love is probably the worst of them all. Her character is afraid of change, afraid of being true to herself, worries too much about what other people think of her, wants to be accepted at the cost of herself, and as a result runs back to what is familiar to her and in the end it's okay with her. The only redeeming quality in the movie Julie Johnson is that Julie Johnson did not want to go back to the kind of woman she was before her awakening. She never lost her girlish vulnerability throughout the movie, and although cautiously and at times timidly eventually embraced the changes of her new life with admirable, quiet strength.

Movie Review: worth a rent, but that's it
Summary: 2 Stars

I was looking forward to seeing this movie after the write ups I had read about it. I must admit I was highly disappointed. The acting was good, but it was such a cliche storyline. Repressive husband, wife gets tired of it and starts to look for more. I guess I just didn't think it original. I didn't care for the lines or the chemistry between the cast.