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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><U><FONT size=6 face=Impact>AVON THEATER EXTRA!
EXTRA! </FONT></U> <FONT size=6 face=Impact><BR><FONT size=4
face=Arial>Just in case some of you are a little concerned about what some of
the more trendy and vapid journalists are saying about the wonderful movie
"LARRY CROWNE", which is a HUGE hit at THE AVON (but NOT at the MALLS of
America, hahahaha!)...Here is one of my favorite film critics,
Champaign-Urbana's Chuck Koplinski, weighing in on this
matter.</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4 face=Arial><STRONG>WARNING: "Larry Crowne" does NOT have
Superheroes, Fighting Robots, Raunchy Humor, or obnoxious, headache-inducing
3D!<BR>In short: It's a movie YOU, the "Avonian" should
LOVE!!!</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>
<P class=MsoNormal><STRONG><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman Italic'"><I>Larry Crowne </I></SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A Paen to the Common
Man<O:P></O:P></FONT></STRONG></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><STRONG><FONT size=4>By Chuck
Koplinski <O:P></O:P></FONT></STRONG></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><STRONG><FONT size=3>Baseball manager Leo Durocher once said,
“Nice guys finish last.”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Well don’t
tell that to Larry Crowne.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He has
his share of troubles but he never fails to approach each day with a smile and a
positive attitude.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Yet even his
rose-colored glasses get a bit blurred when he’s fired from his job at big box
retailer and told his lack of a college education prevents him from advancing in
the company, despite nine Employee-of-the-Month awards.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Pragmatic guy that he is, Larry enrolls
at the local community college and ends up in a speech class taught by a burnt
out instructor (Julia Roberts) who struggles with a loser husband and a growing
drinking problem.</FONT><FONT size=3> <O:P></O:P></FONT></STRONG></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><STRONG><FONT size=3>It’s easy to see why Tom Hanks would be
attracted to <SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman Italic'"><I>Larry
Crowne</I></SPAN>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The title role
is right in his wheelhouse and he fills this eternal optimist’s shoes without
breaking a sweat.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>That he co-wrote
and directs the film speaks of his passion for the project as well. And while
the script does have its share of problems (it’s woefully simplistic at times)
there’s an affable feel to this film that’s hard to resist.</FONT><FONT
size=3> <O:P></O:P></FONT></STRONG></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><STRONG>What with dealing with unemployment,
facing foreclosure and forced to deal with a world that’s passed him by, Larry
is an Everyman for today, a character many can empathize with as he’s forced to
hit the restart button.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>There’s
something heroic in the way he diligently hunkers down in a booth at the
restaurant he works at once his shift is done in order and tackles his
homework.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Hanks embodies the
character’s noble qualities in a way only he can and his earnestness helps us
overlook the movie’s faults.<O:P></O:P></STRONG></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><STRONG>While we’ve come to appreciate firemen
and police officers more in the last decade, the efforts of those who get up and
work hard, look out for others and act with honor in a time when fatcats grow
plumper and sloth and eccentric behavior are rewarded have been overlooked.
<SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman Italic'"><I>Larry Crowne</I></SPAN>
is not a great film but any means but it is one for our times as it gently
reminds us that the potential for quiet heroics present themselves each
day.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>That Larry realizes this and
acts upon it makes him a king among men. By Chuck Koplinski (used
with permission)</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><STRONG><FONT size=4>So, what more do you need, folks? Get
thy rear in gear and come see LARRY CROWNE this weekend!!<BR><BR>-Skip
Huston</FONT></STRONG></P><!--EndFragment--></DIV></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>