This is not the smoothest trip: the transitions are bumpy, the lip-synching’s imperfect and the Malibu third act seems like another movie. But Anders’s rough edges are more than offset by the story’s contagious vitality. There’s great teamwork here–between Douglas and her vulgarian mentor Turturro; in the delightful scene when our heroine and her British collaborator (Patsy Kensit) write a coded love song for a lesbian pop star (Bridget Fonda); in the film’s rousing original soundtrack, which daringly pairs ’60s and ’90s talents (Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello!). Anders, who faltered after ““Gas Food Lodging,’’ has rediscovered her wit–Denise’s funky journey to self-discovery is a fresh feminist take on an era that has always been seen through men’s eyes. It may not be precision-tooled, but it’s triumphantly alive.
