Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, November 4, 1995 TAG: 9511070039
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
But it's also the big-screen debut of model Cindy Crawford, and any movie that finds so many excuses to display the world's most popular cover girl in tight, sweaty tanktops has something going for it.
She plays Kate McQuean, a hotshot Miami lawyer - don't laugh! - who's being pursued by high-tech Russian assassins. Yes, everyone knows that in Russia today, ``high-tech'' probably refers to ballpoint pens, but these guys (led by the ever villainous Steven Berkoff) can, as one character puts it, ``reach into your living room and pick your nose.''
They want to kill Kate and Max Kirkpatrick (William Baldwin), the cop who's guarding her body and her tanktops. Why? Who cares? There are cars to wreck, guns to shoot, boats and buildings to blow up, new T-shirts to try on.
It's more or less public knowledge that the first version of ``Fair Game'' did so poorly with test audiences that it was taken back to the shop for serious re-editing. That may account for the curious introductory scenes involving Dan Hedaya and the sexy Salma Hayek. Once those have been dispensed with, the film goes on its merrily insane way.
Cindy Crawford certainly doesn't embarrass herself, though she is uncomfortable with some lame ``witty repartee.'' This is strictly tongue-in-cheek material, and that's how she handles it.
So does director Andrew Sipes. He has the good sense to realize that when the camera isn't on the star, it's time to blow something up.
Without question, ``Fair Game'' is the best new guilty pleasure of the week.
Fair Game **
A Warner Bros. release playing at the Salem Valley 8, Valley View 6. 85 min. Rated R for violence, strong language, blink-and-miss-it-nudity and one too-dark love scene.
by CNB