ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Saturday, March 9, 1996                TAG: 9603130016
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: B-12 EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO CORRESPONDENT 

`IF LUCY' FALLS SHORT OF EXPECTATIONS

Despite some bright moments, "If Lucy Fell" is, at best, a mixed bag.

The cast of smart, neurotic New Yorkers looking for love might suggest Woody Allen, but writer-director-star Eric Shaeffer has a funkier comic sensibility. This film is much closer to his debut, "My Life's in Turnaround," though it lacks that cult-favorite's cheeky attitude. Instead, it's a straightforward romantic comedy about mismatched couples.

Joe (Shaeffer) and Lucy (Sarah Jessica Parker) platonically share a New York apartment. She finds something wrong with every man she meets, while he is fixated on the lovely Jane (the lovely Elle MacPherson) who lives next door. He watches her through the windows and has painted a series of pictures of her. If only he could work up the courage to actually speak to her.

He and Lucy are miserable together. Then she reminds him of their college vow. If they hadn't found a lasting relationship by the time they turned 30, they'd jump off the Brooklyn Bridge together. With one month left, they renew the pact.

That less-serious-premise sputters along until Bwick (Ben Stiller) shows up. As a fey performance artist who falls for Lucy, he brings a silly spark of anarchy to the proceedings. About the same time, Jane emerges as a character in her own right, and Elle MacPherson proves that she just might have what it takes to move her career from modeling to acting.

The two supporting characters briefly threaten to take the film from the leads, but Shaeffer's not about to let that happen to himself. When the focus returns to Joe and Lucy, the weakness of their characters becomes more apparent. Why are they always wearing funny hats and drinking coffee and talking about themselves? They're nearly 30 and they still depend on her father (James Rebhorn) for financial support?

If a romantic comedy is doing what it's supposed to do, such questions never arise. So, despite good work from a top-notch cast, "If Lucy Fell" is a sophomore slump for Shaeffer.

If Lucy Fell

**

A TriStar release playing at the Salem Valley 8. 93 min. Rated R for subject matter, lots of sexy talk.

LENGTH: Short :   50 lines
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO:  Sarah Jessaca Parker and Eric Schaeffer play two old 
          friends with a pact to leap off the Brooklyn Bridge in "If Lucy 
          Fell." color.