There’s something charmingly lopsided about Tomboy, a quintessential Crown International oddity that rides the tail end of the early-’80s gender role comedy wave with a bikini in one hand and a wrench in the other. Betsy Russell stars as Tommy, a grease monkey with speed in her veins and little patience for chauvinists in polo shirts. It’s a one-joke premise stretched thin across 90 minutes, but it’s delivered with enough pep and sun-glare sheen to feel like a drive-in relic from a more innocent (and ridiculous) era.
Russell gives the role more charisma than the script deserves, and it’s her game performance that keeps Tomboy from stalling out completely. The plot—a blend of car races, soft-focus stripteases, and predictable romance—cruises on autopilot, but the film knows its audience. Whether it’s the synthy soundtrack, the recurring “boys can’t handle strong women” gags, or the racetrack showdown that’s as much about pride as horsepower, Tomboy is pure Crown: breezy, brainless, and weirdly endearing.
Verdict: A sunny, sleazy curiosity with just enough charm under the hood to make it to the finish line.
No comments:
Post a Comment