Tony Bill directs Marisa Tomei, Christian Slater and Rosie Perez in this romantic melodrama where a hard working waitress falls for the near-silent, possibly mentally ill, kitchen porter at her diner.

He thinks he has a baboon’s heart. He’s too dreamy for this world. He’ll stop the bad men from raping you, then break into your bedroom. The leads elevate this wodge of gritty fluff. It is wildly imbalanced – not sure if it wants to be a streetwise Mystic Pizza… or Love Story meets Awakenings. So star power drags it through kicking and screaming. Tomei (gorgeous) and Perez have a winning dynamic. Slater is also cast for his looks. And while it is hard not to swoon towards his renaissance man retard you do wonder why cast such a charismatic motormouth in a near dialogue free role. Wintery. Of its time. Still kinda cool. Sleepover VHS rental choice of the week.

6

Perfect Double Bill: Only You (1994)

I write regular features about live comedy for British Comedy Guide here https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/bobby_carroll/features/