I Melt With You - C

Rated R for language and drug use

4 college friends (now each 44 years old) meet every Spring Break in Big Sur for a week of relaxation and reflection. Richard (Thomas Jane) is a professor struggling to find inspiration for his second novel. Ron (Jeremy Piven) is a wealthy stock broker in trouble with the SEC. Jonathan (Rob Lowe) is a doctor who sells prescription drugs to addicts. Tim (Christian McKay) is tortured by the death of his boyfriend and sister who both died in an automobile accident when he was behind the wheel. A pact they made 25 years earlier will result in disastrous consequences . . .

For the viewer. What begins as an interesting discussion of adolescent naivete and real world adult problems descends into overblown depravity and despair. Early on as we get to know the characters, the natural charisma and great performances of the actors keep things interesting. Director Mark Pellington uses the beautiful landscapes well and expertly chooses songs to support scenes. Then, his music video origins get the best of him as the second half overdoes it with the shaky camera, quick cuts, and inappropriate close-ups. But the music is still good. So there's that.The biggest problem with the film is the lack of a single likable character. The college buddies take more drugs and drink more booze than everyone in Boogie Nights, Goodfellas, Blow, and Leaving Las Vegas combined. Seriously - enough to kill a herd of rhinoceroses. You certainly can't relate to them and will probably feel they richly deserve the miserable lives they have. By the time it finally ends, it's a relief, not a release nor epiphany. C