'Swingers' is always worth catching again

Finals. Term papers. CRISP.

So take a break from the grind and rent "Swingers," a comedy you can roll with.

"Swingers" is the story of five wannabe actors who tool around Los Angeles looking for jobs and, more importantly, beautiful babies. Yet their drives for digits are only a small part of what makes this a must-rent for rounders and squares alike.

The movie starts with Mike (Jon Favreau) a struggling comedian moaning about his old girlfriend. He's in Los Angeles and she's in New York, and he misses her so much, and he keeps getting shaqed by other girls. Simply put, things are on the down tip for old Mike. And no matter how many times his friends tell him that he's so money and he doesn't even know it, he just doesn't buy it.

Trent (Vince Vaughn), Mike's friend has heard enough of the whining and decides the only cure is a late night run to "Vegas, Baby, Vegas." From here the movie explodes for the next 90 minutes, never letting up with its non-stop humor.

"Swingers" hits on everything from "Goodfellas" to House Of Pain and does it in style. In one scene the characters are talking about Quentin Tarantino ripping off other movies, and in the next they are stealing shots from him. The film also boasts the most vicious game of hockey on Sega Genesis ever to grace the big screen.

Favreau (most recently seen in "Very Bad Things"), who also wrote the film's script, is perfect as the guy who just can't seem to shake his ex. Mike whimpers through his encounters with girls, the low point coming during a tough encounter with the dreaded answering machine.

Painful encounters aside, Vaughn steals the show in a dead-on performance as Trent, the ringleader of the group. Vaughn's over-the-top acting fuels the film and rightfully catapulted him to stardom. The actor's latest work can be seen starting Friday as he tackles the part of Norman Bates in the updated version of "Psycho."

Also look for a pre-Rollergirl appearance by Heather Graham, as the girl that catches Mike's eye at the bar. Graham is another person who basically came out of nowhere for "Swingers" and has seen her career take off afterwards. Although she doesn't appear until late in the film, Graham gets the job done playing sly with the guys and gives Trent reason to proclaim, "It's on."

The film's high point comes when Mike, desperate for a baby that he can get his hands on, finally strikes gold on the dance floor. In a swing dancing scene that lifts the spirits, cleanses the soul, and makes viewers happy to be alive, Mike dances his heart out with a beautiful baby he can roll with.

12-03-98