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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Friday 17 august 2018

A low-key rom-com for Gen-X in ‘Juliet, Naked’

By LINDSEY BAHR ing up with her because
Associated Press of a difference of opinion,
“Juliet, Naked “ is a charm- but manages to get the
ing and smart little film attention of someone else
about early middle age, — Tucker Crowe. He emails
second chances, regrets Annie to tell her she got it
and the intoxicating free- right, which kicks off a won-
dom of written correspon- derful little trans-Atlantic
dence that’s nearly im- correspondence between
possible to explain without two people who couldn’t
either spoiling something or have conducted them-
being willfully misleading. selves more differently in
That’s actually one of its their youth, but have found
attributes: Everything only themselves in a similar spot
makes sense in context nonetheless. I’m not even
of everything else. “Juliet, sure it’s accurately catego-
Naked” has a plot that not rized as a romance — more
only builds but that keeps so the heady excitement of
getting more interesting actually connecting with
and more rewarding, which This image released by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions shows Rose Byrne, left, and Ethan another person over some-
is a good thing because to Hawke in a scene from “Juliet, Naked.” thing honest, like regrets,
hear this film described is Associated Press both of whom have many.
a tedious and confusing wants. (No wonder this Sun- can (perfectly rendered one day a disc arrives in Annie regrets caring to the
exercise. Woman starts ro- dance gem is hovering just by Chris O’Dowd). Duncan the mail, “Juliet, Naked,” a point of paralysis (“I keep
mance with elusive indie over “fresh” on Rotten To- runs a fan blog devoted compilation of early dem- thinking at some point there
rocker who is also boy- matoes.) to Tucker Crowe (Ethan os that no one has heard. will be a reward for being so
friend’s obsession? What? Rose Byrne plays said wom- Hawke), a fictional cultish Duncan thinks it’s genius sensible,” she says). Tucker
Because, ultimately, “Ju- an, Annie, who lives a per- figure from the 90s indie but Annie dissents, coun- regrets not caring enough.
liet, Naked,” adapted from fectly ordinary life in an rock scene who made a tering that unfinished works Not only was he a prolific
a Nick Hornby novel and English coastal town. She seminal album, “Juliet,” but of art are just that — unfin- partier, he also managed
directed by Jesse Peretz, works for the tiny local mu- vanished in between sets at ished— and not meant to to father a fair number of
is not really about the ro- seum that her father once the height of his fame and be heard, even posting a children, from a fair num-
mance or the rocker or the ran, she spends time with hasn’t been heard from for lengthy comment on the ber of women, all of whom
lousy boyfriend. It’s about her sister and she tolerates 25 years. blog. are equally and rightfully
a woman, trapped in stag- her man-child boyfriend, Annie is dutifully support- This infuriates Duncan, who angry at their mostly absen-
nation learning what she an academic named Dun- ive of this obsession, until you could imagine break- tee father.q

Madonna is the Queen of Pop

and a soccer mom, too

Benfica’s youth academy .
Madonna follows 12-year-
old David’s progress in Por-
tugal closely, living in Lisbon
and often posting photos
and videos from the side-
lines of his games.
Madonna, who turned 60
on Thursday, floated the
soccer academy idea in
the southern African coun-
try last month, prompting
the national association to
respond enthusiastically.
“We are excited with this
window of opportunity that
has arisen,” Malawi Foot-
ball Association president
In this April 19, 2007 file photo, U.S. singer Madonna carries her
Malawian adopted son David Banda in the village of Masekese, Walter Nyamilandu told
Malawi. The Associated Press. “It
Associated Press will complement our efforts
By PETER KANJERE Madonna has plans to to establish football acad-
Associated Press open a soccer academy emies in the country.”
BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) — in Malawi, a move inspired The association has offered
The Queen of Pop is also by her adopted son David Madonna a piece of land
a soccer mom, and she’s Banda, who has ambitions next to the national soccer
getting ever more involved to be a professional player stadium in the capital, Lilon-
in the beautiful game. and is at Portuguese club gwe, Nyamilandu said.q