**
Cast: Ben Affleck, Courtney Love, Christina Ricci, Martha Plimpton
Director: Risa Bramon Garcia
Rating: M
Reviewer: Russell Baillie
The lengthy cast list might be somebody's idea of young and hip Hollywood. But that ensemble can't help this comedy - about a bunch of teen and twentysomething New Yorkers on their way to the same
New Year's Eve party in 1981 - be anything more than a period-dressed, soundtrack-flogging sitcom.
Sure, some parts are effective and funny - mostly the episodes involving Courtney Love and Paul Rudd, who spend the evening daring each other to take their friendship somewhere less platonic. But elsewhere most of the episodes run from dull to irksome.
Especially the one involving Goldie Hawn's daughter, Kate Hudson, as ditzy Cindy, who's out on her first date with the guy she surrendered her virginity to the previous evening. Hudson is very much her giggly mum's daughter throughout, klutzing it up way beyond the call of duty.
Meanwhile part of that soundtrack comes to life with a cameo or two by Elvis (as seen in Austin Powers II) Costello as himself.
The title? It's a reference to a last-minute birthday present one character gives another and a clue to the only bit of insight this offers: they sure did smoke a lot back then, didn't they?
