Two-brother piano act, growing stale through the years, gets big boost after acquiring sultry female singer, the torchy type who is unafraid to hop atop a piano to deliver a flirtatious number, and who eventually--and inadvertently--comes between the siblings while seeming to be unaware of her own allure. All the good acting in the world can't quite make these characters work. Michelle Pfeiffer's sugar-puss songbird is a writer's creation; wide-eyed and innocent at the emotional ruckus she causes, and yet street-smart enough to beguile us with her wise-ass nonchalance, she seldom makes logical or emotional sense. Jeff Bridges gets to moon over her like a drunken has-been in need of a haircut-and-shave, while Beau Bridges is given the kind of third-wheel role never envied by anybody. And when all is said and done, are we supposed to feel proud of the chanteuse who was compelled to do her own thing after getting her feet wet with this unremarkable duo? She spreads her wings all right, but the character is all a cliché. **1/2 from ****
Review of The Fabulous Baker Boys
