Marmalade

Modeling industry continues to baffle moviemakers in latest in a string of pics that tries to come to grips with a biz that should be a cinema natural yet stumbles badly on the runway. Jennifer Kusner and Jill Sorenson opt for a pathetic account of a model who finds herself too old at age 29. Best fit appears to be women's-oriented cablers.

The modeling industry continues to baffle moviemakers in “Marmalade,” the latest in a string of pics that tries to come to grips with a biz that should be a cinema natural yet stumbles badly on the runway. Basing their script on first-hand experience, co-writers Jennifer Kusner and Jill Sorenson (who also stars and serves as a producer) opt for a rather pathetic account of a once-top model who finds herself deemed too old at age 29 and doesn’t know what to do next. Beyond a smattering of fest appearances, the best fit appears to be women’s-oriented cablers.

Kim (Sorenson) would seem to non-pro eyes to still be a vivacious blonde hottie, but nose-in-the-air photographers, directors and agents tell her she looks “tired.” On the home front, she finds her longtime b.f. Peter (Michael T. Weiss) bored, non-committal and unwilling to move from their Gotham pad to the Connecticut ‘burbs in order to make babies, prompting her to break up with him.

Poor rich gal Kim now finds herself begging for rudimentary jobs far below what she’s accustomed to, with no amour and two pals (Kusner’s Jessica and Michael Cavadias’ gay Antoine) who egg her to go out on one bad date after another. Eric Schaefer (typically overactive) appears as Jessica’s sexually hampered b.f., and in style and tone, “Marmalade” closely resembles one of Schaefer’s own comedies, though never as annoying — even when Kim has sympathetic conversations in an animal shelter she dubs Marmalade.

The only note of believability is in a series of black-and-white vid clips from the docu Jessica is making about the downside of modeling (featuring actual vet models, plus the ubiquitous Donald Trump).

Though reasonably likable, Sorenson is limited in emotional range, especially when Kim is feeling her once-familiar world shifting under her feet. Weiss has nowhere to go in a role that’s a stiff onscreen; Kusner registers best of all as a woman with more than one side.

Helmer Kim Dempster’s credits as a commercials director are a hindrance, with shots and scenes looking too glossy and staged by half. Pic, shot in 35mm, was badly showcased at Cinevegas in a sub-par, pixilated Beta vid version.

Marmalade

• Production:A Gold Heart Pictures presentation. Produced by Ron Kastner. Executive producer, Lemore Syvan, Jill Sorenson, Jennifer Kusner. Directed by Kim Dempster. Screenplay, Jennifer Kusner, Jill Sorenson.
• Crew:Camera (color/B&W), Wolfgang Held; editors, F. Paul Benz, Carol Dysinger; music, Sunny Levine; production designer, Jody Asnes; art director, Shelly Federman; set decorator, Cherish Magennis; costume designer, Claudine Arnow; makeup, Belene Sheppard, Julia Lallas; sound, Barry London; assistant director, Amy Lynn; casting, Cindy Tolan. Reviewed at Cinevegas Film Festival, June 15, 2004. Running time: 92 MIN.
• With:Kim - Jill Sorensen Jessica - Jennifer Kusner Peter - Michael T. Weiss Dan - Eric Schaeffer Antoine - Michael Cavadias Karen - Karen Duffy Angelica - Sarita Choudhury Patty - Ilana Levine Roger - Sam Robards Aiden - Grant Show With: Dasha Viasenko, Claudia Chagall, Daniella Van Graas, Frederique Van Der Wal, Tatianna, Nadine, Donald Trump.