Cinephile № 819 “The Sterile Cuckoo”

Recommendation: 4/5 Stars, SHOWTIME

Plot: “Two students from neighboring colleges in upstate New York are swept up in a tragic romantic interlude calling for a maturity of vision beyond their experience of capabilities. Pookie Adams — a kooky, lonely misfit with no family and no place to go, insists on calling all those who won’t participate in her world, “weirdos,” clings to a quiet studious Jerry, who has the ability to make a choice of living in Pookie’s private little world or be accepted by the society that Pookie rejects. Unwittingly, it is through their awkward relationship that Pookie actually prepares Jerry for the world of “weirdos” that she doesn’t fit into or wish to be a part of.” -IMDB

Review: For my 12th film of the 2019 AFI Fest, I decided to spend some time with a classic film starring Liza Minnelli as Pookie Adams and Wendell Burton as Jerry Payne. From the very beginning, it is easy to tell that Pookie is the star of the show. Possessing overpowering and tireless energy, she overwhelms every person she meets. Jerry, for his part, is her polar opposite. He is studious, quiet, and focused on getting the best grades possible in college. Attending different schools, it is a chance encounter that brings them into each other’s orbit. From here, we are left to ponder and study the age-old saying about opposites attracting.