‘He Said, She Said’ By Desson Howe Washington Post Staff Writer February 22, 1991

Director: Ken Kwapis; Marisa Silver Cast: Kevin Bacon; Elizabeth Perkins; Sharon Stone; Nathan Lane; Anthony LaPaglia Children under 13 should be accompanied by a parent Compare prices for this movie Find local video stores More movie shopping Save money with NextCard Visa

Marisa Silver's Directorial Debut: A PBS segment about a Christian fundamentalist group.

Ken Kwapis's Directorial Debut: "Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird."

The Result: A movie with "Rashomon" intentions and "People's Court" impact. A bore between the sexes. Double punishment. The trouble with "He Said, She Said" is that neither should have said anything in the first place.

"He" and "She": Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth Perkins in screwball roles that, yesteryear, would have gone to classier combinations of Cary Grant, Carole Lombard, Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, etc. Bacon, a journeyman reporter at the Baltimore Sun, is an anti-intellectual, Reagan-voting, woman-chasing "newspaper man" who can't bring himself to say "I love you." Perkins is a sensitive, liberal, journalism school-educated new reporter, who dreams of working at the New York Times and can say "I love you" any time. Any character originality should be considered accidental.

How "He" and "She" Meet: Given the desk next to Bacon's, a fascinated Perkins witnesses Bacon's girl-chasing ways. Determined not to be another Bacon conquest, she becomes attracted to him. Soon after, Perkins is promised column space for an editorial. Trouble is, so is Bacon. As a compromise, the editors run both columns (on the same topic) side by side. Baltimore apparently goes hog wild over this man-woman, point-counterpoint thing. ("Hey, it's the people who argue!" exclaims a shop owner when he sees Bacon and Perkins together.)

By this time, Bacon and Perkins have become lovers, with an incredibly familiar set of differences. Their now-regular editorial jousting progresses to a TV show. The personal strife (she wants a commitment, he doesn't) increases. On the air, she throws a coffee cup at his head. The ratings soar. She refuses to go on the air. The relationship's off. Bacon goes back to Other Woman Sharon Stone. But is it over?

Difference Between the Two Segments: Not enough to merit the cute counterpoint. Just when you think you can make it through "He Said" alive, along comes "She Said." The same story is shown again, with slightly different character actions, and from slightly different camera angles. Who invited whom out on that first date? Just how awful was Stone? Was Perkins really sleepwalking when Bacon confessed true love in the middle of the night or was she faking it?

Most "Special" Moment: During a final broadcast debate by the now-estranged lovers on a proposed highway development, they make precious comments about whether "things are right for a future merger" or "the highways should be allowed to run their course."

Advice: Find the nearest exit.

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