Misadventures of Margaret Reviews

Although it was skewered by most reviewers as an incoherent mess, this uneven but highly entertaining film updates the literate screwball comedies of Hollywood's golden age with risque sexuality and a modern indie sensibility. As the witty title character, Parker Posey proves adept at flashing her dark eyes flirtatiously, oozing upper-crust ennui, and tossing off high-speed bon mots -- often at the same time. Fans of the indie darling's performance in Party Girl and other films will recognize Margaret's sardonic humor, but Posey invests the character with a comic sophistication and an emotional resonance lacking in some of her previous roles. The bizarre story line, which involves extended fantasy sequences that recall Dangerous Liaisons in both bawdy plot and aristocratic setting, takes some getting used to, as does the fast-moving, tongue-in-cheek dialogue. But the film's modern take on timeless sexual questions -- coupled with fine supporting turns from Brooke Shields, Jeremy Norhtam, and the underrated Elizabeth McGovern -- help Misadventures live up to its hyper-verbal comedic antecedents rather than collapsing under the weight of its literary and romantic pretensions.