The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe (1991)

An invaluable visual record of the successful one-woman Lily Tomlin show written by Jane Wagner, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe (the official title intentionally spells "intelligent" with one "l") is also a not entirely successful adaptation of a stage work that depended largely on the audience's imagination. In adapting any theatrical vehicle to the screen, filmmakers must make choices, and in the case of a dramatic play with a number of characters, "opening up" the setting is a starting point. Wagner and Tomlin's collaboration offers even more challenges, largely because on-stage Tomlin finessed portraying a disparate cast of characters by changing her voice and posture and pantomiming the use of props to suggest physical action. Tomlin's astonishing talent for mimicry, combined with Wagner's verbal dexterity, made for an exhilarating theatrical experience. Director and cinematographer John Bailey has opted for a mixed approach; the characters occasionally appear on stylized sets, and often Tomlin is allowed to change costume to heighten the reality, but at times he respects the original conceit, with Tomlin cavorting around a virtually empty stage in a blouse and slacks. It's a bit disconcerting when Bailey switches between the two approaches in the middle of a character's monologue. In a couple of scenes Tomlin interacts with herself, the best one featuring two prostitutes in a car on a rainy night, telling stories to a writer who is interested in gathering material for a story. The material that works best on film are these storytelling speeches; the series of observational riffs are still clever but fall flat without the feedback of an audience to heighten their impact. Tomlin and Wagner's creations don't necessarily need a laugh track, but in the more realistic medium of film, it sometimes feels like they're speaking into a strange kind of void. ~ Tom Wiener, All Movie Guide