Oh, the things we do for love. I watched Bed Of Roses for only the second time the other night, having recently TiVo’d the film. Back in 1996, I’d convinced my friend Rebecca to see Roses with me; a dozen years later, the details of the plot escaped me—though I knew a florist figured into it. For the first hour or so, I had the strangest sense of dread; even though the TiVo on-screen information told me otherwise, I thought it might turn into some creepy psycho-stalker slasher flick.

Bed Of Roses, of course, is a mostly forgettable romance, though the script does briefly flirt with the possibility that the florist played by Christian Slater IS a creepy psycho-stalker (“I looked up, and saw you crying in the window”). But now, as then, Roses‘ main draw remains Mary Stuart Masterson.

I’d been banging the MSM drum since 1987, when I first spied the percussive frames that open Some Kind Of Wonderful. That little blond drummer girl stole my 14-year-old heart, making the movie one of my all-time favorites: Outsider girl has a thing for her best friend, but that boy is oblivious, falling for a popular, out-of-his-league girl. Studying that classic John Hughes triangle today, I’m not sure whether mixed-up me wanted to be Watts, Keith Nelson, or Miss Amanda Jones. Likely a mix of ’em all.

Seeing Bed Of Roses again got me wondering how Mary Stuart Masterson is keeping busy these days. Though curiously absent from the cineplex, she’s spent a lot of time on the small screen. Masterson’s biggest TV role to date has been a recurring guest-star stint on Law & Order: SVU—a show that wears its creepy psycho-stalker vibe with pride. She’s played Dr. Rebecca Hendrix five times since 2004; most recently last year.

Of course, Masterson’s stage work merits a mention as she was nominated for a 2003 Tony Award as “Best Featured Actress in a Musical” for her role in Nine: The Musical. A film version is in production, to be adapted and lensed by Rob Marshall (Chicago), though Marian Cotillard (La Vie En Rose) is slated for MSM’s part. Back to Masterson, she ventured behind the camera in 2007, making her feature directorial debut with The Cake Eaters. The indie flick is currently traveling the festival circuit (and winning a few awards, too).

My IMDB research for this post turned up the tidbit (if true) that Bed Of Roses is referenced in the recent Michel Gondry film, Be Kind Rewind. So I may very well have to ignore my strong aversion to Jack Black and catch the mention myself. First, I think I’ll stoke my MSM fire with a visit to the Whistle Stop Cafe. After all, Fried Green Tomatoes not only features Mary Stuart Masterson, but one of my all-time favorite film quotes (courtesy of Kathy Bates’ character) and also stars the wonderful Mary-Louise Parker (it’s clear I’ve got a thing for three-named actresses).