Conference bookie::movies

	I caught this one last night.  MAJOR dis-apointment.
	The previews and commericials all seemed to bill it
	as a comedy, but I didn't laugh much.  Mainly because
	it was overly predictable due partly to be very
	un-original (I felt I was watching clips of poor remakes
	from 50's & 60's television).

	If you want to see a great film of a man dressed up and
	passing as a woman, rent Dustin Hoffman's "Tootsie"!

Very, very funny lines.  Story a little sappy, but I
was glad to see that they made the basic situations
(mom and dad do NOT get back together; mom's boyfriend
is not necessarily a horrible person) realistic.
This will actually be better on video, as there was
so much laughter in the theatre, it stepped on the 
jokes.  I felt like I missed half of them.

dcl

    I thought this was very funny, but mostly because of Robin Williams.  I
    think he's the funniest person in the world, and there were some
    situations in the movie that showcased his talent.  However, I thought
    the actual story was somewhat predictable and sappy.  I don't think I
    would have liked it if it wasn't for Robin Williams.
    
    Lorna
    

A Robin Williams vehicle much like the genie in aladdin. Some great 1 liners
and an overall very funny movie even with the obligatory Has to be two places
at the same time as a man and a women scene.

spoiler follows


I liked the non parent trap like ending as well. Especially the final scene
where Mrs. Doubtfire is explaining on her show that it isn't the  kids that
cause divorce and mommies and daddies don't always get back together....


John

    .4> A Robin Williams vehicle much like the genie in aladdin.
    
    I don't agree - in fact, the one scene I was disappointed with was a
    jerkily-edited pastiche of Aladdin-like character changes.  I loved
    that pace and variety in Aladdin, but this scene in Mrs. D seemed
    thrown together: several characters didn't last long enough to be
    recognized, or weren't developed to Williams' usual precision.  Not
    only that, there seemed to be no cadence to the editing (I was looking
    for a kind of choreography in the timing of the shots) and the scene
    was too short!  (Bad food and not enough of it!)  My guess is that the
    director didn't give Williams enough time or enough retakes - or he
    (Williams) was just goofing around on camera and they kept it without 
    giving him the option to punch it up.
    
    However, IMO most of Mrs. Doubtfire was NOT the manic stuff we heard in
    Aladdin - I loved Mrs. D's soft, underplayed accent and character.  She did
    have her wild moments, certainly :-} but this wasn't scrape-Robin-off-
    the-ceiling-again time.  Unlike Roger Ebert, I *was* affected by his
    performance as the desolate Dad.  And I liked the scenes with Sally
    Field (perhaps a thankless role, but she was wonderful in it).
    
    spoiler
    I wasn't happy with the scene in which the older kids discover "she" is
    their dad - it wasn't funny (in fact, the boy seemed horrified, which
    sends all kinds of wrong messages to the kids in the audience) and I
    just don't like toilet- or using-the-toilet situations.  There are a
    million merry mixups they could have used to clue in the kids, and I
    think this was a slapdash plot band-aid.  I also think the station
    owner's request that Daniel procure him a "girl" was way out of line in
    a family screwball comedy....
    
    Leslie

    I seem to recall the same type of effect when he was in Mork & Mindy,
    about the time he was filming Popeye, periodically there would be a
    Popeye-like act, seemingly out of place.....
    
    Michael

    This is another movie where the advertisements and the film clips show
    during interviews didn't make it to the movie. I think that if a clip
    is show as part of the promotion campaign, it should be in the movie...

    Examples?  Maybe I haven't seen all the trailers you have, but I can't
    think of one trailer/interview clip that was *not* in the movie.  I
    agree with you that clips shown SHOULD be in the movie (Dirty Rotten
    Scoundrels was the first example of loss-leader advertising I can
    remember).
    
    Leslie
    
    P.S.  In my previous reply, I meant to say "disconsolate" Dad, not 
    "desolate" :-)

    I laughed non stop on this movie.
    One of Williams best performance along with Sally.
    Sure it was a spin off of 'Tootsie' but it was a 90's toosie.
    I seem to agree with the ending being exceptional done.
    It appeals to the children who have parents going through a divorce.
    
    

    As my erstwhile movie companion said: "Not too sappy."
    
    I thought it was pretty funny.  Touched on the serious side of divorce
    and custody issues, but was largely a "warm" movie about the lengths a
    Dad will go to keep contact with his kids.  (note: I thought, at times,
    Williams' character was a bit TOO much in contact with his kids -- the
    need to was played up to be somewhat on the obssessive.  Although
    without this, one probably wouldn't have bought into rest of the
    story).
    
    Clearly, we were in for some obvious situations (having to be in two
    places at the same time, etc.), but it was still pretty funny.  Sally
    Fields was OK -- Gawd, she looks like my oldest aunt -- Pierce Brosnan
    sure ages well, and Robin Williams, he did a fine job.  Then again,
    I've never seen a movie with Robin Williams in it that I didn't like
    (even Popeye).
    
    Gentle, family-values oriented fun.  Some really good laughs
    throughout.  
    
    *** out of ****
    
    kim
    

    I thought this movie was great! I was laughing non-stop. The theater I
    went to was not crowded at all. I think it was better that way. Robin
    Williams is a genius, and he is very fast on his feet (i.e when he went
    to the wrong table he made a quick comeback by saying it was his
    character. All in all, great movie, and that little girl was cute.
    (anyone noticed that her mouthed moved to 'big' for the word she was
    speaking)
    

    
    
    re.o
    re.5
    Mrs Doubtfire charming accent is welsh. I should know I lived there for 
    6 years. Somehow I don't think the accent fitted the person. She just
    looked american. Not really very English. I don't mean that in a nasty
    way its just the way we are.
    
       J.G. 

	On the equiv of the "Hollywood Minute" on "Weekend Update"
	(on "Sat. Night Live") he gave a good review saying (not
	exact quote):

		"I loved this movie .... the first time 
		I saw it ..... it was called `Tootsie'"

	I was rolling!!!

    re .12 Hmm, when Robin Williams was interviewed (by Jay Leno, whose
    mother was a Scot) he said he was going for British with a soft touch
    of Scot.  And that's what it sounded like to me... and Leno said it
    sounded authentic.  Then again, Richard Burton is my only reference
    point for a Welsh accent, and I don't hear too much of a difference
    between it and what Robin & Jay called a Glasgow accent (Scottish but
    softer and rounder).  Whatever!
    
    re .11, I thought the youngest child was the UNcute one.  Not only did
    I think she was not an especially pretty child, speech impediments really 
    irritate me in actors, even very young actors.  (No, *I'm* not perfect,
    but I want to look at aesthetically pleasing people when I go to the 
    movies!)
    
    Leslie 

>    between it and what Robin & Jay called a Glasgow accent (Scottish but
>    softer and rounder).  Whatever!
    

Wow...that is never how I would describe a Glaswegian accent !!!

I think you must be thinking of the Edinburgh accent soft and lilting :-)

Glaswegian is at best harsh and totally incomprehensible...

    This was the funniest movie I have seen in a long time. Sure, some 
    of the lines were predictable and Robin Williams stole the show. But
    it was great!!!
    
    **** our of ****
    2 Thumbs UP

    I thought it was so funny!!  There were so many funny scenes that I
    can't recount them all.  The story was okay.  But Williams' role was
    terrific.
    
    Oh.  I don't find Sally Fields appealing at all.  She has *no*
    charisma, in my opinion. 
    
    jeff

    I realize that the trailers puffed this movie as a real comic farce,
    but it's not a laugh-fest.  The underlying story (breakup of a marriage
    and custody of the kids) is too serious, and I was pleased to note they
    treated that story with respect.  So to me, it wasn't a riotous laugh
    fest.  It was funny, yes, but with a definite bittersweet tone.

    Well, geez, if someone's going to mention the serious undertones to the
    movie, then I'm going to add that I found the William's character's
    obsolute, almost desperate need to be around his kids a little *too*
    strong.  It was played off as parental devotion and the whole reason
    for the funny aspects of the movie to exist, but taken at anything
    other than a plot point, it was a little disturbing.
    
    But I can't say I thought about it too much.  It quickly became obvious
    that this movie was meant as light comedy.  All the more serious
    aspects were sorta brushed aside once the Dad as the Housekeeper plot
    hit full stride.
    
    Cheers,
    
    kim

    re .19, I agree, it was a little weird how much time he wanted to spend
    with his kids.  Not really normal.  Also, what are the chances that any
    woman wouldn't recognize her own ex-husband dressed in drag.  Not
    overly realistic, imo.
    
    Lorna
    

    
    It was a comedy...when are comedy's realistic?  They are 
    supposed to be enjoyable, if you analyze them to death..then
    they would not be funny.  
    
    lkp

>    It was a comedy...when are comedy's realistic?  They are 
>    supposed to be enjoyable, if you analyze them to death..then
>    they would not be funny.  
 
    	Agreed %100
    
    	"Now . . . wouldn't that anvil have crushed Daffy's head?"

    What I had trouble with is slobbo Dad turning into domestic goddess
    Mrs. Doubtfire.  Sure.

    I didn't find his devotion to his kids unrealistic. It was clear that
    he didn't want the divorce, and also clear that he was much more
    involved in their lives than Sally Field (because he was employed
    intermittently with irregular hours). I can imagine being stricken by
    the thought of going from living full-time with one's children to only
    being allowed to see them for a few hours once a week.
    
    I found this to be a wonderful movie; it had a good blend of humor
    along with a thoughtful treatment of some of the hard choices faced by
    families today.
    
    Aside -- I took a couple neighbor children to the movies last month,
    and asked them what their favorite movies were. The eight-year-old
    replied that her favorites were Sidekicks (which she had seen the
    previous night on video), Nightmare Before Christmas (which we had just
    seen), and Mrs. Doubtfire. I asked her how Mrs. D. was, and she said,
    "Oh, I haven't seen it, but I'm sure I'd like it."
    
    >         "Now . . . wouldn't that anvil have crushed Daffy's head?"
    Naah. It was a nerf anvil.
    			Jim

    What I had trouble with is that they lived in a really nice house, in
    a nice neighborhood, in San Francisco, and I don't.   :-)
    
    Lorna
    
    
    

    
    >    It was a comedy...when are comedy's realistic?
    
    i rather think the best comedies are the ones that *are* realistic
    
    

    
    	Geez, this movie's been out for longer than I though ... it's
    	almost a year old now!!
    
    	I caught most of it on cable last night.  Was planning on being
    	asleep before midnight, but when I got into bed and turned on
    	the TV at 11:30 it was just starting.  Oh well, I can always
    	sleep tonight.  8^)
    
    	When it first came out I remember seeing the previews and say-
    	ing to myself, "Self, this looks like a stupid movie.  Don't
    	bother".  Well, I was wrong ... it's great!!  I was rolling
    	during the "frosting facial" scene.
    
    	I'll have to watch for it and see the whole thing next time.
    
    	RE: Domestic goddess
    
    
    
    	Well, I wouldn't call her a "domestic goddess".  She made the
    	kids do the housework and she had supper delivered, so it's
    	not like it took any skill for that.
    
    							GTI
    

    re last:
    
    And I'll add a few "spoiler lines", because obviously not everyone's
    seen it yet...
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
       
    My impression was she..err...he used the housework to get them to do
    their homework (character building).  Mrs. D. (that's better) had to
    order out that first big meal but because it was so expensive "she"
    had to learn how to cook--hence the scene with Robin partially in
    character (seems a steady state for him, doesn't it?) taking notes off
    a TV cooking show.
    
    The only part that stretched it a bit for me was the table-hopping
    scenes where he was finally un-masked.   Generally, though, if you can 
    ignore the fact that his ex-wife and kids couldn't see through the
    outfit & makeup, the movie is a hoot.
    
    							Don

    
    	I saw the last 1/2 of this one last night, after seeing the 1st
    	1/2 last week.  Good movie!!
    
    	Sally had one of the best lines:
    
    
    	Mrs. D.: "Normally, I'm sure you'd ask the children to step out
    		  of the room before you verbally bash their father."
    
    	Sally:	 "If I did that I might never see them again."
    
    
    							GTI

	Enjoyed the film a lot.  The line that had me cracking up was
	*almost* from dead poet's society ...

	When Mrs D is fishing around for her teeth in 'her' drink during
	the last scene, Robin Williams comes out with what must have been
	an ad-lib. He mutters "Carpe Dentum"(sp?),

    
	well, since we're all offering our favorite Mrs D lines, I would
    have to say that mine came in when...
    
    

    
    	... he/she is trying to get Sally's character to "tone down" a bit
    for a date with Pierce's chacter by suggesting that she wear a dark
    frock, instead of the flashy red dress that "cry's harlett". When 
    the oldest daughter thumbed down Mrs D's sugestion he/she hurredly hung
    the frock back up, muttering
    
    	...well I guess I'll get the frock outa here then"