"That's a nice-a donut."
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Worth Winning (1989)
The plot for Worth Winning is pretty much as ultra-farcical and unserious as you can possibly get in a movie that isn't a straight-up satire. It starts out innocent enough though. Basically, local news weatherman Taylor Worth (Mark Harmon) is the textbook ladies' man; he has a nice glamorous job with a good income, he is good looking, he is kind and generous, and generally an all-around great guy. He just can't commit and never stays in a romantic relationship for more than two months. Then it joins the list of clownish 80s movies: as a way to teach him a lesson (for his own good), Taylor's friend Ned (Mark Blum) bets him that he can't get engaged to three different women in the next three months. The stakes are pretty high - Ned's wife's original Picasso for Taylor's fishing cabin - and Ned even gets to choose the three women.
One is a drop-dead blonde (Maria Holvoe), another is an arty pianist who is skeptical of men (Madeleine Stowe), and the third is married (Leslie Ann Warren). From here on out, the movie is as absurd and as zany - and unbelievable - as it can be. And once we've learned the identities of the three women (victims), it doesn't take a psychic to see that the general plot outline is pretty well choreographed - you won't be very surprised by how things turn out. The finale is one cliche after another.
But there are some fun and interesting aspects that separate Worth Winning from other screwball efforts. As with a few other films from that era, including Ferris Bueller's Day Off, it makes liberal use of breaking the fourth wall, and speaking to the audience. This leads to some funny quips from Taylor like "after she agrees to marry me, I'm going to keep dating her" he tells the audience, with a straight face. There are also plenty of good one-liners in the conversations between characters like when he shouts "no goddammit, it mean's I'm impotent!" in a crowded restaurant.
As with many farces, the acting (and script) straddle a very thin line between good and bad. Harmon is solid in the main part, though you can't help but wonder if it could have been better with a bigger name. He plays the suave gentleman well, and can switch to the lyin' and cheatin' good-for-nothing pig when the need arises, though always with a hint of sorrow. The role itself is pure George Clooney (think: Ocean's 11), who would be perfect as Taylor if this were made today. But I digress ...the rest of the cast is pretty tame and hit or miss. In all, it is charming and entertaining for what it is; just too predictable for a concept so absurd.
The Verdict: C.
Michael Bentley 9:52 AM
Archives
March 2005
April 2005
May 2005
June 2005
July 2005
August 2005
September 2005
October 2005
November 2005
December 2005
January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
June 2006
July 2006
August 2006
September 2006
|
|
|
|
