Saturday, September 19, 2009

The Secret of My Success

Day 262 - 9/19/09 - Movie #262

BEFORE: Another last-minute addition to the list - I got this from Movies On Demand, to put on a DVD with "Bright Lights, Big City". I didn't realize at first that this film was set in NYC - it's not really about NYC, but I can't resist the pull to watch the 2 Michael J. Fox films back-to-back.

THE PLOT: A talented young man can't get an executive position without rising through the ranks, so he comes up with a shortcut, which also benefits his love life.

AFTER: This film wanted very badly to be a cross between "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (with Fox subbing in for Broderick as a likeable con-artist type) and "Working Girl" (lowly office drone pretends to be an executive) - but unfortunately it devolved into a bedroom farce, with a lot of slamming doors, mistaken identities and confusing mishaps. What sort of company is it, what business are they actually in? Doesn't really matter...

Of course, this kid from Kansas, fresh out of college somehow has the expertise to sit in on company meetings and suggest winning strategies - it's a fantasy, sure - but look what you can accomplish when you buckle down, stop snorting coke and quit staying out late at nightclubs!

Co-starring Helen Slater, John Pankow (last seen in "To Live and Die in L.A."), Margaret Whitton (the baseball team owner in "Major League"), with cameos from Fred Gwynne, Mercedes Ruehl, and playwright Christopher Durang (who I met on a video shoot, like 20 years ago)

RATING: 6 out of 10 stock reports

No comments:

Post a Comment