FOR RICHER OR POORER
By Harvey Karten, Ph.D. Universal Director: Bryan Spicer Writer: Jana Howington & Steve Lukanic Cast: Tim Allen, Kirstie Alley, Jay O. Sanders, Michael Lerner, Wayne Knight, Larry Miller
Possibly inspired by the marriage of Donald and Ivana Trump, "For Richer or Poorer" is a sentimental comedy that preaches the benefits of moderation on all sides. Unfortunately, it has been marred by a faulty trailer that highlights the movie's plantation pratfalls over verbal parries. Although the dialogue often veers toward TV sitcom humor, "For Richer or Poorer" provides a generous number of holiday laughs while underscoring a believable chemistry between Tim Allen and Kirstie Alley. Most of the movie is set in Amish country, specifically the town of Intercourse, Pennsylvania, with insights into the culture of the local Plain People provided by the director's consultation with a former member of the community who left the order after eighteen years.
The picture can help deflect any envy you might harbor toward the very rich. Tim Allen is in the role of Brad Sexton, a real estate developer who is unhappily married to Caroline Sexton (Kirstie Alley), a woman whose only profession is shopping. One of Brad's pet projects is the development of a Disney-style theme park based on events in the Old Testament, including a spectacular exhibition of the burning bush, a Noah's arcade, a Torah, Torah, Torah attraction with a targeted market of Jews and Japanese, and a Masada Inn to relax after wading through kitsch. When the IRS advises Brad's accountant Bob (Wayne Knight) that his client is under investigation for fraud, Brad and Caroline steal a taxi and race toward a hideout where they hope they cannot be found by the authorities. They find this Shangri-La in the area encompassed by Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the home of a strict order of Pennsylvania Dutch (Amish), where they pass themselves off as cousins of Samuel Yoder (Jay O. Sanders).
At first considering the place to be worse than prison, the incompatible Sextons learn the value of discipline, simplicity, and doing work of genuine value. In return they offer valuable counsel to their hosts, such as advice on the purchase of farm land and the benefits of relaxing their strict code of conduct to allow the use of "God's rainbow of colors" in the somber black-and-gray attire of the members.
While there is a considerable emphasis on physical humor including Brad's experience with a horse that steps on his foot, the movie has cute zingers that should bring a smile to all by the most jaded in the audience. When the vane Caroline rhetorically asks, "How will I face my friends?" her husband replies, "Pretend they're a mirror." The highlight is a fashion show sponsored by Caroline--who learns that real work and unselfish giving make her happier than she has ever been--using members of the Amish community to model colorful clothes in their attempt to convince the elders to allow a livelier dress code. When Brad comes out modeling an intensely blue shirt, Caroline calls the outfit brimming with "blueberry and blackberry" hues.
Director Bryan Spicer falters only when he introduces off- the-wall characters like IRS agent Derek Lester (Larry Miller), who acts like a keystone cop as he relentlessly pursues the two outlaws. When the movie concentrates on the interchange between the Sextons and their Amish hosts, it glides along on the appropriate side of credibility. "For Richer or Poorer" is in no way as sharp or witty as the year's best comedy, "As Good As It Gets," but offers enough laughs and sentimentality to include in your repertory of holiday moviegoing. Rated PG-13. Running Time: 122 minutes. (C) 1997 Harvey Karten
The review above was posted to the
rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup (de.rec.film.kritiken for German reviews).
The Internet Movie Database accepts no responsibility for the contents of the
review and has no editorial control. Unless stated otherwise, the copyright
belongs to the author.
Please direct comments/criticisms of the review to relevant newsgroups.
Broken URLs inthe reviews are the responsibility of the author.
The formatting of the review is likely to differ from the original due
to ASCII to HTML conversion.
Related links: index of all rec.arts.movies.reviews reviews