FOR RICHER OR POORER 1998
A film review by Timothy Voon
Copyright 1998 Timothy Voon
1 :-( for poorer
Cast: Tim Allen, Kirstie Alley, Jay O. Sanders, Megan Cavanaugh, Wayne Knight, Michael Lerner, Larry Miller Director: Bryan Spicer Producers: Bill, Jonathan, and Sid Sheinberg Screenplay: Jana Howington and Steve LuKanic
In this big mistake and excuse for a Tim Allen film, one can see him silently tearing his inside out trying to be funny on screen. Any comedian will tell you that trying to be funny means doesn't actually mean trying to be funny. What made Tim Allen a success in HOME IMPROVEMENT, was the fact that he played the regular husband, father and tool man with a comic ease that came naturally. In the surroundings of wife to banter with, boys to play with, best friend to tease and neighbour to listen to, Tim Allen presents his best work. Take him out of this environment and Allen falters poorly. He made an atrocious SANTA CLAUSE, a terrible businessman/father in JUNGLE TO JUNGLE, and is no better as a real estate developer FOR RICHER OR POORER. Maybe his claim to fame, will also be his bane as he will forever be compared to and labelled the TOOL MAN.
The story surrounds Brad and Caroline Sexton (Tim Allen and Kirsty Alley), successful real estate developers. Beneath the exterior of wealth and glamour, their perfect marriage is actually in shambles. To make matters worse, their accountant has embezzled 5 million dollars, leaving them to take the fall for the crime. With the RSI hot on their heels, the Sextons are forced to take shelter in an Amish community. It is here that they find love again.
It is here that Allen and Alley try to generate laughs by adopting Amish customs and habits. Unfortunately, there is nothing much to laugh about. Allen is mostly in the fields ploughing, whilst Alley learns to cook, scrub floors and sew. Like regular farmers. Kirsty Alley is as usual playing a whiney, naggy, difficult woman and Allen tries too hard to be who he isn't – a tool man trying to be farmer. However, there is one scene where Alley puts on an Amish floorshow that is quite entertaining. Otherwise, the intended romance and chemistry between Allen and Alley doesn't exist, and the ending comes as abruptly as saying ‘Amen' in the middle of supper.
So the vows go, ‘For richer or poorer, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part.' So how can I sum up this movie? Simply – 'For poorer, for worse, in sickness and death'.
Timothy Voon e-mail: stirling@netlink.com.au Movie Archives http://us.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Tim+Voon Hugues Bouclier's Movies in Melbourne http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~bouclier/week/movies.html
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